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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JD 103-PERSONS AND FAMILY RELATIONS REVIEWER
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COMMITTEES
MARRIAGE AND LEGAL SEPARATION
Topic Head
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THE FAMILY/
PATERNITY AND FILIATION
Fatima I. Bahjin
Meneth F. De Baguio
Rena Mae D. Melocoton
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Placido J. Concepcion
Members
ADOPTION
Florian A. Piedad II
Khim Tonne B. Bation
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Topic Head
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Members
Topic Head
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Jayson M. Capundag
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JD 103-PERSONS AND FAMILY RELATIONS REVIEWER
Family'Code'
EFFECT!OF!ABSENCE!OF!REQUISITE!
The!Family!Code!took!effect!on!August!3,!1988.!!
MARRIAGE'
!
REQUISITES!
NATURE!OF!MARRIAGE,!ART.1!
Art.! 1,! FC.! 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.!
KINDS!OF!REQUISITES!!
(1)!
Essential!Requisites!(Art.!2)!!
a.!
Legal! Capacity! of! the! contracting!
parties,!who!must!be!a!male!and!a!female!
b.!
Consent!(of!the!parties)!freely!given!in!
the!presence!of!a!solemnizing!officer.!
(2)!
Formal!Requisites!(Art.!3)!
a.!
!Authority!of!solemnizing!officer!
b.!
!A!valid!marriage!license!
c.!
!Except:!Marriages!in!articulo)mortis!or!
when! one! or! both! parties! are! at! the! point! of!
death!
d.!
!!
ESSENTIAL!REQUISITES!
Age''
Legal!Capacity![Art.!5]!!
Male!or!female!18!years!old!and!above,!not!under!
any!impediments!mentioned!in!Art.!37!(incestuous!
marriage)! &! Art.! 38! (marriage! against! public!
policy),!may!contract!marriage.!
Must'be'male'and'female'
Jones! v! Hallahan,! (1973):! Application! for! marriage!
license!was!denied!since!marriage!is!defined!by!law!
as! a! contract! entered! into! between! a! man! and! a!
woman.!
Goodridge!v.!Dept.!of!Public!Health,!(2003):!Samea
sex! couples! should! not! be! denied! the! same!
benefits! as! heterosexual! couples;! the! right! to!
marry!includes!the!right!to!choose!who!to!marry.!
Silverio! v! Republic,! (2007):! Changing! of! gender! in!
ones! birth! certificate! was! denied;! otherwise,! it!
would! result! in! confusion! and! would! allow!
marriage! between! persons! of! the! same! sex! which!
is! in! defiance! of! the! law,! as! marriage! is! a! union!
between!a!man!and!a!woman.!!
Note:)The)best)source)for)citing)the)requirement)(of)
male/female))is)still)statutory,)as)provided)explicitly)
in)the)Family)Code.)
!Marriage!Ceremony:!
Consent'freely'given'
i.
People!v.!Santiago,!(1927):!A!marriage!entered!into!
by! a! person! whose! real! intent! is! to! avoid!
prosecution! for! rape! is! void! for! total! lack! of!
consent.!The!accused!did!not!intend!to!be!married.!
He! merely! used! such! marriage! to! escape! criminal!
liability.!
Appearance!of!contracting!parties!in!
the!presence!of!a!solemnizing!officer!
ii. Personal!declaration!that!they!take!!
each!other!as!husband!and!wife!in!
!!!!!!the!presence!of!not!less!than!!
!!!!!!!2!witnesses!
Ceremony''
Marriage)Ceremony))
No! prescribed! form! or! religious! rite! for! the!
solemnization!of!marriage!is!required.!(Art.!6)!!
The! couple's! written! agreement! where! they!
declare!themselves!as!husband!and!wife,!signed!by!
them! before! a! judge! and! two! capable! witnesses,!
even! though! it! was! independently! made! by! them,!
still! counts! as! a! valid! ceremony.! [Martinez! v! Tan,!
(1909)]!!
Minimum)requirements)prescribed)by)law:!!
(1)! Appearance! of! contracting! parties! personally!
before!the!solemnizing!officer![Art.!3]!
(2)! Personal! declaration! that! they! take! each! other!
as!husband!and!wife.![Art.!3]!
(3)!Presence!of!at!least!two!witnesses!of!legal!age.!
