• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A public school teacher, assigned as a chairman of the Board of Election Inspectors for the May 12 national and local polls in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, who has been accused of alleged electioneering, will be provided with legal assistance by the Department of Education, according to Ian Arnold Arnaez, spokesperson of DepEd Schools Division – Negros Occidental.
In his affidavit-complaint, Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Adrian Villaflor alleged that the respondent teacher, whose identity has been withheld, has accompanied reelectionist Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo in her campaign trail and caucuses in the town different barangays.
Villaflor disclosed that complaints were also filed against the respondent before the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Education, aside from the Commission on Elections.
While he has yet to see a copy of the complaint, Arnaez said the allegations will be thoroughly investigated.
However, during election time, wherever there are cases or issues against a teacher, the Department of Education will always provide legal assistance, he added.
An Election Task Force has been created by the Department of Education to monitor the situation in all schools being used as polling centers, and to help teachers facing legal issues, Arnaez further said.
Asked what will happen to the teacher accused of alleged electioneering, he said it will be the Comelec which will decide and act on the matter.
Arnaez also said that the Department of Education is not remiss in its duties of reminding teachers not to show any political inclination during election period, because otherwise, they are susceptible to electioneering cases.
They have to stick with the rules and guidelines of the Comelec. If they are compliant, nothing will go wrong, he said, also stressing them to always be on the safer side, rather than being vocal and transparent in their political leanings.*
