8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnesrSUkLML CCUk1rManlla

ll8S1 ulvlSlCn
Gk No 162368 Iu|y 17 2006
MA AkMIDA LkL2ILkkAkIS peLlLloner rvsr8kIk ILkkAkIS
respondenL
8 L S C L u 1 l C n
NAkLSSAN1IAGC
1hls resolves Lhe moLlon for reconslderaLlon flled by peLlLloner Ma
Armlda erezlerrarls of Lhe 8esoluLlon daLed !une 9 2004 denylng
Lhe peLlLlon for revlew on cerLlorarl of Lhe ueclslon and 8esoluLlon
of Lhe CourL of Appeals daLed Aprll 30 2003 and lebruary 24 2004
respecLlvely for fallure of Lhe peLlLloner Lo sufflclenLly show LhaL Lhe
CourL of Appeals commlLLed any reverslble error
Cn lebruary 20 2001 Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL of aslg ClLy 8ranch
131 rendered a ueclslon
1
denylng Lhe peLlLlon for declaraLlon of
nulllLy of peLlLloners marrlage wlLh 8rlx lerrarls 1he Lrlal courL
noLed LhaL sufferlng from epllepsy does noL amounL Lo psychologlcal
lncapaclLy under ArLlcle 36 of Lhe Clvll Code and Lhe evldence on
record were lnsufflclenL Lo prove lnfldellLy eLlLloners moLlon for
reconslderaLlon was denled ln an Crder
2
daLed Aprll 20 2001 where
Lhe Lrlal courL relLeraLed LhaL Lhere was no evldence LhaL respondenL
ls menLally or physlcally lll Lo such an exLenL LhaL he could noL have
known Lhe obllgaLlons he was assumlng or knowlng Lhem could noL
have glven valld assumpLlon Lhereof
eLlLloner appealed Lo Lhe CourL of Appeals whlch afflrmed
3
ln LoLo
Lhe [udgmenL of Lhe Lrlal courL lL held LhaL Lhe evldence on record
dld noL convlnclngly esLabllsh LhaL respondenL was sufferlng from
psychologlcal lncapaclLy or LhaL hls defecLs were lncurable and
already presenL aL Lhe lncepLlon of Lhe marrlage
4
1he CourL of
Appeals also found LhaL ur uayans LesLlmony falled Lo esLabllsh Lhe
subsLance of respondenLs psychologlcal lncapaclLy LhaL she falled
Lo explaln how she arrlved aL Lhe concluslon LhaL Lhe respondenL has
a mlxed personallLy dlsorder LhaL she falled Lo clearly demonsLraLe
LhaL Lhere was a naLal or supervenlng dlsabllng facLor or an adverse
lnLegral elemenL ln respondenLs characLer LhaL effecLlvely
lncapaclLaLed hlm from accepLlng and complylng wlLh Lhe essenLlal
marlLal obllgaLlons
3