[Art.!3]!
!
Exceptions:!!
Note:)In)a)marriage)in)articulo)mortis,)when)one)or)
both) parties) are) unable) to) sign) the) marriage)
certificate,) it) shall) be) sufficient) for) one) of) the)
witnesses) to) write) the) name) of) said) party,) which)
shall)be)attested)by)the)solemnizing)officer.)(Art.)6,)
par.)2))
(3)!Ship!Captain!or!Airplane!Chief!may!solemnize!a!
marriage!in!articulo)mortis!between!passengers!or!
crew!members![Art.!7,!31]!!
(4)!A!Military!commander!of!a!unit!may!solemnize!
marriages! in! articulo) mortis! between! persons!
within!the!zone!of!military!operation.!(Art.!7,!32)!!
(5)! Consulageneral,! consul! or! viceaconsul! may!
solemnize! marriages! between! Filipino! citizens!
abroad.!(Art.!7,!10)!!
(6)! Municipal! and! City! Mayors! (LGC! sec.! 444! and!
455)!
Exceptions!!Art.!35!!
without!the!necessity!of!a!marriage!license.!!!
(3)!Persons!within!a!military!zone![Art.!32]!!
Lack!of!valid!notification!of!both!parties!desiring!a!
ceremony!in!a!remote!place!was!held!to!be!only!a!
mere! IRREGULARITY! [Navarro! vs.! Domagtoy!
(1996)]!!!
Respondent! judge! was! faulted! for! solemnizing! a!
marriage! outside! his! territorial! jurisdiction.! ! Also,!
presentation!of!the!marriage!license!subsequent!to!
the! solemnization! of! marriage! will! not! cure! the!
defect.![Araes!v.!Occiano!(2002)]!!!
License!required!General!Rule:!License!required!!!
Article! 9! a! Issued! by! local! registrar! of! city! or!
municipality! where! either! contracting! party!
habitually!resides!!!
Article! 11! a! Each! contracting! party! should! file!
separately.!!!
Article! 20! a! License! valid! in! any! part! of! the!
Philippines! for! 120! days! from! date! of! issue,!
automatically! cancelled! at! the! expiration! of! such!
period.!!!
Foreign! National! ! When! either! or! both! parties! are!
foreign! nationals:! Certificate! of! legal! capacity! to!
contract! marriage,! issued! by! a! diplomatic! or!
consular! official,! shall! be! submitted! before! a!
marriage!license!can!be!obtained![Art.!21]!!!
Stateless!persons!or!refugees!from!other!countries:!
affidavit!stating!circumstances!showing!capacity!to!
contract!marriage,!instead!of!cert.!of!legal!capacity!
[Art.!21]!!!
(2)!Between!passengers!or!crew!members!in!a!ship!
or!airplane![Art.!31]!!
Exceptions!!
(1)!Marriage!in!articulo!mortis![Art.!27]!!
'
'
Marriage'certificate'''
Absence! and! irregularity! of! marriage! license! and!
contract! Republic! v.! CA! and! Castro! (1994):!!
Issuance! of! the! Civil! Registrar! of! a! Certificate! of!
Due!Search!and!Inability!to!find!the!application!of!a!
marriage!license!certifies!the!licenses!inexistence,!
thus!rendering!the!marriage!VOID.!!!!
Moreno!v.!Bernabe!(1995):!!Before!a!marriage!can!
be! solemnized,! a! valid! marriage! license! must! be!
presented!first,!otherwise,!the!marriage!is!VOID.!!!
People! v.! Borromeo! (1984):! ! Nonaexistence! of! a!
marriage!contract!does!not!invalidate!the!marriage!
as! long! as! all! the! requisites! for! its! validity! are!
properly!complied!with.!!!
Things!to!do!at!the!local!civil!registrar:!!
(1)! File! an! application! of! marriage! license! at! the!
proper!local!civil!registrar.![Art.!11]!!
(2)! Present! birth! or! baptismal! certificate! for! proof!
of!age.![Art.!12]!!
(3)! If! aged! 18a21! years,! present! parental! consent.!
[Art.!14]!!
(4)!If!aged!21a25,!present!parental!advice.![Art.!15]!!
(5)! If! aged! 18a25,! present! certificate! of! marriage!
counseling!from!your!priest.![Art.!16]!!
