DAVAO CITY – Around 15 teachers and school administrators of a private school in Baganga town Davao Oriental were stopped at a military checkpoint due to an alleged encounter between the army and the New People’s Army.
But the school officials believe that the reason was just “a drama” to block them from holding their school’s inauguration.
Milagros Maglungsod Tan, education officer of Misfi Academy told Davao Today in an interview that they were going to their campus in Sitio Kasunugan, Barangay Mahan-ub when they were held in a military detachment.
“We were held under the command of Lieutenant Miguel Porras. We were not allowed to proceed to the area because there was a soldier who was sniped. They said the area is not yet secured,” she said.
“But our teachers who are already there in the community said they have not heard any gunfire or a reported encounter,” she said.
“Even the community told us it’s just a drama,” she said.
She said the campus of Misfi Academy in Sitio Kasunugan is their fifth campus in Baganga. The school, she said, started last June and offers preschool until Grade 3. She said the school has around 70 enrollees.
Maglungsod-Tan said Misfi Academy already operates 19 campuses in four regions in Mindanao.
Last week, the village chief in Barangay White Culaman, Kitaotao town in Bukidnon ordered the closure of a MISFI branch in the area.
However, the Department of Education Division of Malaybalay who inspected the school informed the barangay officials that they do not have the authority to order the closure of the school.
The barangay official alleges that the school is supported by the New People’s Army. The school has denied the allegations.
Maglungsod-Tan said they already submitted all their requirements for the school permit to the DepEd and are still waiting for the permit. She said their campus in San Fernando, Bukidnon “already has a recognition permit since 2012.”
She said their school which is supposed to be inaugurated on Monday has one school building and two classrooms.
Maglungsod-Tan, along with several school teachers said they will be temporarily staying at a church in Baganga overnight. She said they will be meeting with the municipal mayor, Arturo Monday. (davaotoday.com)
