Government lawyers ask court to dismiss case filed by parents vs sex education

MANILA, Philippines - Government lawyers sought yesterday the dismissal of the case filed by parents seeking to stop the Department of Education (DepEd) from implementing the sex education program because the complainants have no legal standing.

The lawyers asked Judge Rosanna Fe Romero-Maglaya of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 88 to junk the case for lack of merit.

Assistant Solicitor General Renan Ramos said during a court hearing that there is nothing immoral in the DepEd’s sex education modules.

“The modules aim to teach gender development, science, and it is part of the human anatomy. There is nothing immoral about the project and nothing violative of the petitioners’ constitutional rights,” Ramos told reporters.

Ramos claimed that the parents who filed the case have admitted before the court that their children are not enrolled in the schools where the DepEd is carrying out the sex education program.

“None of the parents are directly affected because they admitted in open court that their children are not enrolled in those schools with pilot testing. They have no legal standing to initiate the petition because they are not directly affected,” said Ramos.

Lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong filed last week the petition for prohibition and temporary restraining order (TRO) against Education Secretary Mona Valisno and Undersecretary Ramon Bacani.

Judge Maglaya said she is inclined to rule in two weeks in favor of a TRO against the sex education program.

The court said the petition has been deemed submitted for resolution following the filing of the DepEd’s comment through the government lawyers.