Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon slammed the Department of Education (DepEd) Saturday for ordering not just the closure of three Ata-Manobo schools in the municipality of Talaingod in Davao del Norte, but also the subsequent takeover of said schools by military personnel. In a letter notice to DepEd Region XI Director Alberto Escobarte dated May 12, 2015, Davao del Norte Schools Division Superintendent Josephine Fadul recommended the closure of three Salugopungan Ta Tanu Igkanunon schools which cater to lumad children, and in its stead, the construction of a school that will be managed by the military. “Should this request for the closure of the said schools be granted, in its stead, this Division requests permission to implement the creation of a public high school in Butay, Talaingod utilizing military personnel as para-teachers,” Fadul said in her letter. The division superintendent argued that the schools were being used as “fronts” of the rebel New People’s Army. “Contrary to what Dr. Fadul claims, the tribal schools in Talaingod were built by missionaries and non-profit organizations to serve Lumad children. These educational institutions are in fact the only schools that strive to provide education in these far-flung areas, areas long neglected by both the local and national government. Closing these schools mean closing opportunities for these children,” Ridon said. The lawmaker also slammed Fadul for recommending the creation of public schools run by the military. “This recommendation runs against several resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and national laws which discourage – if not prohibit – military entry in schools,” Ridon explained. The lawmaker also expressed alarm over reports that in another town in Davao del Norte, in Kapalong, another lumad school is being threatened by the paramilitary group Alamara, forcing the school not to open this coming school year. Funded by the non-profit group Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc., the said school in Sitio Muling, Barangay Gupitan is the only school in the said remote area, which can only be reached through a two-day walk. “We denounce these systematic attacks against tribal schools that only aim to extend education to lumad children. How can the Aquino administration sleep at night knowing that children in these remote areas are being deprived of basic education because of heavy militarization?” Ridon asked.