Manila: A nationwide union of educators has criticised the Philippine National Police for allegedly conducting surveillance on their activities.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), in a statement, said police across the country were under orders to conduct “profiling” activities on public and private schoolteachers who are members of their organisation.

The group took exception of an order from the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct an inventory of all ACT members in their areas of responsibility.

“Police officers who have spoken to school heads either present or refer to PNP memoranda ordering ‘all concerned’ to submit a list of all ACT members in every school, citing previous memoranda from PNP Intelligence Departments and the upcoming May 2019 elections as bases for the order,” the ACT said.

On Monday, ACT members held a demonstration in front of the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City to dramatise their opposition to the perceived surveillance activities being carried out against them.

“PNP, Hands Off Our Teachers! Stop schemes to intimidate and harass ACT members!” said the streamers they hold.

ACT said such activities by the PNP violate the right to privacy of their members while branding the current administration under President Rodrigo Duterte as “fascist.”

No denial

PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde did not deny that there is a directive ordering the inventory of educators who are members of ACT while at the same time pointing out that the memorandum was supposed to be internal and not aimed at conducting an witch hunt of anti-government activists.

Nevertheless, in a press briefing on Monday, Albayalde announced that three policemen who “leaked” the memorandum concerning orders to monitor activities of ACT members, were sacked.

On the part of the palace, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said teachers have nothing to fear if they are not doing anything illegal.

“If you can remember, ACT is a legal organisation identified with the left and the PNP and the President has also mentioned that they have legal fronts),” Panelo said while pointing out that it is within the mandate of the PNP to monitor any conspiracies that threaten the stability of the elected government.

Panelo said Duterte will not issue orders that would harm educators if they are not doing anything illegal. “The President’s mother was a teacher that’s why teachers are close to his heart,” Panelo said.