Divorce bill, inulan ng batikos sa Kamara

Kung dati ay mga militante ang bumabatikos, sila naman ngayon ang inuulan ng pagtutol dahil sa inihaing divorce bill.

Batay sa House Bill 1799 na inihain ni Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, ang decree ng divorce ay maglulusaw sa bisa ng kasal at ang
assets ng mag-asawa ay kailangang pantay na paghahatian ng maghihiwalay, pero kailangang may suporta sa loob ng isang taon ang
sinuman sa mag-asawa na walang sapat na pinagkakakitaan.

Anila, ang panukalang ito ay magbibigay daan sa diborsyo sa Pilipinas bilang opsyon ng mag-asawa na hindi na magkasundo.

Paraan din aniya ito para makaalpas ang mga battered wives sa kanilang mga nananakit na mister.

Pero ayon naman kay Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez, mistulang "weapon of mass distruction" ito laban sa mga mag-asawa dahil
bubuwagin nito ang maraming pamilya.

Bagama't may mga konsiderasyon, posible aniyang maabuso ito ng ilang indibidwal at magresulta ng mas masamang epekto.

Sa panig naman ni Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara, kahit maganda ang hangarin ng panukala ay dapat ding isipin ang epekto nito sa
kasagraduhan ng kasal tulad ng itinuturo sa simbahan.

Posible rin aniyang dumami ang "gold digger" o ang mga nag-aasawa dahil sa pera at para makakuha ng settlement kapag naghiwalay
na dahil sa diborsyo.

Aniya, may umiiral naman tayong Family Code at kung nanaisin ay maaaring ito na lamang ang amyendahan para makuha ang mga
positibong aspeto ng divorce bill.

Galit din namang nagbigay reaksiyon si retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz sa mga mambabatas na nasa likod ng
Reproductive Health Bill kung saan ang anti-popolation stand ng mga ito ay dahil sa pera at pagiging makasarili.

Tinukoy ng obispo ang lobby money sa Kongreso at iba pang mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/index.php/news/top-stories/14226-divorce-bill-inulan-ng-batikos-sa-
kamara

bombo radio phil.

Diborsyo, bakit muling binubuhay?
Sa Mata ng Isip
Ni Ben Vasquez

“A Roman divorced from his wife, being highly blamed by his friends, who demanded 'Was she not chaste? Wasshe not fair? Was she
not fruitful?' holding out his shoe, asked them whether it was not new and well made.
'Yet,'added he, none of you can tell where it pinches me.” – Plutarch

“Being divorced is like being hit by a Mack truck. If you live through it you start looking very carefully to the right andto the left.”
– Jean Kerr, US Author

Pabalik-balik ang isyung ito sa atin sa Pilipinas. Natatandaan ko noong nasa hayskul pa ako ay pinagtalunan ng ilang sektor kung
dapat nang magkaroon ng divorce. Noong 2005 ay binuksang muli ang panukalang ligalisasyon ng diborsyo, makalipas ang tatlong
taon ay inulit ang panukala. At ngayon ay sinimulang buhaying muli ng grupo ng kababaihang GABRIELA. Nasaksihan ko noong ako
ay naglilingkod pa sa Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) sa ilalim ng Kagawaran ng Paggawa, kung gaano sila
kasigasig. Ilang ulit na nag-rally ang grupo sa harap ng gusali ng POEA upang ipatigil ang pagpapadala sa Japan ng kabataan natin
bilang entertainer. Ngayon naman ay muling nag-rally para suportahan ang House Bill 1799 nina Kinatawan Luzviminda Ilagan at
Emerenciana de Jesus. Dama ng grupo ang pagdurusa ng kababihang biktima ng kalupitan, pang-aabuso ng mga asawa.

Humigit-kumulang, alam na nating nasa butas ng karayom ang tsansa na ang panukalang batas ay makalusot sa Kamara, gaya
ng Reproductive Health Bill 8110 na akda ni Rep. Edcel Lagman. Ang dalawang panukalang batas, sa aking pananaw, ay hindi
makakapasa. Malakas ang pressure ng mga obispo sa mga kongresista para huwag suportahan ang dalawang bill. Takot na baka
ikampanya ng Simbahan na huwag silang iboto kapag mag-reelectpagkatapos ng kanilang termino. Ilan lang sa kanila ang may sariling
paninindigan, prinsipyo; hindi nadidiktahan ng ninoman o alin mang grupo.

Ayon kay Arsobispo Oscar Cruz, mawawalan ng saysay ang kasal kung may diborsyo sa Pilipinas, walang kabuluhan ang
pagpapakasal kung sa dakong huli ay magdi-divorce din lamang. Walang inisyatibo si Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III na
susuportahan ang panukalang batas. Batid naman natin na ang Pangulo ay masugid na Katoliko na sumusunod sa aral ng simbahan.
Sagrado ang Sakramento ng Matrimonio, iyan din ang ating pinanghahawakan,
“What God has joined together let no man put asunder.” Ipinangangaral ng mga pari o pastor sa mga ikinakasal, “Sa hirap at ginhawa,
sa lungkot at saya, kayo ay magsasama.” Kung ang mga salitang ito ay magagawang gabay ng mag-asawa hanggang katapusan ay di
na kailangan pang mag-divorce. May mga halimbawa ako noon sa aking nakarang kolum na naglalarawan ng mga magkabiyak na
napanatiling matatag ang kasal hanggang sa tumanda. Hindi lahat ay ganyan ang karanasan.

