(Eagle News) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) clarified that President Rodrigo Duterte has no intention of destroying the indigenous community or the lumads, when he gave a warning that he intended to destroy schools being operated by miltant groups which are allegedly using the schools to teach hatred and rebellion against government.
Instead, the President’s statement on the lumad schools “sends a strong message for illegal education centers to comply with government regulation,” said AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, Jr.
In a regular Mindanao Hour briefing in Malacañan, Padilla said that President Duterte has no intention of wreaking havoc to lumad schools.
“It was just a matter of strongly communicating a strong position on behalf of government to warn the illegal educational centers which are not complying with government regulation,” he said on Friday.
“That is how we understood the President and that is how we see and appreciate his comments regarding this. Not intended to really destroy the community but to extend a message, a very strong message, to the people behind the organization of these illegal learning institutions to comply with government regulation,” he added.
3 groups of Left-oriented lumad schools
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Marie Banaag said there are three main groups of left-oriented indigenous people schools, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
These are the Alternative Learning Center for Agriculture and Livelihood Development, Inc. or the Alcadev; the Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services, Inc. or the Clans; and the Salugpungan Community Learning Center.
The Alcadev of Surigao has no permit to operate and refuses to get a permit from the Department of Education. The Clans, on the other hand, has been given 3 months to comply with DepEd requirements.
“It is clear from the President’s remarks that he is not referring to all lumad schools, but to those which don’t have permits from the Department of Education or the DepEd, and refuse to comply with DepEd requirements on curriculum,” Banaag said.
“It is likewise clear that the President does not intend to bomb lumad children. On the contrary, he said that they should get out of the schools as he was referring to structures and not to children,” she added.
