The government has no policy of keeping teachers under surveillance as President Duterte actually loves and cares for these public servants, Malacañang said yesterday.
To highlight how much the President looks after the welfare of teachers, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the public school teachers could even expect a salary increase in the next two or three months.
“Definitely, the policy is not to surveil teachers. The President loves the teachers,” Panelo said.
“The President takes care of teachers. He has promised to double their salary. If I am not mistaken, (Budget) Secretary (Benjamin) Diokno said the salary hike may be released in two or three months,” he added.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers recently slammed the Philippine National Police for trying to profile public and private school teachers, saying it was an attack on right to free expression and self-organization. The group claimed there was a police memorandum ordering the submission of a list of all ACT members in every school.
Panelo, however, said the police officers have denied conducting surveillance of teachers.
The Palace official acknowledged though there was nothing wrong if law enforcers monitor persons with suspected involvement in illegal activity.
He said it was the job of the police to probe persons who have shown acts inimical to the State, adding they could be slapped with a case for “conspiracy to commit rebellion.” He recognized that ACT was a known legal front of the Leftist movement.
“If you’re not doing anything (wrong) why should you be afraid?” he said. “If they are not doing anything, nothing will happen,” he added. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