Pulutin na natin ang mga salita ni Marie Carmichael Stopes,

“Each coming together of man and wife, even if theyhave mated for so many years, should be a fresh adventure; each winning should
necessitate a fresh wooing.” Sa aming paglalakad sa Tooma Park, hindi nawawala sa tanawin ang mga mag-asawang senyor, bakas
sa kanilang anyo ang mahabang panahon ng paglalakbay sa buhay. Minsan magkahawak-kamay, kwentuhan habang naglalakad, may
ngiti sa mga labi. Hindi ko ibinibilang kaming mag-asawa na, nakalampas na ng pitong dekada sa iisang bubong. Totoong paminsan-
minsan ay nagkakasawaan, dumarating ang bagyo sa pamilya, subalit hindi tinatalikdan ang unos.

May mga kakilala ako na mga 40 taon sa atin bilang mag-asawa. Di nalaunan, pagdating dito sa Amerika ay naghiwalay ng landas,
nag-divorce.

Lumitaw sa aking pag-aaral na palibhasa ay walang batas na ganito sa atin, ang mag-asawa ay magkasama sa wasak na tahanan.
Wala nang paraan para mabuo, mistulang impiyerno na ang sitwasyon. Marami ang naghihiwalay nang basta na lamang. Subalit hindi
makapag-asawa nang panibago sapagkat walang diborsyo. May-anullment subalit magastos ang proseso. Para sa mga celebrity at
masalapi. Ang legal separation ay hindi naman nagbibigay-daan para makapag-asawa. Wika nga ay kaya lamang ng mga celebrity at
masalapi. Bakit pa, sabi nila, pagpipilitang buuin ang sadyang di na mabubuo, kahit anong gawin. Sa inyo bang palagay, ang kaso ni
Kris Aquino at James Yap ay maaayos pa? Ewan ko lang. Ang layunin natin ay magbuo, hindi magwasak. Gayunman, may mga
sitwasyong hindi natin kontrolado. Nagbabago ang relasyon, ang isa ay nagiging bayolente, marahas. Nabura na sa isang parte ang
sinumpaang Matrimonyo – na magsasama sa hirap at ginhawa. Malaking bilang ng kababaihang may-asawa ang biktima ng
kalupitan mula sa kamay ng kanilang kabiyak. Nabatid na 19 na kababaihan nang nakalipas na taon, 2009, ang naging biktima ng
pang-aabuso araw-araw. Pinakamalaking bilang, 6,783 biktima ng pambubugbog ng asawa (wife battery). Isa itong matibay na dahilan
kung bakit isinatinig ng GABRIELA ang muling pagbuhay sa ligalisasyon ng diborsyo.

Nakikita natin ang punto ng iba na, kawawa ang mga batang maiiwan kapag nag-divorce ang mag-asawa; na ang pagpapahintulot ng
diborsyo ay mauuwi sa paglaganap ng mga gold diggers at wasak na pamilya. Nakikita rin naman natin na dahil nga walang diborsiyo
sa atin kaya marami ring nawasak na tahanan. Kawawa ang mga batang araw-araw halos ay parang laging pinaghaharian ng terorista
ang bahay, dahil sa amang nakalimot sa kahalagahan ng kasal. Uulitin ko ang pahayag ni Mike Tyson:
“You can't stay married in a situation where you areafraid to sleep in case your wife might cut your throat.” Higit na angkop ang
pahayag na ito sa ating kababaihan batay ulat ng pulis na nabanggit sa unahan.

Ang bill, ayon sa dalawang mambabatas , ay saklaw ang mag-asawang may limang taon nang magkahiwalay at doon sa ligal na
naghiwalay sa nakalipas na dalawang taon. Iyan ay kung talagang imposible nang pagpisanin ang dalawa. Sakop din ang
dahilang psychological incapacity at irreconcilable differences, gaya ng naipaliwanag ko na.

Nagbabago ng takbo ng panahon. Dahil sa pagpapalawak ng mga salitang equal rights, human rights, ikinakasal na sa ilang bahagi ng
bansa ang may parehong kasarian (same sex marriage). Gaya ng paksang tinalakay natin, ang mga masalimuot na isyu ay lagi nang
pinagtatalunan. Kung makabubuti sa kapamayanan ay depende sa lakas o kahinaan ng mga taong kalahok sa talakayan. Dapat ding
isaalang-alang ng mga awtor ng bill ang kahalagahan ng buklod ng Matrimonyo.

