House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Monday accused Palace Press Officer Claire Castro of derailing urgent discussions on school safety, following her latest remarks targeting teachers.
“Yung napakahalagang talakayan tungkol sa school safety naging paniningil sa mga guro at tamang modo. Presidential Spokesperson Usec. Claire Castro has blatantly hijacked the discussion,” Tinio said.
He stressed that instead of acknowledging government shortcomings—such as negligent gun ownership, chronic underfunding of schools, lack of mental health services, and a prevailing culture of impunity—Castro shifted the conversation toward alleged online misconduct by teachers.
“Instead of acknowledging the government’s shortcomings in addressing the systemic issues that make schools unsafe, from negligent gun owners to chronic underfunding and lack of mental health services in schools to the overall culture of impunity, the Presidential Spokesperson has sought to change the conversation and make it about the alleged online misconduct of individual teachers,” Tinio stressed.
“There are remedies available to those aggrieved by online posts, unlike victims of school shootings. Ano ang ginagawa ng Malacañang para hindi na maulit ito? Yun ang ipaliwanag mo,” Tinio added.
The lawmaker underscored that the Palace must answer for systemic failures that continue to leave schools vulnerable, rather than deflecting accountability onto educators.# (RRN)