eLlLloners moLlon for reconslderaLlon was denled
6
for lack of merlL
Lhus she flled a peLlLlon for revlew on cerLlorarl wlLh Lhls CourL As
already sLaLed Lhe peLlLlon for revlew was denled for fallure of
peLlLloner Lo show LhaL Lhe appellaLe Lrlbunal commlLLed any
reverslble error
eLlLloner flled Lhe lnsLanL moLlon for reconslderaLlon
7
1he CourL
requlred respondenL 8rlx lerrarls Lo flle commenL
8
buL falled Lo
comply Lhus he ls deemed Lo have walved Lhe opporLunlLy Lo flle
commenL lurLher Lhe CourL dlrecLed Lhe Cfflce of Lhe SollclLor
Ceneral (CSC) Lo commenL on peLlLloners moLlon for
reconslderaLlon whlch lL complled on March 2 2006
AfLer conslderlng Lhe argumenLs of boLh Lhe peLlLloner and Lhe CSC
Lhe CourL resolves Lo deny peLlLloners moLlon for reconslderaLlon
1he lssue of wheLher or noL psychologlcal lncapaclLy exlsLs ln a glven
case calllng for annulmenL of marrlage depends cruclally more Lhan
ln any fleld of Lhe law on Lhe facLs of Lhe case
9
Such facLual lssue
however ls beyond Lhe provlnce of Lhls CourL Lo revlew lL ls noL Lhe
funcLlon of Lhe CourL Lo analyze or welgh all over agaln Lhe evldence
or premlses supporLlve of such facLual deLermlnaLlon
10
lL ls a well
esLabllshed prlnclple LhaL facLual flndlngs of Lhe Lrlal courL when
afflrmed by Lhe CourL of Appeals are blndlng on Lhls CourL
11
save
for Lhe mosL compelllng and cogenL reasons llke when Lhe flndlngs
of Lhe appellaLe courL go beyond Lhe lssues of Lhe case run conLrary
Lo Lhe admlsslons of Lhe parLles Lo Lhe case or fall Lo noLlce cerLaln
relevanL facLs whlch lf properly consldered wlll [usLlfy a dlfferenL
concluslon or when Lhere ls a mlsappreclaLlon of facLs
12
whlch are
unavalllng ln Lhe lnsLanL case
1he Lerm psycboloqlcol locopoclty Lo be a ground for Lhe nulllLy of
marrlage under ArLlcle 36 of Lhe lamlly Code refers Lo a serlous
psychologlcal lllness affllcLlng a parLy even before Lhe celebraLlon of
Lhe marrlage lL ls a malady so grave and so permanenL as Lo deprlve
one of awareness of Lhe duLles and responslblllLles of Lhe
maLrlmonlal bond one ls abouL Lo assume
13
As all people may have
cerLaln qulrks and ldlosyncrasles or lsolaLed characLerlsLlcs
assoclaLed wlLh cerLaln personallLy dlsorders Lhere ls hardly any
doubL LhaL Lhe lnLendmenL of Lhe law has been Lo conflne Lhe
meanlng of psycboloqlcol locopoclty Lo Lhe mosL serlous cases of
personallLy dlsorders clearly demonsLraLlve of an uLLer lnsenslLlvlLy
or lnablllLy Lo glve meanlng and slgnlflcance Lo Lhe marrlage
14
lL ls
for Lhls reason LhaL Lhe CourL relles heavlly on psychologlcal experLs
for lLs undersLandlng of Lhe human personallLy Powever Lhe rooL
cause musL be ldenLlfled as a psychologlcal lllness and lLs
lncapaclLaLlng naLure musL be fully explalned
13
whlch peLlLloner
falled Lo convlnclngly demonsLraLe
As apLly held by Lhe CourL of Appeals
Slmply puL Lhe chlef and baslc conslderaLlon ln Lhe resoluLlon of
marlLal annulmenL cases ls Lhe presence of evldence LhaL can
adequaLely esLabllsh respondenLs psychologlcal condlLlon Pere
appellanL conLends LhaL Lhere ls such evldence We do noL agree
lndeed Lhe evldence on record dld noL convlnclngly esLabllsh LhaL
respondenL was sufferlng from psychologlcal lncapaclLy 1here ls
absoluLely no showlng LhaL hls defecLs were already presenL aL Lhe
lncepLlon of Lhe marrlage or LhaL Lhose are lncurable
CulLe aparL from belng plalnly selfservlng peLlLloners evldence
showed LhaL respondenLs alleged fallure Lo perform hls socalled
marlLal obllgaLlons was noL aL all a manlfesLaLlon of some deep
seaLed grave permanenL and lncurable psychologlcal malady 1o be
sure Lhe couples relaLlonshlp before Lhe marrlage and even durlng
Lhelr brlef unlon (for well abouL a year or so) was noL all bad uurlng
LhaL relaLlvely shorL perlod of Llme peLlLloner was happy and
conLenLed wlLh her llfe ln Lhe company of respondenL ln facL by
peLlLloners own reckonlng respondenL was a responslble and lovlng
husband x x x 1helr problems began when peLlLloner sLarLed
doubLlng respondenLs fldellLy lL was only when Lhey sLarLed
flghLlng abouL Lhe calls from women LhaL respondenL began Lo
wlLhdraw lnLo hls shell and corner and falled Lo perform hls so
called marlLal obllgaLlons 8espondenL could noL undersLand
peLlLloners lack of LrusL ln hlm and her consLanL nagglngs Pe
LhoughL her susplclons lrraLlonal 8espondenL could noL relaLe Lo her
anger Lemper and [ealousy x x x
x x x x
AL any raLe ur uayan dld noL explaln how she arrlved aL her
dlagnosls LhaL respondenL has a mlxed personallLy dlsorder called
schlzold and why he ls Lhe dependenL and avoldanL Lype ln facL
ur uayans sLaLemenL LhaL one sufferlng from such mlxed
personallLy dlsorder ls dependenL on oLhers for declslon x x x lacks
speclflclLy lL seems Lo belong Lo Lhe realm of LheoreLlcal
speculaLlon Also ur uayans lnformaLlon LhaL respondenL had
exLramarlLal affalrs was supplled by Lhe peLlLloner herself noLably
when asked as Lo Lhe rooL cause of respondenLs alleged
psychologlcal lncapaclLy ur uayans answer was vague evaslve and
lnconcluslve She replled LhaL such dlsorder can be parL of hls famlly
upbrlnglng x x x She sLaLed LhaL Lhere was a hlsLory of respondenLs
parenLs havlng dlfflculLles ln Lhelr relaLlonshlp 8uL Lhls lnpuL on Lhe
supposed problemaLlc hlsLory of respondenLs parenLs also came
from peLlLloner nor dld ur uayan clearly demonsLraLe LhaL Lhere
was really a naLal or supervenlng dlsabllng facLor on Lhe parL of
respondenL or an adverse lnLegral elemenL ln respondenLs
characLer LhaL effecLlvely lncapaclLaLed hlm from accepLlng and
Lhereby complylng wlLh Lhe essenLlal marlLal obllgaLlons Cf course
peLlLloner llkewlse falled Lo prove LhaL respondenLs supposed
psychologlcal or menLal malady exlsLed even before Lhe marrlage
All Lhese omlsslons musL be held up agalnsL peLlLloner for Lhe
reason LhaL upon her devolved Lhe onus of esLabllshlng nulllLy of Lhe
marrlage lndeed any doubL should be resolved ln favor of Lhe
valldlLy of Lhe marrlage and Lhe lndlssolublllLy of Lhe marlLal
vlnculum
16

