Thursday, August 12, 2004 53 teachers rap principal for various 'offenses' By Rhee Fer Hortaleza
POZORRUBIO -- No less than 53 teachers of a national high school in this Pangasinan town filed a complaint before the Department of Education (DepEd) against their principal for alleged corrupt practices and other reasons.
The teachers are asking the ouster and transfer of Dr. Alfredo S. Calugay from the Benigno V. Aldana National High School in the complaint they submitted recently to Pangasinan Schools Division Superintendent Juliana B. Laoag.
Aside from engaging in alleged corrupt practices, the teachers are accusing Calugay of being unprofessional, abusing his authority, practicing favoritism and engaging in lewd conduct.
Calugay vehemently denied all the charges, branding them as "utter lies, fabrications, malicious and natured for the sole purpose of personally benefiting the signatories to cover up their evident wrongdoings and shortcomings" in the school.
"These are persons who are either having problems with the present school administration arising from their respective evident wrongdoings and shortcomings in their sworn duties and responsibilities, with the aim of seeking vengeance against me; or those who were forced, coerced and threatened to sign the said petition, or not having read or understood it," Calugay said.
On the accusation of corrupt practices, the teachers said Calugay allegedly "extorts money and materials from teachers who just received their maternity checks, loans and other benefits, and often asks them to donate food and beverages for his office."
They also accused Calugay of "making it a habit to go shopping and going to the beauty parlor with selected teachers and personnel even during school days and choosing items he likes for these teachers to pay for him; requiring the school canteen and the Teachers Cooperative Canteen to give him cash every time he attends seminars for his gasoline and other personal expenses."
On his alleged unprofessionalism, the teachers said Calugay allegedly tolerates some teachers who come to school late or who are always absent from their classes "because he gets favors from them." He also allegedly scolds teachers even in public, especially during flag ceremonies, and causes discord among teachers "through loose talks".
On Calugay's alleged abuse of authority, the complainants said "he throws a tantrum every time a teacher disagrees with him in meetings or dialogs and verbally abused a teacher in front of parents during a Parents-Teacher Association board of directors' meeting".
Calugay is also allegedly "fond of organizing pleasure trips during official time with the teachers."
Regarding favoritism, the complainants said Calugay allegedly "has successfully organized a group of teachers called by their fellow teachers as 'untouchables' and who are given special attention and privileges".
The teachers also said Calugay shows partiality for one head teacher because she is his 'informer'.
Concerning alleged lewd conduct, Calugay is allegedly "often observed caressing male students even during school hours" or was "observed to have slept in school with a male companion who was a student of the school" and others.
On the last accusation against Calugay, the parents of Marvin Velasquez, 17, and Reden Calbengen, 16, have reportedly filed a complaint against Calugay for alleged acts of lasciviousness and violation of Republic Act 7610 with the Prosecutor's Office in the Urdaneta City.
Replying to the charges, Calugay said the petition and complaint were obviously instigated by two department heads of the high school and whom he identified as Flordeliza Eroles and Arsenia Yapchiongco.
He said Eroles threatened, forced and misled teachers into signing the alleged petition and pointed out that Eroles likewise earlier lost in the ranking for the position of Head Teacher VI. He claimed that this is one of the reasons why she initiated the move to oust him.
Concerning Yapchiongco, Calugay said a case was filed by members of the board of directors of the school's PTA against her for grave misconduct in office "with a prayer for her transfer or removal from office."
Moreover, Calugay said the parents and other teachers have manifested their unwavering support for him in a manifesto dated June 21, 2004. They reportedly vouched for Calugay's capacity, integrity and dedication to public service.
Calugay answered the accusation point by point, eventually seeking the dismissal of the petition for lack of merit. On the charge of lewd conduct, Calugay said a graduate of the high school identified as Al Vryan B. Lagasca had denied that Calugay was involved in any illicit or intimate affair with any of the students of the school.
Nevertheless, the Eriles-Yapchiongco-led petition said the ouster of Calugay is for the common good of Pozorrubio. They said in spite of his "bad record as principal in Balungao National High School, we respected his designation as principal of BVANHS" when former Principal Orlando Perez retired in 2000.
"We honored his appointment as our new principal and we accorded him all respect as a school administrator. Unfortunately, he proved to us that he despises justice, fairness and honor," the petitioners said.
Laoag was not available for comment.
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