THE Department of Education (Deped) said petitioners who are seeking court injunction against sex education in schools are “barking the wrong tree”, citing there is nothing unconstitutional with the plan.
Education Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Franklin Sunga challenged lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong, former legal officer of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and a member of Ang Kapatiran Party, to present evidence, which finds the move unconstitutional.
“If she will argue that it is unconstitutional, it is not. She must show where in the Constitution that says teaching sex education is unconstitutional,” Sunga said.
The DepEd camp welcomed the suit, adding that it will afford both sides a chance to present their arguments.
“At least now we can present our side in court. This is nothing personal but of course, if there is a restraining order, we are ready to comply,” he said.
Sunga also maintained sex education lessons lean more towards "gender development", emphasizing that the program does not propagate contraceptives and nothing in it violated Filipinos religious beliefs.
Imbong, a defeated senatorial candidate, filed a class suit with a prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Monday against the department.
She asked the court to stop the mandatory teaching of sex education, saying it is a violation of parents' rights to nurture their children's moral character.
Named respondents in the petition were Education Secretary Mona Valisno and Undersecretary Ramon Bacani.
The petitioners want the court to restrain the Deped from allowing sex education to be taught in schools, as it supposedly overtakes parents' responsibility to teach their children the moral implications of sex education, the report said.
Imbong earlier said that teaching sex education in schools violates the 1987 Constitution. (AH/Sunnex)