The Palawan provincial board said it will study the complaint filed by local education officials against DepEd provincial supervisor Natividad Bayubay but clarified that the most they can do is to recommend sanctions on the official.
“Sa tingin ko ang kapangyarihan namin dito ay humiling o magrekomenda sa DepEd kasi ang may pangunahing kapangyarihan dito ay sila. Kaya ito ay ini-refer sa committee para tingnan namin kung anong aksyon ang gagawin sa sulat na ito—kung paano ang treatment dito,” Board Member Ryan Maminta said.
Dr. Benjamin D. Paragas, regional director of DepEd MIMAROPA, in a separate phone interview with Palawan News on Tuesday, said the regional office has not yet received the copies of the complaints filed by Roger Cario, chapter head of the National Association of Philippine School Secondary Heads Inc. (NAPSSI); Rosalie Montealto, chapter president of Philippine Elementary School Principal Association (PESPA); and Renante Tabi, interim president of the Palawan Provincial Federation Teachers Association (PPFTA).
“Hindi ko pa nakikita ‘yong complaint pero kung may mga ganoong allegations, paiimbestigahan natin ‘yan,” Paragas said.
Lack of jurisdiction
Maminta also said that the request to investigate Bayubay is the education department’s turf, adding that their power is limited to merely issuing a resolution requesting DepEd to move for Bayubay’s temporary suspension.
“Pag-uusapan ito sa committee kasi may mga kahilingan sila na dapat aksyunan katulad ng imbestigasyon kay Ma’am Bayubay na sa tingin ko ay mas akma na sa DepEd ito ipadala kung sakali, kasi wala kaming jurisdiction doon. Kung preventive suspension naman ay maaari tayong gumawa ng resolution lang na humihiling pa rin sa DepEd,” he said.
The administrative complaints sent to President Rodrigo Duterte and Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez dated September 15 accused Bayubay of involvement in allegedly fraudulent transactions totaling around P84.7 million.
The Schools Division Office (SDO) of Palawan declined to issue as of press time.
“To avoid prejudging the issue in accordance with the sub judice rule, SDO Palawan deems it proper not to issue any comment regarding this matter,” an officer said in a message sent to Palawan News.
(With a report from Celeste Anna Formoso)
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