MANILA — An official of the Department of Education-Division of Taguig City Pateros (DepEd-TAPAT) has revealed an alleged "maternity leave scam" happening within their ranks.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News on Thursday, DepEd-TAPAT Curriculum Implementation Division Chief Dr. Ellery Quintia said some teachers allegedly filed maternity leaves up to "11 times in three years".

Quintia showed documents wherein one teacher received money ranging from P35,000 to P61,000 from 2016 to 2019 as she filed for maternity leaves during that time.

He explained these are the salaries of the said teacher, given in lump sums supposedly availed of through the said benefit.

Under the Expanded Maternity Leave Law signed in 2019, female workers in the public sector, who include public school teachers, "shall be granted maternity leave of 105 days with full pay", and "shall be entitled to maternity leave of 60 days with full pay for miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy."

"Good as cash ito. Kung titingnan mo ito, cash na ito na ibababa sa account ni teacher... Hindi ko naman siya kinausap tungkol dito. Maaaring hindi nga siya aware kung ano iyong nangyari at nanganak siya ng 11 beses sa loob ng tatlong taon... Maaaring si teacher, biktima rin. Ginamit din... Ito ay conspiracy ng mga nasa itaas," Quintia said.

(It's good as cash. If you look at it, it's cash that will be deposited into the teacher's account... I didn't talk to her about it. She may not be aware of what happened and she gave birth 11 times in three years... The teacher may also be a victim. This is a conspiracy by those who are in power.)

Quintia said in 2019, some personnel noticed the anomalous filing of maternity leaves, and the accounting and bookkeeper at that time filed a joint report on the matter.

In 2021, Quintia learned of the said issue and decided to come out now.

"Ngayon ko lang ito nilabas ito. Kasi siyempre kailangan mag-ipon ka ng evidences... Hindi naman ako pupwedeng lumabas kaagad ako nang wala akong hawak," Quintia said.

(I spoke about this just recently because of course, you have to gather evidence... I can't go out right away without holding anything.)

'No leaves'

Speaking to ABS-CBN News on Thursday, "Teacher Rose", the teacher identified in the documents, said she has not filed for leaves since she began teaching in a school in Taguig in 1999.

Rose also said she does not have a child.

"Wala akong alam diyan. As in. Hindi ko alam na ganyan din, may scam na ganyan. As in wala akong alam. Ngayon lang, na ininterview niyo ako. Ngayon lang din ko nalaman na kasama ako dyan," she said.

(I don't know anything about that. As in. I didn't know that too, there is a scam like that. As in I don't know anything. It is just now, that you interviewed me. I just found out that I was there too.)

"Hindi pa ako naglea-leave from 1999 na nandito ako... hanggang ngayon. Hindi pa ako naglea-leave. As in malinis iyong record ko. At wala akong anak," she added.

(I haven't taken a leave since 1999 when I was here... until now. I haven't taken leave yet. My record is clean. And I don't have children.)

Rose also denied that she received money during the said period of time.

"Sana mayaman na ako. Teacher 1 nga ako, 'di ba. Hindi na ako nagpapa-promote kasi okay na sa akin iyong pera ko, walang problema doon... As in hindi, kaya nga na-shock ako ngayon nung sinabi na may ganoong pera kasi wala talaga," she said.

(I wish I was rich. I'm Teacher 1, right? I'm not seeking a promotion anymore because my money is fine with me, there's no problem with that... As in no, that's why I was shocked when I was told that there is such money because there really isn't any.)

Cecilia Capistrano, the school personnel in charge, confirmed Rose has not taken a leave of absence during the time mentioned.

"Agree naman ako sa kanya. Based on records talaga, wala akong pina-process na nag-file siya ng maternity leave kahit isang beses kasi hindi naman siya nagbuntis. So hindi possible na mayroon siyang maternity leave," she explained.

(I agree with him. Based on records, I didn't process that she filed for maternity leave even once because she didn't get pregnant. So it is not possible that she has maternity leave.)

Capistrano said maternity leaves are commonly availed of by personnel once a year, except for extraordinary cases like miscarriages, which are also included in the said benefits.

Meanwhile, Rose has decided to find out why her name is being dragged to the incident.

"Gusto ko din malaman kung sino talaga... Aalamin ko din iyan. Magtatanong-tanong ako. Iyon ang gagawin ko," she said.

(I also want to know who she really is... I will find out that too. I will ask questions. That's what I would do.)

'Protect the whistleblower'

Why is Quintia revealing the alleged scam, which directly involved their division?

"Alam ko, hindi lang ito dito nangyayari. Kasi merong pattern. May pinaggayahan ito. Hindi ito maiisip ng isang tao lang kasi ang gagawa nito, grupo ng tao. Kasi maraming pagdadaanan ito. Maraming bubusisi ng papel na ito. Pero bakit lulusot nang ganito?" Quintia said.

(I know, it doesn't just happen here. Because there is a pattern. It cannot be thought of by just one person because it is done by a group of people. Because it is a lot to go through. Many will review this paper. But why slip through like this?)

Quintia, who resumed office last week after his preventive suspension in September, claimed he has been "receiving death threats" and "is fearing" for his life amid his revelations.

He has an appeal to Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte.

"Nananawagan ako kay VP Sara. Sana, sa isang independent body niyo pahawak itong kaso. Kasi mawa-whitewash lang ito... Dapat kaming mga whistleblower ang protektahan ninyo," he said.

(I call on VP Sara. Hopefully, an independent body will handle this case. Because this will just be whitewashed... You should protect us, whistleblowers.)

Duterte earlier said she will endorse the issue to the agency's legal division, which would conduct a probe.

She also urged DepEd personnel to report to their respective divisions if such an incident occurs.

On Wednesday, DepEd-NCR Director Wilfredo Cabral said "the SDO (Schools Division Office) is tasked to internally examine records and to submit reports" on the said incident.

Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to Cabral, DepEd-TAPAT Schools Division Superintendent Margarito Materum said the division "has no knowledge of the existence of any issue" on the alleged scam.