Ang kolum na ito ay patuloy na makikilahok sa ganitong isyu upang kayong mga mambabasa ay mabigyan ng karagdagang
impormasyon. Kung kayo ay nakipagdiborsyo sa inyong asawa, malawak na ang inyong pananaw tungkol dito. Masasagot ninyo kung
dapat o hindi dapat maisabatas ang diborsyo sa atin sa Pilipinas.

http://mabuhaynews.net/V18N34/ed07.html\

phil mabuhay news

Gold digger,’ broken family dadami kapag ginawa raw legal ang
diborsiyo
08/11/2010 | 05:09 PM

Share24

MANILA – Tutol ang ilang mambabatas na aprubahan ang inihaing panukalang batas sa Kamara de Representantes na
gawing legal ang diborsiyo sa Pilipinas. Bukod sa pahihinain nito ang samahan ng pamilyang Pilipino, lalo raw dadami ang
“gold diggers" at wasak na pamilya.

Nitong Miyerkules, inihayag ni Gabriela party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, na muli nilang inihain ang House Bill 1799 upang
gawing legal ang diborsiyo sa bansa. Bukod pa ito sa umiiral ng “legal separation" at “annulment" sa mga mag-asawang nais
ng tapusin ang kanilang pagsasama.

Nakasaad sa panukala na maaaring mag-aplay ng diborsiyo ang mga mag-asawa na hindi na nagsasama sa loob ng limang
taon, at mga mag-asawa na “legally separated" sa loob ng dalawang taon.

“Grounds for legal separation may also apply when these same grounds have already caused the irreparable breakdown of
the marriage. In addition, psychological incapacity, causing one's
failure to comply with essential marital obligations and irreconcilable differences causing the irreparable breakdown of the
marriage are also recognized as grounds for divorce," paliwanag sa panukala.

"Malaki ang magiging epekto nito sa magiging mga anak nila dahil dadami ang broken families. Bukod diyan,
dadami rin ang kaso ng mga gold digger o iyung mga mag-aasawa lamang dahil sa pera at para makakuha ng
settlement sa divorce" – Rep Sonny Angara

Sinabi ni Ilagan na kailangang bigyan ng karagdagang paraan ang paghihiwalay ng mag-asawa bunga ng dumadaming kaso
ng marital violence kung saan ang karaniwang biktima ay babae.

Sa talaan umano ng Philippine National Police (PNP) noong 2009, lumilitaw na 19 na ginang ang nagiging biktima ng marital
violence bawat araw. Lumitaw din na ang pananakit sa asawang babae ang pinakamarami sa naitalang kaso ng pang-aabuso
sa kababaihan.
“For women in abusive marital relationships, the need for a Divorce Law is real. It is high time that we give Filipino couples,
especially the women, this option." Ayon naman Gabriela Rep. Emmi De Jesus.

Patatagin sa halip na pahinain

Ayon kay Aurora Rep. Angara, may-asawa at dalawang anak, mga panukalang batas na magpapatatag sa samahan ng
pamilya Pilipino ang dapat pag-ukulan ng atensiyon ng Kongreso.

Iginiit niya na ang pamilya ang itinuturing haligi ng lipunan kaya hindi dapat na dagdagan ang mga paraan para mapadali
ang paghihiwalay ng mag-asawa at pagkaraan ay papayagan muli silang mag-asawa.

Kung dadami at magiging mas madali ang hiwalayan, sinabi ni Angara na hindi imposible na dumami rin ang tao na
magpapakasal na ang layunin lamang ay makakuha ng ari-arian ng taong kanilang pakikisamahan.

“Baka dumating ang araw na magaya tayo sa ibang bansa na basta na lang magpapakasal ang mga tao kasi alam nila madali
naman divorce, at ‘di na siniseryoso ang pagpapamilya," pangamba ng kongresista.

“Malaki ang magiging epekto nito sa magiging mga anak nila dahil dadami ang broken families. Bukod diyan, dadami rin ang
kaso ng mga gold digger o iyung mga mag-aasawa lamang dahil sa pera at para makakuha ng settlement sa divorce,"
idinagdag ni Angara, anak ni Sen Edgardo Angara.

Bukod kay Angara, nagpahayag din ng pagtutuol sa divorce bill sina Reps. Elpidio Barzaga (Cavite), Roilo Golez (Paranaque)
at Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar).

Tinawag ni Golez na “weapon of mass destruction" ang divorce bill dahil magiging dahilan ito ng pagdami ng mawawasak na
pamilya sa halip na maghanap ng lunas kung papaano isasalba ang pagsasama ng mag-asawa.

“Look what's happening in other countries with divorce. Half of my classmates at Annapolis (USA) ended up divorcing a few
years after they got married, many because of flimsy reasons by their own admission," ayon kay Golez.

Hirit naman ni Barzaga: “I firmly believe that the family is the foundation of a good citizenry. Allowing absolute divorce would
undoubtedly weaken the solidarity of the family. It would also encourage married couples who have differences to
immediately seek divorce, though differences can still be reconcile."

Sinabi naman ni Zambales Rep Ma Milagros Magsaysay, na magandang talakayin ang panukala ng Gabriela upang mapag-
usapan at makita ang tunay na kalagayan ngayon ng pagsasama ng mag-asawa sa loob ng isang pamilyang Pilipino.