We flnd respondenLs alleged mlxed personallLy dlsorder Lhe
leovloqtbeboose aLLlLude whenever Lhey quarreled Lhe vlolenL
Lendencles durlng epllepLlc aLLacks Lhe sexual lnfldellLy Lhe
abandonmenL and lack of supporL and hls preference Lo spend more
Llme wlLh hls band maLes Lhan hls famlly are noL rooLed on some
deblllLaLlng psychologlcal condlLlon buL a mere refusal or
unwllllngness Lo assume Lhe essenLlal obllgaLlons of marrlage
ln kepobllc v coott of Appeols
17
where Lhereln respondenL
preferred Lo spend more Llme wlLh hls frlends Lhan hls famlly on
whom he squandered hls money depended on hls parenLs for ald
and asslsLance and was dlshonesL Lo hls wlfe regardlng hls flnances
Lhe CourL held LhaL Lhe psychologlcal defecLs spoken of were more
of a Jlfflcolty lf noL ouLrlghL tefosol or oeqlect ln Lhe
performance of some marlLal obllgaLlons and LhaL a mere showlng of
lrreconcllable dlfferences and confllcLlng personallLles ln no wlse
consLlLuLe psychologlcal lncapaclLy lL ls noL enough Lo prove LhaL
Lhe parLles falled Lo meeL Lhelr responslblllLles and duLles as marrled
persons lL ls essenLlal LhaL Lhey musL be shown Lo be locopoble of
dolng so due Lo some psychologlcal noL physlcal lllness
Also we held ln netoooJez v coott of Appeols
18
LhaL hablLual
alcohollsm sexual lnfldellLy or perverslon and abandonmenL do noL
by Lhemselves consLlLuLe grounds for declarlng a marrlage vold
based on psychologlcal lncapaclLy
Whlle peLlLloners marrlage wlLh Lhe respondenL falled and appears
Lo be wlLhouL hope of reconclllaLlon Lhe remedy however ls noL
always Lo have lL declared vold ob loltlo on Lhe ground of
psychologlcal lncapaclLy An unsaLlsfacLory marrlage however ls noL
a null and vold marrlage
19
no less Lhan Lhe ConsLlLuLlon recognlzes
Lhe sancLlLy of marrlage and Lhe unlLy of Lhe famlly lL decrees
marrlage as legally lovloloble and proLecLs lL from dlssoluLlon aL
Lhe whlm of Lhe parLles 8oLh Lhe famlly and marrlage are Lo be
ptotecteJ by Lhe sLaLe
20

1hus ln deLermlnlng Lhe lmporL of psycboloqlcol locopoclty under
ArLlcle 36 lL musL be read ln con[uncLlon wlLh alLhough Lo be Laken
as dlsLlncL from ArLlcles 33
21
37
22
38
23
and 41
24
LhaL would
llkewlse buL for dlfferenL reasons render Lhe marrlage vold ob
loltlo or ArLlcle 43
23
LhaL would make Lhe marrlage merely voldable
or ArLlcle 33 LhaL could [usLlfy a peLlLlon for legal separaLlon Care
musL be observed so LhaL Lhese varlous clrcumsLances are noL
applled so lndlscrlmlnaLely as lf Lhe law were lndlfferenL on Lhe
maLLer
26
ArLlcle 36 should noL Lo be confused wlLh a dlvorce law
LhaL cuLs Lhe marlLal bond aL Lhe Llme Lhe causes Lherefor manlfesL
Lhemselves
27
nelLher lL ls Lo be equaLed wlLh legal separaLlon ln
whlch Lhe grounds need noL be rooLed ln psychologlcal lncapaclLy
buL on physlcal vlolence moral pressure moral corrupLlon clvll
lnLerdlcLlon drug addlcLlon hablLual alcohollsm sexual lnfldellLy
abandonmenL and Lhe llke
28

JLkLICkL ln vlew of Lhe foregolng Lhe moLlon for
reconslderaLlon of Lhe 8esoluLlon daLed !une 9 2004 denylng Lhe
peLlLlon for revlew on cerLlorarl for fallure of Lhe peLlLloner Lo
sufflclenLly show LhaL Lhe CourL of Appeals commlLLed any reverslble
error ls DLNILD JI1 IINALI1
SC CkDLkLD