(6)!(PD!965)!Attend!family!planning!seminar!or!get!
a!brochure!regarding!family!planning!!
(7)!Pay!the!required!fees.![Art!19]!
(8)!If!foreigner,!present!certificate!of!legal!capacity!
issued!by!diplomat!or!consular!officials.!(Art.!21)!!!
Marriage! Certificate! Where! parties! declare! that!
they!take!each!other!as!husband!and!wife;!contains!
the!following:!!
(1)!Full!name,!sex,!age!of!party!!
(2)!Citizenship,!religion,!habitual!residence!!
(3)! Date! and! precise! time! of! celebration! of!!!!
marriage!!
Foreign!marriages!may!be!void!under!Phil!law!due!
to!absence!of!a!formal!requisite!under!foreign!(Art.!
26,!CC)!
Formal!requisites!!
Requirements!independent!of!the!parties!!
Lex! loci! celebrationisa! if! valid! where! celebrated,!
then! valid! everywhere;! forms! of! contracting!
marriage!are!to!be!regulated!by!the!law!where!it!is!
celebrated.!!!
Foreign! marriages! void! under! Phil! law! due! to! lack!
of!an!essential!requisite,!even!if!valid!under!foreign!
laws,!will!not!be!recognized!laws.!!!
PROOF!OF!FOREIGN!MARRIAGE!in!order!that!it!may!
be!upheld:!
(1)!Provisions!of!the!foreign!law!
(2)!Celebration!of!the!marriage!in!accordance!with!
said!provisions!!!
FOREIGN!DIVORCES!!
(1)! Those! obtained! by! Filipino! citizens! are! void!
under!Philippine!law.!!
(2)! If! the! foreign! spouse! obtains! a! valid! foreign!
divorce,! the! Filipino! spouse! shall! have! capacity! to!
remarry!under!Philippine!law.!(Art.!26)!!!
Van!Dorn!v.!Romillo!(1985):!A!divorce!obtained!by!
the! foreign! spouse! in! accordance! with! the! said!
spouses! national! law! is! recognized! in! the!
Philippines!and!releases!Filipino!spouse!from!their!
marriage.!!!!!
Quita! v.! Dandan! (1998):! The! citizenship! of! the!
spouses!at!the!time!of!the!divorce!determines!their!
capacity! to! obtain! a! valid! divorce.! ! Since! the!
divorce! and! the! naturalization! of! W! occurred!
within! the! same! year,! the! case! was! remanded! to!
determine!which!occurred!first.!!!!!
Llorente! v.! CA! (2000):! Citizenship! at! the! time! the!
divorce!is!obtained!determines!its!validity.!!Since!H!
was! no! longer! a! Filipino! citizen! when! he! divorced!
W,! the! nationality! principle! did! not! apply! to! him!
anymore!and!the!divorce!is!valid.!!!
Garcia! v.! Recio! (2001):! A! divorce! decree! obtained!
by!the!foreign!spouse!is!recognized!under!Phil!law!
if!it!is!executed!in!accordance!with!the!foreigners!
national! law.! ! The! party! must! prove! divorce! as! a!
fact!and!that!said!divorce!is!obtained!in!conformity!
with! the! law! allowing! it,! before! the! Philippine!
courts!can!take!judicial!notice.!!!
VOID'AND'VOIDABLE'MARRIAGES''
PRESUMPTION)OF)MARRIAGE))
(1) Presumption! in! favor! of! a! valid! marriage! [Art!
220,!CC]!
(2) The! presumption! that! a! man! and! a! woman!
deporting!themselves!as!husband!and!wife!have!
entered! into! a! lawful! contract! of! marriage! is!
satisfactory!if!uncontradicted.![Sec.!3!(aa),!Rule!
131,!ROC]!!
(3) In! marriages! of! exceptional! character,! the!
existence!of!the!marriage!is!presumed,!even!in!
the!TOTAL!ABSENCE!of!a!marriage!license.![Vda.!
De!Jacob!v!CA!(1999)]!
(4) !If! a! marriage! certificate! is! missing,! and! all!
means!HAVE!NOT!YET!BEEN!EXHAUSTED!to!find!
it,! then! the! marriage! is! presumed! to! exist!
[Sevilla!v!Cardenas!(2006)]!!!
