THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers is considering filing charges against the Department of Education Caraga office  for co-organizing a seminar along with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict that pressured teachers to denounce ACT.

Photos from the convergence showed a presentation titled “SEMINAR ON NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERN AND DISAFFILIATION FROM ACT.”

“Not only is this another vicious attack against ACT, it is a gross violation of teachers’ fundamental freedom to associate. By allowing the conduct of NTF-ELCAC’s vile campaign against our union, DepEd-Caraga as the employer interfered with teachers’ exercise of their basic right to form and join unions, for that they will be held accountable. Our lawyers are already looking into possible charges against the office,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said.

Basilio said that DepEd-Caraga was among the offices that participated in the profiling operation against ACT.

“We’re aghast at how brazen DepEd-Caraga has become as far as letting itself be used by this rabid rights-violating task force. From being complicit in the rampant red-tagging, harassment, unjust arrest and detention of its own employees, now it has completely foregone any respect for basic rights and freedoms by actively involving in an illegal disaffiliation campaign against a duly registered union on top of conducting its own profiling operations,” Basilio said.

ACT called on DedEd to review its role.

“Is it to provide a civilian and democratic space where teachers and learners can work together in contributing to national development or another venue for the conduct of the Duterte administration’s sham wars against the people? We think the laws of the land is clear on DepEd’s mandates,” the group said.

ACT urged the department to forbid any activity of the NTF-ELCAC in campuses to ensure that schools remain safe spaces, free from military interference and operations.

It also asked the DepEd to respect its employees rights and freedoms and protect their welfare and interests.