PNP warns members of Alliance of Concerned Teachers supporting communist rebels

MANILA, Philippines — Law enforcers will not hesitate to file charges and revoke the licenses of teachers belonging to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) who are found supporting communist rebels, the Philippine National Police (PNP) warned.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde yesterday issued the warning after the ACT filed a motion for reconsideration before the Court of Appeals (CA) on the dismissal of its petition seeking to declare the profiling of its members by the police as unconstitutional.

Albayalde revealed that they are in the process of gathering evidence against some members of the left-leaning teachers group with alleged links to the Communist Party of the Philippines, its political arm National Democratic Front and armed wing the New People’s Army.

“If we will be able to get physical evidence on their participation in rebellion we will not hesitate to file a case against them,” Albayalde said at a news briefing at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Aside from criminal cases, he said they will also ask the Professional Regulation Commission to revoke the licenses of teachers found to be in cahoots with communist rebels.

He accused the ACT of filing cases even without proof.

Albayalde said like lawyers and doctors, a teacher could also lose license, which is just a privilege that could be taken away if it is proven an educator is conniving with perceived enemies of the state.

Albayalde insisted that they are not profiling ACT members, adding what they are doing is part of intelligence efforts to protect the state and its citizens from communist rebels and other enemies.

He reminded ACT members that it was CPP founder Jose Maria Sison who said the teachers’ group is one of their front organizations.

ACT yesterday appealed the ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA) junking its petition to stop the move of the PNP to profile their members.

In a motion for reconsideration, the ACT asked the 11th Division of the appellate court to reverse its decision last month that dismissed outright the petition filed by ACT through national chair Joselyn Martirez and secretary general Raymond Basilio on a technicality.

The CA cited infirmities in the petition as ground for rejecting the petition, particularly the failure of petitioners to submit certified true copies of the assailed memoranda issued by the PNP’s intelligence units.

It held that the petition failed to meet the requirement under Rule 65, Section 2 in relation to Rule 46, Section 3 of the Rules of Court.

Both rules require that “the petition shall likewise be accompanied by a certified true copy of the judgment, order or resolution subject thereof, copies of all pleadings and documents relevant and pertinent thereto.”

But ACT explained that they were not able to secure certified true copies of the memoranda precisely because the PNP itself publicly denied the existence of such order.

ACT told the CA that they made a request to PNP chief Albayalde for copies of the assailed memoranda but their request was ignored.

Assuming that there are procedural lapses in the main petition, ACT said the Supreme Court itself has relaxed procedural rules to serve substantial justice considering matters of life, liberty, honor or property, if there are compelling circumstances or if procedural lapses are not entirely attributable to the party. – With Edu Punay