“Though it will encourage a lot of debates, this will be good as it will really bring the real picture of the state of family and
how we can ensure and protect everyone’s rights," aniya. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/198319/gold-digger-broken-family-dadami-kapag-ginawa-raw-
legal-ang-diborsiyo
Divorce bill itinulak sa Kamara
(Pilipino Star Ngayon) Updated August 12, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (12)

MANILA, Philippines - Isinulong na sa House of Representatives ang panukala ng isang women’s group na gawing legal ang
diborsiyo sa bansa. Sa House Bill 1799 o divorce bill nina Gabriela Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan at Emerenciana de
Jesus, mabibigyan umano ng opsiyon ang mag-asawa na mayroong bigong kasal.

“This bill is being introduced based on indications that Philippine society is ready for the legalization of divorce,” pahayag
nina Ilagan at de Jesus.

Sa ilalim ng bill, ground for divorce kung limang taon ng hiwalay ang petitioner sa kanyang asawa; legally separated ang
mag-asawa sa loob ng 2 taon, psychological incapacity at irreconcilable differences.

“The sanctity of marriage is not based on the number of marriages existing but on the quality of marital relationships. When
a marriage is no longer viable, divorce should be an option,” pagbibigay diin nina Ilagan at de Jesus.

Ayon naman kay Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz, chairman ng CBCP-National Appellate Matrimonial
Tribunal, inaasahan na niya na isusunod ang Divorce Bill matapos isulong ang Reproductive Health bill.

Dagdag ng arsobispo, pagkatapos ng RH bill at divorce bill, tiyak na susunod na isusulong sa Kongreso ang same sex
marriage with legal separation.

Sinabi ni Cruz na hindi umano dapat na makalusot ang mga panukalang tulad nito dahil binibigyan lamang nito ng
pagkakataon ang mga mag-asawa na tulu yang maghiwalay sa halip na ayusin ang kanilang hindi pagkakaunawaan.

Wala din naman uma nong katiyakan na sa susunod na pagpapakasal ay hindi na rin maghihiwalay ang mga ito na muling
hahantong sa divorce.

Nababahala ang arsobispo dahil tiyak na ang mga kabataan ang higit na maapektuhan oras na maaprubahan ang divorce bill.

“Kapag nagkaroon ng divorce law, tayo ay magiging tulad ng ibang bansa na basta na lang magpapakasal dahil alam na may
divorce at hindi seseryosohin,” pagbibigay diin naman ni Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara na nagbabala na baka dumami
ang broken families.

Halos lahat ng bansa sa mundo ay mayroon ng batas tungkol sa diborsiyo at kabilang ang Pilipinas sa iilan na wala pang
divorce law.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=601883
Divorce bill, inulan ng batikos sa Kamara

Kung dati ay mga militante ang bumabatikos, sila naman ngayon ang inuulan ng pagtutol dahil sa inihaing
divorce bill.

Batay sa House Bill 1799 na inihain ni Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, ang decree ng divorce ay
maglulusaw sa bisa ng kasal at ang assets ng mag-asawa ay kailangang pantay na paghahatian ng
maghihiwalay, pero kailangang may suporta sa loob ng isang taon ang sinuman sa mag-asawa na walang
sapat na pinagkakakitaan.

Anila, ang panukalang ito ay magbibigay daan sa diborsyo sa pilipinas bilang opsiyon ng mag-asawa na
hindi na magkasundo at paraan para maka-alpas ang mga battered wives sa kanilang mga nananakit na
mister.

Pero ayon naman kay Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez, mistulang “weapon of mass distruction” ito laban sa
mga mag-asawa dahil bubuwagin nito ang maraming pamilya.

Bagama’t may mga konsiderasyon, posible aniyang maabuso ito ng ilang indibidwal at magresulta ng mas
masamang epekto.

Sa panig naman ni Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara, kahit maganda ang hangarin ng panukala ay dapat ding
isipin ang epekto nito sa kasagraduhan ng kasal tulad ng itinuturo sa simbahan.

Posible rin aniyang dumami ang "gold digger" o ang mga nag-aasawa dahil sa pera at para makakuha ng
settlement kapag naghiwalay na dahil sa diborsyo.

Aniya, may umiiral naman tayong Family Code at kung nanaisin ay maaaring ito na lamang ang
amyendahan para makuha ang mga positibong aspeto ng Divorce Bill.

osted: 11 August 2010 at 12:11pm | IP Logged

makatinews-author

http://210.5.68.117:8080/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82687
 Marriage Annulment & Divorce in the Philippines
P OS TE D B Y A DM IN ON FRI DA Y, F EB RU AR Y 20T H, 2009
1 – My wife and I are Filipino citizens living overseas can we obtain a divorce in our country of residence?
Divorce is not acknowledged under the laws of the Philippines. Filipino citizens, no matter what their country of residence must follow
the procedure indicated in the Family Code of the Philippines to have their marriage nullified or voided by filing a Petition
of Annulment of Marriage before the pertinent Office of the Executive Clerk of Court of the Regional Court.
2- I am Filipina married to an American citizen. My husband obtained a divorce in the USA, am I now allowed to remarry?
No, divorce is not recognized in the Philippines. But this is a special circumstance which is covered by the Family Code of the
Philippines:
ART. 26. All marriages solemnized outside the Philippines in accordance with the laws in force in the country where they were
solemnized, and valid there as such, shall also be valid in this country, except those prohibited under Articles 35(1), (4), (5) and (6), 36,
37 and 38.
Where a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner is validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by
the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino spouse shall have capacity to remarry under Philippine law.
Based on this the Filipino Citizen may now apply to have the foreign divorce validated by the courts of the Philippines and may marry
again. To do this, the petitioner must show that the divorce was obtained in conformity of the foreign laws of the country of the foreign
citizen.

http://www.bcphilippineslawyers.com/marriage-annulment-divorce-in-the-philippines/430/

Art. 1. Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the
establishment of conjugal and family life. It is the foundation of the family and an inviolable social institution whose nature,
consequences, and incidents are governed by law and not subject to stipulation, except that marriage settlements may fix the property
relations during the marriage within the limits provided by this Code. (52a)

he Family Code of the Philippines

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 209
http://www.bcphilippineslawyers.com/the-family-code-of-the-philippines/
MARRIAGE
Chapter 1. Requisites of Marriage
Kontrobersyal ang diborsyo
AKSYON NGAYON ni Al G. Pedroche (Pilipino Star Ngayon) Updated July 16, 2001 12:00 AM Comments (0)

Mainit na isyu ngayon ang tungkol sa divorce. Pet bill ito ni Senador Pong Biazon.

Personally, tutol ako sa diborsyo. Pero bilib ako sa conviction ni Biazon. Unpopular ang kanyang panukalang batas pero
aniya, handa niyang itaya ang kanyang political carreer alang-alang sa prinsipyong kanyang pinaniniwalaan.

At naniniwala si Biazon na kailangan ng bansa ang diborsyo. Marami aniyang mag-asawa ang nagdurusa dahil hindi matiis
ang isa’t isa.

At totoong marami na ang mga naghiwalay at nagkakasya na lamang sa pakabit-kabit dahil labag sa batas kung
magpapakasal sila sa iba.

Ngunit sa mga Kristiyanong naniniwala sa Salita ng Diyos, hindi dapat ang diborsyo. Malinaw ang sinabi ng Diyos na ano
man ang pinagsama niya’y hindi dapat papaghiwalayin ng tao.

Hindi puro sarap ang pag-aasawa. May kaakibat itong mga sakripisyo. May mga pagkakataong dahil sa pagkabagot ay
nakapagbibitiw ng masasakit na salita ang mag-asawa sa isa’t isa. Ganyang ang human nature.

Kung mapagtitibay ang batas sa diborsyo, tiyak marami ang maya’t maya’y magpapalit ng asawa kung ang batayan ay ang
hirap na dinaranas nila sa piling ng kanilang mga kabiyak.

At bagama’t wala pang diborsyo sa bansa, mayroon namang batas sa annulment o pagpapawalang saysay ng kasal.
Pagdedeklara na sa simula pa lamang ay invalid ang kasal. Iyan ang kaibhan ngannulment sa divorce. Sa divorce,
nilulusaw ang isang balidong kasal samantalang sa annulment, idinideklara na walang naganap na kasal.

May mga grounds sa annulment tulad ng psychological incapacity, pagkabaog ng babae o lalaki, pananakit pagkahaling sa
droga o alkohol at iba pa.

Sang-ayon ako sa physical separation kung kinakailangan para sa kaligtasan ng isang tao kung ang partner niya ay
bayolente. Sa ganitong kaso’y talagang dapat ang hiwalayan. Kung marahas ang lalaki o babae na maaaring maging dahilan
ng pagkamatay o seryosong pagkakapinsala ng isa.

Subalit habang nabubuhay ang isa sa mag-asawa, kahit pa sila magkahiwalay ay hindi sila maaaring mag-asawa ng iba.
Mahirap ngunit iya’y pagtalima sa tagubilin ng Diyos.

Iyan ang hirap sa mga nag-aasawa. Sumusumpa sa harap ng altar na magsasama sa hirap o ginhawa. Habang puro ginhawa
okay lang. Pero pagdating ng hirap, ibig nang maghiwalay.

Tutol ako sa diborsyo dahil laging ang mga supling ang nagdurusa. Ang lipunan natin ay singlakas lamang ng mga pamilyang
bumubuo nito. Wasakin mo ang pundasyon ng pamilya at mawawasak din ang lipunan.

Kung malulong sa masamang bisyo ang mga anak dahil sa paghihiwalay ng mga magulang, buong sosyedad ang nagdurusa.

Pananaw ko lang ito at maaaring kayo’y may ibang opinyon. Kayo ba’y pabor sa diborsyo? Sulatan n’yo ako.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=126959&publicationSubCategoryId=94

ANNULMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES

 THE TEN QUESTIONS ON ANNULMENT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOUR LAWYER BUT WERE AFRAID TO DO
SO

Almost every website on Philippine Family Lawyers would have in one form or another a section on FAQ ,
or the ubiquitous Frequently Asked Questions. As a lawyer, I could relate very well to these FAQ’s because
they are mostly what you will find in legal textbooks . But I have often wondered whether or not the
ordinary layman, the contract worker aborad, or simply the one who is thinking about getting an
annulment can understand all the legal goobledook. Normally, these FAQ’s are long winded and very
technically worded, with quoted provisions and decisions of the Supreme Court. In our humble attempt at
an FAQ, we have decided to narrow the questions to 10 and avoid the legalese. It is not our goal to present
the best FAQ on Philippine Annulment, our only object is to be understood well.

1) What is an annulment?

Picture marraige as a contract, a binding agreement between two people, preferably and in most
jurisdictions, between a man and a woman. Just like most So contracts, it could be valid, voidable,
or void. It is valid if all its components are present, ie, consent, object, and consummation (or
euphemistcially delivery as in a contract of sale). In a marriage, of course, consent is the “I do”
in the bringing together of a man and a woman in matrimony, holy or otherwise. The object of
course is the union of the parties which in the eyes of the law makes them “one”. Lastly, but no less
importantly, is the consummation which in marriage is widely considered the physical (or sexual)
union. Much debate though has been made on whether or not a marriage can exist without sex, at
least at the beginning

Anyway, going back to our analogy, if there is any defect in the consent (the “I do’), the object (the
joining together as man and wife), or the consummation (or delivery in more ways than one, pardon
the pun), then the validity of the contract is put into question. In an annulment, the defect generally
must come into play after the celebration of the marriage or in a stricter sense must have existed
at the very time of, if it is not by itself the very cause of , the celebration of the marriage. Things
like fraud, as in the case of the woman who conceals the fact that she is pregnant by a man other
than her husband who agreed to the marriage on the assumption that he is the father of the
child. The marriage is valid in the beginning but because of the fraud, it is valid until it is annulled.
Normally, there are periods within which an annulment can be filed.

In a divorce, on the other hand, and this is the way the term is generally understood in most
jurisdictions allowing for divorce, the defect is made manifest after the celebration of the marriage.
Things like the infamous “irreconcillable differences” , “no fault divorce”, or “consensual divorce”
are common terms. You do not necessarily have to have a specific reason to terminate the
marriage, other than the agreement of the spouses.

Legal separation simply put is a separation physically and in most instances financially. It is a court
recognition of the fact of separation of the spouses, thus not obliging any of them to support each
other or to live together as husband and wife. I have heard this compared to the Catholic concept of
purgatory because the marital union still exists and the parties cannot marry other people. Often
this is not a realistic situation and is not commonly encountered in practice because while it
attempts to preserve the union, which in all likelihood may have disintegrated by then, it puts a
legal imprimatur (or signature if you will) to not being obliged to fulfill the very important marital
obligations of cohabitation or consortium and support.
2) What are the grounds for an annulment?

Technically, there is a difference between a traditional annulment and a declaration of nullity of

marriage under the Family Code. The basic distinction is that the grounds which give rise to
annulment are subject to what is known as ratification by cohabitation, meaning that while the
ground may have existed at the time of the marriage (such as lack of consent, incapacity, or fraud),
by continuing to live together the invalidity is removed.Often, in the real world, these grounds
become inoperative because most married couple, let us face it, cohabit after the marriage.

In a declaration of nullity, however, the marriage is invalid from the very start. A common situation
is the bigamous marriage which is almost universally considered void from the very beginning. It is
wrong from the start and nothing can be done in order to cure the defect in the contract. A common
offshoot of a bigamous marriage is when one of the parties want to get married for a third time. The
subquestion arises if it is still necessary to annul the bigamous marriage considering that it is
already void to begin with. If we are to be guided by the decisions of the Supreme Court there may
be a need to have even the bigamous marriage declared null and void because the parties cannot
be allowed to presume the invalidity themselves or even to benefit by their own acts which led to
the invalidity of the marriage.

Other examples are incapacity (marriage before the statutory age of consent which varies from
one jurisdiction to the next), lack of consent as in a “gun shot wedding”, incestuous (generally
between a descendatn and a direct ascendant) simualtions like a wedding between two men or two
women (only when not allowed by the law of a particular state).

A common ground encountered in practice is “psychologicial incapacity” because, as we said, the

other grounds for a traditional annulment would have become inoperative because of cohabitation
and perhaps because it is a catch all ground that has resisted precise definition by the courts.

3) What is psychological incapacity?

It would seem that the term psychological incapacity is a relatively popular one among Filipinos, but
widely misunderstood. The common and erroneous notion borders on insanity if not insanity itself,
which often creates an aversion to seeking an annulment of the marriage. After all, who will admit to
insanity or more specifically marrying the insane. Article 36 of the Family Code of the Philippines which
for the first time since the Japanese Occupation allowed for a semblance of divorce in the Philippines
via a declaration of the nullity of a marriage where one or both parties is psychologically incapacitated,
 did not actually define the term leaving the courts to develop a legal framework for it. It has been said
that this provision of the law was really a compromise between the Philippine Catholic church (which
for some reason opposes an absolute divorce law in the Philippines) and the group of legal luminaries
which drafted the Family Code. True enough, jurisprudence has evolved a definition based initially and
mainly on Canon Law, progressing towards a clinical form of incapacity, to its present state of non
clinical incapacity. Perhaps, the term really escapes definitiion, as it should if it is to evolve legally, the
only guidance being the failure to fulfill the essential obligations of the marriage. Conditions such as
homosexuality, drug or substance abuse, physical, verbal, psychological, and economic abuse, among
others, have been used to define the term.

4) How do I get started with the process of annulment?

The first step would be to get a lawyer, preferably a specialist in the field of annulment of marriage. Do
your bit of research. Get online. Read up on lawyers, attorneys, solicitors (as they are known in the UK) ,
and law firms. Ask family and friends for recommendations. Don’t settle for suspicious quick fixes offered
online or elsewhere. You will find a host of people (sadly I have heard that other legitimate lawyers are
into it as well) who will promise you the moon and the stars, an annulment in 2 weeks without any hassle,
no appearances, in some instances no lawyers or attorneys involved and guaranteed 100%. Remember
the old adage that if it sounds too good to be true then it is probably a hoax. Remember too that lawyers if
they are worth their salt are not allowed ethically to guarantee the outcome of cases.

The second step would be to write your marital history. This is a detailed narrative of your marriage from
the time you met you spouse, a description of the start, middle portion, and end of your relationship, the
event that precipitated your separation, with a focus on the personality of your spouse and what about
him/her in your mind led to the break up of the relationship.

The third step would be the psychological evaluation process. This varies from one psychologist to the
next. Your lawyer normally would recommend a psychologist/psychiatrist who will do the evaluation and be
a witness in court. Even court personnel would have a recommnendation or two. The evaluation costs
between 15,000 pesos to as high as 40,000 pesos. Some charge additional per diem for testifying in court
and the rate would depend on the venue of the proceedings. Your spouse will be asked to join in, but in
most instances they do not participate even in the evaluation process. The psychologist will then proceed
to do the evaluation based on your tests and the interviews with you and other persons who knew you
and your spouse and what happened to the marriage.

The fourth step would be the drafting then filing of the Petition itself. This is your lawyer’s job.

After the filing of the Petition, which you must sign, the case is raffled to a branch of the Regional Trial
Court where it was filed. Your spouse will now be notified by sending him papers called summons requiring
him to answer the petition within 15 days from receipt of the notice. If he is not in the country, notices can
be served him through publication.

Collusion investigation normally follows , which is an informal process whereby the public prosecutor
assigned to the court (or in some jurisdictions this is raffled as well) is asked to determine if the parties are
conspiring to file a case.

After the collusion investigation, a report is prepared by the public prosecutor on the findings of his
investigation.

If no collusion is found, the case proceeds to a pre-trial and your spouse will be notified again. If he does
not appear, the court will proceed with the marking of the documents, the determination of the number of
witnesses, and the schedule of the trial.

During the trial stage, witnesses will be called. Normally, the witnesses would be you, a corroborating
witness (who knew you and your spouse and what happened to your marriage), and the psychologist who
will testify on the evaluation made. The public prosecutor representing the government will be allowed to
question the witnesses as well.
After the trial and the offer of the evidence, the case is then submitted for decision.

Note that the presence of the spouse is not necessary in the process. In most annulment proceedings, in
fact, the other party to the marriage does not participate anymore. This speeds up the process somewhat
because if he makes an appearance, then he will likewise be given the opportunity to present witnesses
and evidence.

The uncontested annulment case takes from between 6 months to one year to complete depending on the
calendar of the court, the availability of witnesses and other issues such as custody or property.

5) If I am abroad, can I still file and pursue an annulment?

Yes. Part of the psychological evaluation can be done by email and the interview can be done via VOIP,
but most psychologists will ask to see the petitioner in person before releasing the evaluation. Also, after
the drafting of the Petition, you may sign the petition in the presence of a Philippine consul authorized to
take oaths nearest your place of residence. The authenticated documents are then sent back to the
Philippines for filing in court. At a certain point in the proceedings described above, particularly during the
trial stage, you will be required to testify and appear in court.

6) If I am already divorced and married in another country, do I still need to have my marriage
annulled?

It depends. If you were still a Filipino citizen at the time you obtained the divorce then you will still be
required under Philippine laws to obtain an annulment if you intend to marry again. If you have already
changed citizenships, then you may not need an annulment anymore to get married again. However, a
gray area exists when you are going to remarry another Filipino in the Philippines in which case you may
need to have your divorce recognized in the Philippines first. Another gray area exists in the case of a dual
citizen of the Philippines.

7) What happens to my children and our properties in case of an annulment?

Property relationships are terminated and the assets divided and/or liquidated by the court, unless the
parties can come to an agreement regarding this with the approval of the court.

As far as custody is concerned, the general rule is joint custody by the husband and wife unless the
children are below 7 years of age in which case presumptive custody is given to the mother with
corresponding visitorial privileges for the father. The primary consideration however in custody issues is
always the best interests of the child.

8) How much will an annulment cost me?

Ah, at last, the proverbial question. It depends of course on the lawyers that you choose, the venue of the
case ( out of town cases usually entail more costs and expenses), the issues involved (property and
custody issues), the psychologist selected to do the evaluation, among other considerations.

9) When I file the petition , am I guaranteed to get an annulment?

No, after all there are no guarantees in life. Lawyers as we said earlier are not allowed to guarantee the
outcome of cases and you should beware of those (even lawyers) who will promise you that you will win
because unless the process is tainted or questionable then there is no way for him to know the outcome.
Again, beware of fixers and scams.
 10) Assuming I obtain an annulment and I intend to marry again, what do I have to show as proof of
the annulment?

Usually, most foreign embassies would require what is known as a Certiifcate of No Marriage (CENOMAR)
from the National Statistics Office. After a decision is reached in an annulment case, copies are sent to the
Office of the Solicitor General, the local civil registrars of the place where the court is sitting and where the
marriage contract was registered, and of course to the parties themselves. After the lapse of 15 days the
decision becomes final and a Certificate of Finality is issued by the court which rendered the decision. This
certificate is annotated on the back portion of the marriage contract on file with the local civil registrar
where it was originally recorded and finally endorsed to the NSO which then issues the CENOMAR.

http://deborjalaw.com/2009/04/11/philippine-annulment-top-ten-10-questions/

Marcos 10:1-12

Nagpunta si Jesus sa probinsiya ng Judea, sa kabilang ibayo ng Ilog Jordan. At napakaraming tao
naman ang nagdatingan. At muli niya silang tinuruan gaya ng dati. At lumapit ang ilang Pariseo na gusto
siyang subukan at tinanong nila siya: "Pinahihintulutan bang diborsiyuhin ng lalaki ang kanyang asawa sa
anumang dahilan?" Itinanong naman niya: "Ano ang iniutos ni Moises?" At sinabi nila: "Ipinahihintulot ni
Moises na paalisin ang babae pagkabigay sa kanya ng kasulatan ng diborsiyo." Sinabi naman ni Jesus sa
kanila: "Alam ni Moises na matigas ang inyong puso kaya isinulat niya ang kautusang ito. Ngunit sa
simula'y ginawa sila ng Maykapal na lalaki at babae, at dahil dito, iiwan ng lalaki ang kanyang ama at ina
at magiging iisang katawan ang dalawa. Kung gayo'y hindi na sila dalawa kundi iisang katawan lamang
kaya huwag pahiwalayin ng tao ang pinagbuklod ng Diyos." Nang nasa bahay na sila , tinanong siya muli
ng mga alagad. At sinabi niya sa kanila: "Kung may lalaking magpaalis sa kanyang asawa at saka
magpakasal sa iba, nakiapid siya. At kung ang babae naman ang magpaalis sa lalaki at magpakasal sa
iba, nakikiapid din siya."

PAGNINILAY

M ga kapatid, sa panahon natin ngayon na maraming mag-asawa ang naghihiwalay sa iba't- ibang
kadahilanan, nananatili pa ring matatag ang Simbahan sa pagsunod sa turo ng Panginoon, na huwag
paghiwalayin ng tao ang pinagbuklod ng Diyos. Pero sa kabila ng utos na ito, marami pa rin ang
naghihiwalay at nag-aasawang muli. Sa katunayan, dito na lamang sa Pilipinas at sa bansang Malta, hindi
legal ang diborsiyo. Bagama't hindi pa legal ang diborsyo sa Pilipinas, pinapayagan naman ang Annulment
o pagpapawalang-bisa sa kasal, matapos ang mahabang pagdinig sa korte at kung talagang
napatunayang imposible ng magkaayos pa ang mag-asawa. Maraming nagsasabing magastos at
napakatagal na proceso ang magpawalang-bisa ng kasal, kaya naman marami ang naghihiwalay na
lamang ng basta. Matapos ang ilang taong pagsasama, kalimitang idinadahilan ang psychological
incapacity ng kabiyak kung bakit gustong maghiwalay. Mga kapatid, patunay ito sa kasabihang, ang pag-
aasawa daw hindi katulad ng mainit na kaning isinusubo at iluluwa kapag napaso. Kaya mahalagang
wagas na pag-ibig ang dahilan kung bakit magpapakasal ang magkasintahan. Mahalaga ring kilalaning
mabuti ang mapapangasawa, at ng huwag mapasubo at maiwasan ang paghihiwalay. At higit sa lahat
hingin sa Diyos ang biyayang pagkalooban ka ng mabuting mapapangasawa - matapat, masipag,
responsable at tunay na may pananalig sa Diyos.

http://www.paulines.ph/paulines_updates/bu20110225.cnt
Pebrero 25, 2011 – Biyernes sa Ika-pitong Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

James 5:9-12 - Salmo 103 - Marcos 10:1-12

Bagong Umaga