ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on Friday called on the Department of Education to stop profiling the Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines and its members.

Castro, along with members of the Makabayan bloc, filed House Resolution 1095 condemning the profiling operations of the DepEd against ACT Philippines and the disclosure and processing of the personal information of their members in violation of the Constitution and Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act.

“DepEd’s profiling operations against ACT and their members are highly alarming and a clear violation of their basic rights. The disclosure and processing of their personal information and sensitive personal information without their consent is a direct attack on their privacy and security,” Castro said.

“ACT has been vocal in their advocacy for better working conditions, salaries, and benefits for teachers, and this profiling operation is a clear attempt to silence their voices and intimidate them from exercising their right to peaceful assembly and free speech,” she added.

Castro specifically called on Vice President Sara Duterte and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict to put a stop to profiling of unions and activists, as well as red tagging.

“These actions only serve to stifle dissent and further erode our democratic institutions. We demand that the government put an end to these attacks on our fundamental rights and freedoms,” she said.

“We urge our fellow lawmakers to support House Resolution 1095 and send a strong message to DepEd that we will not tolerate any violation of our citizens’ basic rights and freedoms,” she added.