Filipino parents drop sex education lawsuit

Catholic parents today withdrew their lawsuit against former education department officials over a sex education module’s test run in elementary and high schools.

Jo Aurea Imbong, the parents’ lawyer, said in a July 29 interview with Church-run Radyo Veritas 846, “We withdrew our case during this morning’s hearing” because it was primarily against former Education Secretary Mona Valisno.

“She is no longer the secretary so the most reasonable thing to do is to substitute her with the new secretary,” Imbong said.

The lawyer said the group was not prepared to sue Valisno’s successor, De La Salle Brother Armin Luistro.

Unlike Valisno, the Catholic brother “has not openly endorsed” the sex education trial project, Imbong said.

She noted Brother Luistro has not taken a stand on the issue. “He said he will conduct an assessment, study again the report, conduct consultation.”

She had heard Brother Luistro is considering forming a group that would develop a new module.

Imbong said, “We will give him more time and space to do that,” adding her group would revive their lawsuit “without prejudice” should the education department pursue the current module.

Her group of some 30 parents sued Valisno and Undersecretary Ramon Bacani for promoting family planning, reproductive health and demographic development in subjects such as mathematics, science and English.

They also petitioned the Quezon City Regional Trial Court for a temporary restraining order to halt the project, but the court denied this plea.

Imbong said the education program violates parents’ right to nurture their children’s moral character.

The complainants also asked the court to declare Education Department Memorandum No. 26, which implements the sex education program, as unconstitutional on the grounds of being “anti-family” and “anti-life.”

The department said the sex-education program would help curb teenage pregnancies and the rise of sexually transmitted diseases.

PM10595.1612

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