Absence!of!a!marriage!certificate!is!not!proof!of!
absence! of! marriage.! ! To! prove! the! fact! of!
marriage,! the! following! would! constitute!
competent!evidence:!!
(1)!the!testimony!of!witnesses!to!matrimony;!!
(2)!the!couples!public!cohabitation;!and!
(3)! birth! and! baptismal! certificates! of! children!
born!during!the!union.![Trinidad!v!CA!(1998)]!
Absence!of!Requisites!Art.!4(1):!!The!absence!of!
any! essential! or! formal! requisites! shall! render!
the!marriage!void!ab!initio,!except!as!stated!in!
Article!35!(a).!!!
Art.! 5:! Any! male! or! female! of! the! age! of!
eighteen!years!or!upwards!not!under!any!of!the!
impediments! mentioned! in! Articles! 37! and! 38,!
may!contract!marriage.!!!
Void!from!the!Beginning![Art.!35].!
(1)!Marriage!where!any!party!is!below!eighteen!
years! of! age! even! with! the! consent! of! parents!
or!guardians.!
(2)! Marriage! solemnized! by! any! person! not!
legally! authorized! to! perform! marriages! unless!
such!marriages!were!contracted!with!either!or!
both! parties! believing! in! good! faith! that! the!
solemnizing! officer! had! the! legal! authority! to!
do!so.!!!
Note:! Ones) belief) in) good) faith) that) the)
solemnizing)officer)has)the)required)authority)is)
a)mistake)of)fact,)and)not)of)law.))
(3)! Marriage! solemnized! without! a! valid!
marriage! license,! except! in! marriages! under!
exceptional!circumstances.!!
(4)! Bigamous! or! polygamous! marriages! not!
falling! under! Article! 41! (Art.! 41:! subsequent!
marriage! by! present! spouse! who! obtained! a!
declaration! of! presumptive! death! for! absent!
spouse!prior!to!the!subsequent!marriage).!!
(5)! There! is! a! mistake! as! to! the! identity! of! the!
other!contracting!party.!!
(6)! Subsequent! marriages! that! are! void! under!
Article!53!(Nonacompliance!with!Art.!52)!!!
Psychological! incapacity! ! Contracted! by! any!
party! who,! at! the! time! of! the! celebration,! was!
psychologically! incapacitated! to! comply! with!
the! essential! marital! obligations! of! marriage,!
even! if! such! incapacity! becomes! manifest! only!
after!its!solemnization![Art.!36]!!!
Republic! v.! Molina,! (1997):! (1)! The! burden! of!
proof! to! show! the! nullity! of! the! marriage!
belongs! to! the! plaintiff.! (2)! The! root! cause! of!
the! psychological! incapacity! must! be:! (a)!
medically! or! clinically! identified,! (b)! alleged! in!
the! complaint,! (c)! sufficiently! proven! by! the!
experts,!(d)!clearly!explained!in!the!decision.!(3)!
The!incapacity!must!be!proven!to!be!existing!at!
the! time! of! the! celebration! of! the! marriage.!
(4)! Such! incapacity! must! also! be! shown! to! be!
medically! or! clinically! permanent! or! incurable.!
(5)!Such!illness!must!be!grave!enough!to!bring!
about!the!disability!of!the!party!to!assume!the!
essential! obligations! of! marriage.! (6)! The!
essential! marital! obligations! must! be! those!
embraced!by!Articles!68!up!to!71!of!the!Family!
Code! as! regards! the! husband! and! wife! as! well!
as!Articles!220,!221,!and!225!of!the!same!Code!
in! regard! to! parents! and! their! children.! (7)!
Interpretations!given!by!the!National!Appellate!
Matrimonial!Tribunal!of!the!Catholic!Church!in!
the! Philippines,! while! not! controlling/decisive,!
should!be!given!great!respect!by!our!courts.!(8)!
The! trial! court! must! order! the! prosecuting!
attorney! or! fiscal! and! the! Solicitor! General! to!
appear! as! counsel! for! the! state.! No! decision!
shall! be! handed! down! unless! the! Solicitor!
General!issues!a!certification.!!!
Santos! v.! BediaaSantos,! (1995):! Laid! down! 3!
characteristics! for! determining! psychological!
incapacity:!
gravity,!
antecedent,!
and!
incurability.!!!
