Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Nicolas Torre III has pushed back against filmmaker Darryl Yap, telling the director to read Palace Press Officer Claire Castro’s statement carefully before cursing at her over remarks about teachers.
In a Facebook post on August 19, 2026, Yap invoked his parents’ background as retired public school teachers before directing an expletive at the Malacañang official, writing that his mother and father were both retired public school teachers “kaya naman… PUTANG INA MO CLAIRE CASTRO.”
Torre, who oversees day-to-day operations and serves as spokesperson of the MMDA, responded by noting his own ties to the profession. He said his mother was a teacher and that he pursued a Master of Arts in Education because he once dreamed of teaching himself. Drawing on that background, the former Philippine National Police chief said he found nothing in Castro’s words that insulted educators.
“Kaya bilang anak ng isang guro, at isang taong gustong maging guro, wala akong nakikitang insulto sa teaching profession sa sinabi niya,” Torre wrote.
He argued that Castro had referred to “ibang mga guro,” or some teachers, rather than all teachers, comparing the distinction to acknowledging that a few erring police officers does not amount to an attack on the entire force. Pointing to that reading, Torre urged Yap to slow down before reacting.
“Kaya Darryl, bago ang ‘PUTANG INA MO,’ comprehension muna. Kung talagang ipinagmamalaki nating mga guro ang ating mga magulang, mas magandang ipakita nating natuto tayo sa kanila: basahin, intindihin, saka humusga,” he said.
The MMDA official closed by drawing a line between defending teachers and defending what he called a misreading of a clear statement. “Ipagtanggol natin ang dignidad ng ating mga guro. Pero huwag nating ipagtanggol ang maling pagbasa sa malinaw na sinabi,” Torre added.
The exchange stems from Castro’s comments during an August 18 briefing following the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Grade School shooting in Zamboanga City, which left two people dead and several others injured. Castro said some teachers had been seen violating moral standards and teaching students to behave disrespectfully, drawing condemnation from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition. She refused to apologize, maintaining that her statement was taken out of context and was meant as a reminder of the role teachers play rather than an accusation against them.
