HOUSE Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio has called on Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro to retract her remarks and apologize to teachers over what he described as unwarranted and disrespectful comments following the school shooting in Zamboanga.

Tinio said Castro should not blame teachers for the government’s failure to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and school personnel.

He said Castro’s remarks disrespect the hard work and dedication of teachers who continue to educate and guide students despite inadequate pay, systemic neglect, and insufficient government support.

According to Tinio, Castro’s comments were “unwarranted, gratuitous, and illogical,” particularly because they were made in the context of a school shooting.

He argued that the rise in school violence is a complex issue involving factors such as inadequate school funding, limited access to mental health services, and lax gun control.

Tinio stressed that teachers should not be made scapegoats for these problems.

“Huwag ibintang sa teachers ang mga kakulangan ng gobyerno,” Tinio said.

The ACT Teachers lawmaker also suggested that Castro’s remarks may have been motivated by other concerns, urging the Palace official to set aside any personal “baggage” and avoid making teachers targets of criticism, especially in discussions involving school violence.

Tinio called on Castro to respect teachers, whom he described as the “second parents” of Filipino children, and to apologize for her remarks.

He also reiterated that the government should focus on addressing the systemic problems affecting school safety rather than shifting the blame to educators.