Tsoi! v.! CA,! (1997):! Refusal! of! husband! to! have!
sex! was! interpreted! to! be! PI.! A! man! who! can!
but!wont!is!PI!
Marcos! vs.! Marcos! (2000):! Psychological!
incapacity!maybe!established!by!the!totality!of!
the! evidence! presented.! Personal! medical!
examination!could!be!dispensed!with.!!!
Republic! vs.! San! Jose! (2007):! There! is! no!
requirement! that! the! respondent! be! medically!
examined!first.!!!
Antonio! v.! Reyes,! (2006):! Pathological! liar!
considered! as! psychological! incapacity,! Molina!
guidelines!met.!!!
Incestuous! marriages! ! Article! 37! (Incestuous):!
(1)! Between! ascendants! and! descendants! of!
any! degree,! legitimate! or! illegitimate! (2)!
Between! brothers! and! sisters,! whether! of! the!
full!or!half!blood,!legitimate!or!illegitimate!!!
Against! Public! Policy! Article! 38! (Against! Public!
Policy):! (1)! Between! collateral! blood! relatives,!
legitimate!or!illegitimate,!up!to!the!fourth!civil!
degree.! (2)! Between! stepaparents! and! stepa
children.! ! Note:! Stepbrothers! and! stepsisters!
As)to)remarriage))
As)to)who)can)institute)the)action))
As)to)effect)on)subsequent)marriage)!
As)to)ground))
Connected!Provisions!!
Art.!390,!Civil!Code:!After!an!absence!of!7!years,!it!
being! unknown! whether! or! not! the! absentee! still!
lives,! he! shall! be! presumed! dead! for! all! purposes,!
except!for!those!of!succession.!!!
The! absentee! shall! not! be! presumed! dead! for! the!
purpose! of! opening! his! succession! till! after! an!
absence! of! 10! years.! If! he! disappeared! after! the!
age! of! 75! years,! an! absence! of! 5! years! shall! be!
sufficient! in! order! that! his! succession! may! be!
opened.!!!
Art.!391,!Civil!Code.!!
The! following! shall! be! presumed! dead! for! all!
purposes,! including! the! division! of! the! estate!
among!the!heirs:!!
(1)! A! person! on! board! a! vessel! lost! during! a! sea!
voyage,!or!an!aeroplane!which!is!missing,!who!has!
not! been! heard! of! for! four! years! since! the! loss! of!
the!vessel!or!aeroplane;!!
(2)! A! person! in! the! armed! forces! who! has! taken!
part!in!war,!and!has!been!missing!for!four!years;!!
(3)! A! person! who! has! been! in! danger! of! death!
under! other! circumstances! and! his! existence! has!
not!been!known!for!four!years.!
Notes:! ! Although! 7! years! is! required! for! the!
presumption! of! death! of! an! absentee! in! the! Civil!
Code,!Art.!41!of!the!!
Family!Code!makes!an!exception!for!the!purpose!of!
remarriage!by!limiting!such!requirement!to!4!years.!!!
Article! 43! and! 44! (Effects! of! Termination! of!
Bigamous!Marriage!under!Art.!42)!!!
Art.!43:!!
(1)! Children! of! subsequent! marriage! !
conceived! prior! to! its! termination! considered!
legitimate;! custody! and! support! decided! by! court!
in!a!proper!proceeding!!
(2)! Property! Regime! ! dissolved! and!
liquidated! (party! in! bad! faith! shall! forfeit! his/her!
share! in! favor! of! the! common! children! or! if! there!
are! none,! children! of! the! guilty! spouse! by! a!
previous! marriage,! and! in! case! there! are! none,! to!
the!innocent!spouse)!!
(3)! Donation! propter! nuptias! ! remains!
valid,!(but!if!the!donee!contracted!marriage!in!bad!
faith,!donations!will!be!revoked)!!
(4)! Insurance! benefits! ! innocent! spouse!
may! revoke! designation! of! guilty! party! as!
beneficiary,! even! if! such! designation! is! stipulated!
as!irrevocable!!
(5)! Succession! Rights! ! Party! in! bad! faith!
disqualified! to! inherit! from! innocent! spouse,!
whether!testate!or!intestate!
Article!44:!!
