‘I did not blame the teachers’: Castro refuses to apologize for ‘morality’ remarks

MANILA, Philippines — Palace Press Officer Claire Castro defended herself on Wednesday, August 19, after drawing criticism for claiming earlier that some teachers violate moral standards.

Castro said in a press briefing that her previous statement was not meant to blame teachers but rather to remind them of the significance of their role in providing guidance to young people.

The Palace spokesperson was under fire after she accused some teachers in a press briefing on Tuesday, August 18, of teaching improper behavior to their students.

“Minsan na po nating nakita, mismo ang ibang mga guro ay lumalabag sa ganitong klase ng moralidad. Sila minsan ay nagtuturo sa kanilang mga estudyante kung papaano maging walang modo, lalong-lalo na sa mga nakakatanda or sa mga ibang tao,” Castro said on Tuesday.

(We have seen it before that some teachers violate these moral standards. They sometimes teach their students how to be ill-mannered, especially towards elders or other people.)

Castro’s statements came following the school shooting incident in Zamboanga City, in which the alleged shooter was a junior high school student.

Teachers’ groups ACT Teachers Party-list and Teacher’s Dignity Coalition pushed back and slammed Castro for appearing to put the blame on teachers.

“‘Yung ating mga guro ngayon kailangan ng suporta, hindi po ng paninisi at pagtuturo sa mga problemang ito,” ACT Teachers Party-list Chairperson Ruby Bernardo told GMA’s “Unang Hirit” earlier Thursday.

(Our teachers today need support, not blame or being pointed to as the cause of these problems.)

In response, Castro brought up photos to back up her claims, including students heckling President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when he visited Davao City in July and a screenshot of a video of a male teacher allegedly teaching his students insulting words against the president.

“Naiintindihan ko po kung saan nanggagaling ang mga guro, at wala po tayong sinabi na sila ang dapat sisihin. Ipinapakita lamang po natin kung gaano kalaki ang kanilang role bilang pangalawang magulang sa ating mga kabataan,” Castro said.

(I understand where the teachers are coming from, and we never said that they should be blamed. We are only pointing out how significant their role is as second parents to our young people.)

Castro refused to apologize for her statement and maintained that she did not blame the teachers, adding that ACT Teachers’ Party-list had put her statement in the wrong context.

“Iniisip ko kung saan ba dapat na sabihin kong mali ako. Maliwanag ‘yung aking pagkakasabi, nagkaroon lang ng maling konteksto nung sinabi ng ACT Teachers Party-list na sinisisi ko ang mga guro,” Castro added.

(I’m thinking about where I should say that I was wrong. What I said was clear; it was simply taken out of context when ACT Teachers Party-list said that I was blaming the teachers.)

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