DID the Department of Education (DepEd) consider students attending an Army youth summit as paid informers or “spies” to justify ₱15.54 million in confidential fund rewards?
Lanao del Sur Zia Alonto Adiong, a spokesman of the House prosecution panel, raised that question Tuesday after Col. Manaros M. Boransing II testified in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte that students were among the participants in the 2023 Youth Leadership Summits (YLS) recorded in his Army certification.
“Ibig sabihin ba, lahat ng dinala doon ng DepEd ay puro mga spy, informants? Lahat ng participants nila ay informants?” Alonto Adiong asked in a press conference.
Boransing described the YLS as a long-running Army program that brought together soldiers, police, local governments, schools and other agencies. The Army led the program, while each participating institution generally covered its own contingent.
“Ang sinabi doon sa testimony ni Colonel Boransing, iyong nagpapa-participate na mga agencies—like sa DepEd—ang dinadala nila are mostly students,” Alonto Adiong said.
That, he said, makes DepEd’s use of the Army certificate in its audit response more difficult to explain.
“So ginawa pa ba nilang informant at spy itong mga estudyante na ito?” he asked.
The DepEd attached the certificate to its April 17, 2024 response to COA Audit Observation Memorandum No. 2024-015, which sought documents supporting the reported success of information-gathering or surveillance tied to rewards totaling ₱15.54 million.
The certificate showed that the summits occurred but did not show that students—or any participant—were confidential sources.
“Ano ba talaga iyong qualification ninyo for informants? Paano ba kayo nagde-determine kung sino iyong babayaran ninyo na informants?” Alonto Adiong asked.
He also pointed out a YLS activity in Lanao del Sur, which is within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“The area that was mentioned by Colonel Boransing was in my area in Lanao del Sur. Lanao del Sur is part of the BARMM,” the lawmaker said.
Alonto Adiong said the document has raised more questions. “Mas lalong nagbibigay pa ito ng mga tanong na dapat may kasagutan,” he said.
Schools in Lanao del Sur fall under the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE). Official MBHTE records for 2023 identify and administer the Lanao del Sur I and II school divisions.
“Kung mayroong dapat mag-send ng mga students from the educational sector, it is the MBHTE, not DepEd,” Alonto Adiong said.
During the trial, Boransing said DepEd personnel gave school locations, schedules and permission-related inputs during interagency planning.
He, however, could not say whether those inputs came from confidential operations. Boransing also said no DepEd funds were downloaded to his 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division.
metrosundaily
