MANILA — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday raised the alarm over the Department of Education's (DepEd) supposed plan to conduct "surveillance operations" on students and teachers in a bid to prevent their involvement in illegal activities.

Hontiveros noted Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte's "admission" during Senate's budget deliberations that "learners, and our teaching and non-teaching DepEd personnel" could be included in their surveillance operation.

"Ayon mismo kay VP Duterte noong hearing, ang target ng surveillance operation ay 'learners, and our teaching and non-teaching DepEd personnel.' This raises a lot of alarming questions," Hontiveros said in a statement.

In defending their proposed P150 million confidential fund for 2024, DepEd officials cited the supposed rise of "recruitment of minors [into] insurgency, violent extremism... and gangsterism" in schools as its justification.

• DepEd dinepensahan ang 2024 budget sa Senado

But Hontiveros reminded DepEd that "government efforts should not trample on the rights of our innocent and vulnerable students, teachers, parents and school personnel."

"Keeping our children safe includes keeping them away from the potential abuse associated with state surveillance... Hindi dapat madamay ang mga estudyante sa surveillance laban sa mga abusado at kriminal," she said.

• 'Youth most vulnerable to extremism, gangs'

Hontiveros called for a "greater transparency" on the scope and extent of DepEd's planned surveillance operations as she insisted that the agency's proposed confidential budget is not needed.

"I reiterate my call to reallocate the DepEd’s proposed confidential budget of P150 million... and for DepEd to focus on fulfilling its basic mandate of providing accessible, equitable and quality basic education.

Duterte earlier said she leaves to Congress the fate of the proposed confidential funds for DepEd.

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