Teachers cry foul over designation of School principal in Marawi City

By JONG CADION

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur Sept.23, 2015-MPF-News) --- Public school teachers, principals and supervisors in Marawi City were crying foul and question the legality over the designation of school principals, Marawi City Schools Division official said Tuesday.

The tension grip at the Marawi City Schools Division as hundreds of supporters from both camps gathered at the Dansalan National High School (DNHS) Compound for the installation of an OIC principal of the said High School Monday morning.

The group of Assistance school Division Superintendent Zenaida Unte and Pharida Sansarona attempted to install Teacher III Norma Mangorsi as OIC Principal of DNHS replacing Head Teacher Almaira Bato.

The order came from OIC Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao- Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Dr. John Magno which was served and implemented by Zenaida “Cheke” Unte and Pharida Sansarona.  

Unte and Sansarona said, “We are just following orders.”

Marawi City Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Mona A. Macatanong opposed the installation attempt claiming that the order is unlawful. “That the said order from Magno is illegal,” Macatanong explained.

Macatanong said the legal opinion of the Civil Service Commission issued through CSC Regional Director Leopoldo Robeto W. Valderosa, Jr. stated that “the power to appoint is reserved to the Regional Governor. Thus, the orders of designation of the regional office, as long as issued by the Regional Governor, shall prevail.” In like manner, Macatanong added that the designation issued by the Regional Secretary, if not concurred, is void considering the power to appoint carries with it the power to designate, reassign and even discipline.  

 SDS Mona A. Macatanong

DepEd Regional Secretary John Magno designated Mrs. Norma B. Mangorsi, Teacher III as OIC Principal of Dansalan National High School (DNHS) replacing Mrs. Almaira M. Bato, Head Teacher and directed the Schools Division Superintendent to ensure the implementation of the order.

According to Macatanong upon assumption to office of Dr. Magno as secretary in the DepEd–ARMM had abused his authority in discretion by revoking legal designations without due process in replacing them by unqualified ones.

She said that Salamona Tawagon, principal 3 designated district in-charge now replaced by Didato Monto, a principal 1, Mrs Mangondaya, principal 2 was replaced by Linda Salic, Principal 1., Bedorie Hadji Osop, Principal  1  replaced  by Ubar Acraman, Teacher  1, Myra H. Manan, Head Teacher replaced by Noraida Acraman,Teacher1.

Newly appointed Teacher 1 was designated without experiences were designated Division area coordinator. “Where is the Daan na Matuwid?, Next in ranks are no longer observe in the DepEd-ARMM,” Macatanong said.

“That order of Sec Magno is in violation of the writ of preliminary injunction which was promulgated on June 20, 2014 and writ of mandatory injunction which was also promulgated on August 19, 2015 issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) 12th judicial Region, Branch 8-Marawi City,” Macatanong stressed.

The tension was defused through the timely intervention of Marawi City Vice Mayor Arafat Salic and Marawi City Police Director, Supt. Al Abner W. Santos who arrived and tried to pacify both camps.

Vice Salic asked the affected school officials and supporters to calm down and settle the issue peacefully and asked both parties for a one week moratorium to settle the issues.

Also present to help defuse the tension were other city and barangay officials including a sizeable number of police personnel.

On the hand Police Director Santos said the police will only maintain the safety and security of the people and will not interfere with the installation, as the issue could be settled by the school officials themselves and the local government officials. 

The said the problem began when ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman issued on May 27, 2014 a memorandum order compelling SDS Macatanong to “retroactively retire” from service on October 18, 2013 “without due process of law,” and designating Pharida Sansarona as OIC-SDS.

The court affirmed the incumbency of Macatanong until October 18, 2016 as indicated in the Civil Service Commission police on legal age adjustment.

Macatanong had asked the court to cite Hataman, former DepEd-ARMM Secretary Jamar Kulayan and former Assistant Secretary John Magno and their cohorts for “direct contempt” for establishing two “satellite” division offices. The offices are manned by OIC Sansarona and OIC-Assistant SDS Zenaida Unte.

Though they recognized the court-ruled incumbency of Macatanong, Sansarona and Unte reasoned that they were merely obeying instructions from the regional government.

The leadership row turned complex when the ARMM government, since June 2014, stopped the releases of Maintenance and Other Operating Expense (MOOE) funds to Macatanong’s office. The salaries of teachers allied with or loyal to Macatanong were reportedly withheld.

Macatanong also complained on her exclusion as ex-officio member from the Regional Promotion and Selection Board, saying her office was deprived of its legal right to help screen and endorse Marawi City personnel deserving appointment or promotion.