Donations:) If) both) parties) of) subsequent) marriage)
acted)in)bad)faith,)any)donations)and)testamentary)
Art.! 14:! In! case! either! or! both! of! the! contracting!
parties,! not! having! been! emancipated! by! a!
previous! marriage,! are! between! the! ages! of!
eighteen! and! twentyaone,! In! addition! to! the!
requirements!of!the!preceding!articles:!!!
(a)! Exhibit! to! the! local! civil! registrar! the!
consent! to! their! marriage! of! their! father,! mother,!
surviving! parent! or! guardian,! or! persons! having!
legal!charge!of!them,!in!the!order!mentioned!!
(b)! Manifested! in! writing! by! the! interested!
party,! who! personally! appears! before! the! proper!
local!civil!registrar,!or!
(c)! In! the! form! of! an! affidavit! made! in! the!
presence!of!two!witnesses!and!attested!before!any!
official!authorized!by!law!to!administer!oaths!!
(d)! The! personal! manifestation! shall! be!
recorded!in!both!applications!for!marriage!license,!
and! the! affidavit,! if! one! is! executed! instead,! shall!
be!attached!to!said!applications.!!!
Grounds!for!Annulment!!Article!4!states!that!xxx!A!
defect!in!any!of!the!essential!requisites!shall!render!
the!marriage!voidable!as!provided!in!Article!45.!!!
Article! 45.! Marriage! may! be! annulled! on! the!
following!grounds!existing!at!time!of!marriage:!!
(1)!One!of!the!parties!is!18!or!above!but!below!21!
years!old,!and!there!is!no!parental!consent.!!
(2)!Either!party!was!of!unsound!mind!(insanity).!!
(3)! The! consent! of! either! party! was! obtained!
through!fraud!(different!from!mistake!in!identity):!!
(a)! Through! nonadisclosure! of! a! previous!
conviction!of!a!crime!involving!moral!turpitude;!!
(b)!Through!concealment!by!the!wife!of!the!
fact! that! at! the! time! of! the! marriage! she! was!
pregnant!by!another!man;!!
(c)! Through! concealment! of! a! sexuallya!
transmitted! disease,! regardless! of! its! nature,!
existing!at!the!time!of!marriage;!!
(d)!Through!concealment!of!drug!addiction,!
habitual! alcoholism! or! homosexuality/lesbianism.!
(Art.46)!!
(a)!Only!those!enumerated!in!Art.!46:!
(3)!Fraud!!
(2)!Insanity!
(d)!Concealment!of!Pregnancy!!
(a)!Mental!incapacity!or!insanity!is!a!vice!of!
consent;! insanity:! (1)! of! varying! degrees,! (2)!
curable! being! an! illness,! capable! of! ratification! or!
convalidation,! (3)! has! lucid! intervals,! (4)! ground!
only!for!annulment!in!many!countries!!
(1)!Fraud!against!very!essence!of!marriage;!
importance! of! procreation! of! children;! an! assault!
to! the! integrity! of! the! union! by! introducing! ALIEN!
BLOOD!!
Art.'45'distinguished'from'Art.'46'
(4)!Force,!intimidation,!undue!influence!!
Art.%45%for%STD:!it!is!a!ground!for!annulment;!does!
not! have! to! be! concealed;! must! be! serious! and!
incurable;! and! the! STD! itself! is! the! ground! for!
annulment!
(a)!FORCE!must!be!one!as!to!prevent!party!
from! acting! as! a! free! agent;! will! destroyed! by!
fear/compulsion!!
Art.%46%for%STD:!The!STD!is!a!type!of!fraud!which!is!
a! ground! for! annulment;! it! must! be! concealed;!
need! not! be! serious! or! incurable;! and! it! is! the!
concealment!that!gives!rise!to!the!annulment!
Effect!of!Cure!to!Fraud!in!Art.!46:!!
Recovery! or! rehabilitation! from! STD,! drug!
addiction,! and! habitual! alcoholism! will! NOT! BAR!
ACTION! for! annulment;! The! defect! is! not! the!
disease,!but!the!FRAUD!which!VITIATED!CONSENT.!
Buccat! v.! Mangonon! de! Buccat,! (1941):! Wife! gave!
birth! 3! months! after! marriage! celebration.!
Husband! filed! for! annulment.! Denied.! Ground:!
