Deped condemns torching of elementary school in Miag-ao

The Department of Education on Monday strongly condemned the burning of an elementary school building in Miag-ao town in Iloilo province over the weekend. “We will not allow acts of arson and similar incidents to disrupt the elections. Our teachers are adjusting with the realities on the ground, thus despite the difficulties, elections are proceeding as planned across the country," a statement from the department quoted Secretary Mona Valisno as saying. Suspected communist rebels allegedly burned down a school building the Cadoldolan Elementary School in Miag-ao town last Saturday. The school is a polling center for Monday's elections. The building housed Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, which have been replaced by the Commission on Elections. Meanwhile, DepEd assistant secretary Jonathan Malaya that the burning of a classroom in Sipocot South Central Elementary School in Sipocot town in Camarines Sur was only accidental. The PCOS machines to be used in Monday's elections were not affected because these were stored at the Principal's Office. Malaya then called on the National Police to heighten its security measures in pollings centers and to protect teachers, who act as Board of Election Inspectors, from violence. “We ask our police to protect our teachers who are risking their very lives in some election hotspots across the country," he said. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV