Henry Jose Yusingco

Communication Skills for Lawyers Section C

This is an action for "Cancellation of Entry in the Civil Registry" for the marriage
contract of Mauricio Leonor, Jr. and Virginia Amor dated March 13, 1960. Virginia
filed this petition upon discovery of his husbands affair in Geneva, Switzerland.
Thirty years ago, Dr. Mauricio Leonor, Jr. was teaching in Sudlon Agricultural School
in Cebu City. One day, he met a pretty nurse working at ILCO hospital in Minapasok,
Calatrava while visiting his hospitalized brother. The pretty nurse, Virginia Amor,
and Mauricio Leonor became lovers after a quick courtship. After some time,
Mauricio Leonor impregnated Virginia in the course of their love affair. Because of
her delightful personality, Virginia Amor slowly won the trust of Mauricio and his
family as well.
Virginia Amor grew close to the matriarch of the Leonor family and the mother of
the Mauricio Leonor, Jr. The matriarch pitied her status of being an unwed mother.
She gave orders to her husband to prepare all necessary papers for a marriage and
to summon their son Mauricio. She wanted to tell her son, Mauricio, to face the
responsibilities of being a husband and a father. Mauricio Sr., Mauricios father, went
to see possible persons who can solemnize marriage but could not find help in their
own hometown so in San Carlos City. After all his efforts, he was able to secure the
application for marriage and the license on a Saturday. He also wired his son to
come home for a family conference.
This was the early situation of the petitioner's marriage which this Court heard from
his narration when he took the stand.
Petitioner then was a struggling young teacher in an agricultural school in Sudlon,
Cebu City. By a strange stroke of fate, he met a young working nurse whom he fell
in love with. In a short period of time, he impregnated her. After getting pregnant,
Virginia presented herself to the man's family (father and mother of the petitioner).
Virginia begged from the family that she must be saved from the embarrassment of
being an unwed mother. She wanted to be assured that when she returned to her
duties at the ILCO hospital, she would be legally married and that her son will have
a legitimate father. After her appeal, the Leonor family immediately prepared
everything for the marriage.