Tejero faces another complaint over coop office, canteen closure

EMBATTLED City Central School principal Arnold Tejero is now facing another complaint–this time, for allegedly padlocking the office of a teachers’ cooperative and one of the campus canteens that it has been running.

Lydia Tubella, who is in charge of the Oro Teachers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, said Dr. Tejero closed down the cooperative’s office recently, and they have already brought the matter to the city council’s committee on education chaired by Councilor Suzette Daba.

Tubella called the act “illegal.”

There was no notice, and the over 20-year old office was just closed down without a clear reason.

Tubella said the office closure would affect cooperative members, including  retired teachers, who still avail of cash aids and loans from the cooperative.

The cooperative was organized by the then mayor Pablo Magtajas in the late ’80s, and was reportedly given financial assistance by former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and former congressman Erasmo Damasing Jr..

In an earlier interview, Dr. Tejero said the cooperative failed to account for its funds, including the funds its received through Pimentel, Magtajas and Damasing, in violation of a rule set by the education depertment.

Tubella said the Oro Teachers Multi-Purpose Cooperative has been a no-nonsense cooperative that was awarded as among the top 20 cooperatives in the region.

She said the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) have recognized the group. “Dili kami colorum.”

“It was closed illegally by Tejero. Dili kami makasulod og unsaon pag-operate,” she said.

She said when they sought an explanation, Tejero told them that the area was no longer safe to the public, and the office was already dialpidated.

Tubella said what is ironic is that an adjacent room is still being used for the Alternative Learning System of the Department of Education.

“Solid pa man intawon ang building unya iyang gisirado nga dili na kami makaagi. The canteen near the entrance of City Central School which we operated for many years was also closed down by Tejero,” Tubella said.

Tejero, for his part, said he has discussed matters with the cooperative on several occasions even as he pointed out that there was a memorandum from the City Schools Division Office about the need to have only one school canteen for every public school.

“We invited them to join us in the big canteen. The building they have occupied is considered unfit for use. But they refused to join us. Dili sab tinuod nga durable pa ang ilang area, and the Deped ordered us to close the area,” Tejero said. (lito rulona)