By: Alex P. Vidal
“If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.” –Confucius
HE didn’t wait for a Raffy Tulfo to make him choose between facing a criminal rap or resign as teacher.
The controversial teacher in Pili National High School in Ajuy, Iloilo, who reportedly showed a porno video to his Grade 10 students in a Science class, has resigned, Iloilo Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Roel F. Bermejo confirmed in a report on Nov. 27.
When confronted earlier by Ajuy councilor Angel Briones, the teacher reportedly panicked and did not immediately face the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member, who went to the school to check the report after he had been tipped off by some parents.
Did the teacher fear a backlash and disciplinary action from school authorities, or was he intimidated by Briones’ involvement in the brouhaha?
It wasn’t immediately known whether he resigned for fear of being investigated by the Department of Education (DepEd-6), or someone from the school, municipal government, or DepEd forced him to give up his job.
He remained anonymous though and might no longer face any case for violation of Child Protection, or any law that protects the welfare of children.
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The Ilonggo teacher’s resignation came on the heels of a controversy involving Manila-based anchorman Raffy Tulfo and a female teacher.
She was forced to give up her profession after being threatened with a criminal case by the hard-hitting broadcaster, whose help was sought by the guardians of a high school student.
Tulfo discussed the complaint of a grandmother during a TV episode of his program about a teacher who “mistreated” her grandson after the student allegedly failed to submit his report card.
A video footage shows the 55-year-old female teacher sending the student out of the classroom to sit on a chair in the corridor.
The broadcaster gave the teacher two choices: resign from her job face criminal charges.
When the teacher decided to resign, the case became a national sensation and caused an uproar. Thousands of fellow teachers threw their support behind the female teacher in a petition and denounced Tulfo.
The netizens also reacted adversely against Tulfo, who was forced to defend his action saying he only got carried away by his emotion as a human being.
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AS I had warned earlier, the dirty department might retaliate against Senate minority floor leader Franklin Drilon after his series of exposes on corruption and incompetence involving the minions of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Amid Drilon’s tiff against organizers of the 30th Southeast Asian Games led by Philippines Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHILCOG) chief and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, a party-list representative sympathetic to Cayetano, et al, blasted the Iloilo senator in a privilege speech for allegedly cutting P2.5 million from the SEA Games budget allocated for the country’s hosting, and increasing the budget of Drilon’s infrastructure projects in Iloilo with P2.5 million.
Drilon described the party-list solon who attacked him as a “blabbermouth” and belied all the accuser’s allegations.
So far, Drilon can handle the apparent retaliatory move from the druggles and grutnols who don’t want to be interrupted while they are making a pile at the taxpayers’ expense, and committing monumental blunders due to dishonesty and incompetence.
Ilonggos should brace for more attacks against their vigilant son and brother, Senator Drilon.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
