Case No.

117
GERONA VS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
Facts:
RA 1265 is a la t!at "a#es a $la% ce&e"o'( co")*lso&( $o& sc!ools. T!e i")le"e'ti'%
&*le De)a&t"e't O&+e& , sa(s t!at t!e a't!e" "*st -e )la(e+ !ile t!e $la% is &aise+. It also
sa(s t!at e.e&(o'e "*st sal*te t!e $la% a'+ 'o o'e is to +o a'(t!i'% !ile t!e ce&e"o'( is
-ei'% !el+. A$te& t!e $la% e.e&(o'e is to &ecite t!e )at&iotic )le+%e.
/etitio'e&s -elo'% to t!e 0e!o.a1s 2it'ess !ose c!il+&e' e&e e3)elle+ $&o"
4*e'a.ista Co""*'it( Sc!ool i' Uso'5 6as-ate !e' t!e( &e$*se+ to sal*te5 si'% t!e a't!e"5
&ecite t!e )le+%e +*&i'% t!e co'+*ct o$ $la% ce&e"o'(. T!e( +i+ 'ot +o so o*t o$ &eli%io*s -elie$.
T!e( a&e 0e!o.a!7s 2it'esses. T!e( co'si+e& t!e $la% to -e a' i"a%e i' t!e co'te3t o$ !at is
)&o!i-ite+ i' t!ei& &eli%io' a'+ -eca*se o$ t!is t!e( e&e e3)elle+ $&o" t!e sc!ool. Ge&o'a &ote
to Sec o$ E+*catio' t!at t!ei& c!il+&e' -e e3e")t $&o" t!e la a'+ 8*st -e alloe+ to &e"ai'
sile't a'+ sta'+ at atte'tio' -*t t!is as +e'ie+. As a result, the petitioners filed for a writ of
preliminary injunction against the Secretary and Director of Public Schools to restrain
them from implementing said DO No. 8.
Iss*e:
2!et!e& De)a&t"e't O&+e& No , is alid.
9el+:
De)a&t"e't O&+e& 8 is alid. Saluting the flag is not a religious ritual and it is for
the courts to determine, not a religious group, whether or not a certain practice is one.
!he court held that the flag is not an image but a symbol of the "epublic of the
Philippines, an emblem of national soereignty, of national unity and cohesion and of
freedom and liberty which it and the #onstitution guarantee and protect. #onsidering the
complete separation of church and state in our system of goernment, the flag is utterly
deoid of any religious significance. Saluting the flag conse$uently does not inole any
religious ceremony.
After all, the determination of whether a certain ritual is or is not a religious
ceremony must rest with the courts. %t cannot be left to a religious group or sect, much
less to a follower of said group or sect& otherwise, there would be confusion and
misunderstanding for there might be as many interpretations and meanings to be gien
to a certain ritual or ceremony as there are religious groups or sects or followers.