By Shayne Elizabeth T. Flores

Human rights alliance KARAPATAN asserted that the ethical malpractice case filed against Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Teachers) Partylist Rep. France Castro is merely the Duterte camp’s attempt to divert public scrutiny from the recent investigation of Vice President Sara Duterte’s gross misappropriation of confidential funds.

“KARAPATAN denounces moves by the Duterte camp seeking the expulsion of ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro from the House of Representatives on the basis of a contrived ethics complaint. KARAPATAN views the ethics case against Rep. Castro as a desperate attempt by the Dutertes to deflect public attention from the real issue of Sara Duterte’s gross misappropriation of her Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF),” a press statement read.

Last December 10, a group of indigenous people, led by Datu Allan Causing Admo of the Talaingod tribe in Davao del Norte, filed a complaint against Castro before the House of Representatives Ethics Committee for allegedly endangering 14 Lumad children in 2018.

The accusation pertains to the rescue mission led by the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network in response to Talaingod teachers and students’ call for help upon being militarized by the parliamentary group Almara in November 2018. 

Collectively known as Talaingod 13, Castro and 12 others were convicted of violating Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act last July, to which they appealed against in the same month.

The case is still at the Court of Appeals, awaiting final verdict as of writing.

According to KARAPATAN, the resurgence of child abuse accusations against Castro can be linked to her motions citing Duterte in contempt for the latter’s lack of cooperation in the probes into the Office of the Vice President’s fund misuse.

“The Duterte camp is trying to turn the tables on Rep. France Castro by harping on her unjust conviction and citing her for alleged unethical conduct, even if her questionable conviction by the lower court is still on appeal and there has been no final judgment yet on her case,” the statement pointed out.

Similarly, Makabayan Coalition claimed that the complaint is an attempt at harassment, both to get back at Castro and to cover-up the Duterte camp’s anomalies.

“Masyado kasing nalantad ang ginawang pagpatay sa ilalim ng pekeng drug war ni [former president] Duterte sa [Quad Committee], at ang paglustay ng confidential funds ni VP Duterte at ngayon ay may impeachment na siyang kinakaharap at may International Criminal Court naman ang matandang Duterte (This was because the killings done under the fake drug war of former president Duterte have been exposed in the Quad Committee along with the massive spending of confidential funds of VP Duterte, and now, she is facing an impeachment complaint, while the elder Duterte faces the International Criminal Court),” Castro said in a statement.

The human rights group further highlighted that it was the Duterte administration who violated Lumad children’s rights, citing 535 cases of Lumad school attacks documented by SOS Network. 

These violations include military encampment, torture, red-tagging, and destruction or forcible closures of schools among others—majority of which transpired when Martial Law was declared in Mindanao.

“Under the Marcos Jr. regime, Lumad children continue to be deprived of these schools that taught them to defend and cherish their land and culture. Marcos Jr. faithfully implements the same militarist and anti-people policies that have had devastating consequences on the Lumad children’s rights and welfare,” KARAPATAN added.

The ACT-Teachers Partylist representative has been actively involved in the congressional investigations of the vice president’s fund misuse.

Heated exchanges between the two occurred amid the hearings, with Duterte once bringing up Castro’s child abuse conviction and alleging her to be at the center of the vice president impeachment talks.

Last November, several progressive and religious groups called on President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to reopen Lumad schools in Mindanao, which were closed down during the Duterte administration.

Castro revealed that her group has refiled a resolution in the House, requesting investigation into the closure of Lumad schools.

(Photo by Zedrich Xylak Madrid/FEU Advocate)