Concealment! of! nonavirginity.! Court! held! that! it!
was! unbelievable! that! husband! could! not! have!
noticed! when! wife! had! been! at! least! 6! months!
pregnant!prior!to!marriage.!!!
Aquino! v.! Delizo,! (1960):! The! Supreme! Court!
granted!annulment!because!the!wife!concealed!the!
fact! that! she! was! 4! months! pregnant! during! the!
time! of! the! marriage.! It! argued! that! since! Delizo!
was! naturally! plump,! Aquino! could! hardly! be!
expected!to!know,!by!mere!looking,!whether!or!not!
she!was!pregnant!at!the!time!of!the!marriage.!!!
Almelor! v.! RTC,! (2008):! It! is! the! concealment! of!
homosexuality,!and!not!homosexuality!per!se,!that!
vitiates! the! consent! of! the! innocent! party.! ! Such!
concealment! presupposes! bad! faith! and! intent! to!
defraud! the! other! party! in! giving! consent! to! the!
marriage.!!!
Corpuz!v.!Ochoterena,!(2004):!In!a!legal!separation!
or!annulment!case,!the!prosecuting!attorney!must!
first!rule!out!collusion!as!a!condition!sine!qua!non!
for! further! proceedings.! ! A! certification! by! the!
prosecutor!that!he!was!present!during!the!hearing!
and! even! crossaexamined! the! plaintiff!
or!convalidated!by!prescription!or!cohabitation:!!
(a)! Prior! subsisting! marriage;! would! result!
in!anomalous!relationship!!
(b)! Vitiated! by! impotency! remains! as! long!
as!afflicted!!
(c)! Vitiated! by! affliction! of! STD! remains! as!
long!as!afflicted!!
(d)!Affliction!of!STD!is!unknown!to!the!other!
spouse!(Balane)!!
Ground!
(Art.!45)!
(e)!The!other!spouse!must!also!be!free!from!
a!similar!STD.!(Balane)!!
47(5)!
(h)!2!&!3!above!prescribe!w/in!5!yrs!by!Art.!
Who!
can!
file?! (Art.!
47)!
Lack! of! Under! aged!
parental! party! (18! or!
consent!
under!21)!or!
parent! or!
guardian!
without!
consent!
Insanity!
Sane!spouse!
with!
no!
knowledge!
of!
the!
others!
insanity! or!
legal!
guardian! of!
insane! part!
or!
the!
Insane!party!
Fraud!
Injured!
party!
Prescription!
(Art.!47)!
Ratification!
(Art.!45)!
Within!
5!
years! after!
attaining! 21!
or! before!
the!
arty!
under!
21!
reaches! the!
age!of!21!
Any!
time!
before! the!
death!
of!
either! party!
or! during!
lucid!
interval! or!
after!
regaining!
sanity,! and!
before!
death!
Within!
5!
years! after!
the!
discovery! of!
fraud!
Free!
cohabitation!
after!
attaining! age!
of!21!
Free!
cohabitation!
of!
insane!
party! after!
insane! party!
comes!
to!
reason.!
Free!
cohabitation!
after! having!
full!
knowledge!of!
fraud!
(f)!Same!as!incurable!impotency!
(g)!Not!subject!to!ratification!!cannot!be!ratified!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JD 103-PERSONS AND FAMILY RELATIONS REVIEWER
Force,!
intimidati
on,!
undue!
influence!
Injured!
party!
Within!
5!
years! after!
disappearan
ce! of! force,!
undue!
influence,!or!
intimidation!
Impotenc
e!!
Potent!
spouse!
Within!
5!
year! after!
marriage!
STD!
Healthy!
party!
Within!
5!
years! after!
marriage!!
Free!
cohabitation!
after!
the!
force!
or!
intimidation!
or!
undue!
influence! has!
ceased!
or!
disappeared!
Cannot! be!
ratified! but!
action!
prescribes.!
Cannot! be!
ratified! but!
action!
prescribes!
!
Marriages! Not! Subject! to!
Convalidation!by!cohabitation!!
Ratification/!
(1)! The! court! shall! provide! for! the! support! of! the!
spouses,!!
(2)! The! custody! and! support! of! the! common!
children,! giving! paramount! consideration! to! their!
moral!and!material!welfare,!their!choice!of!parent!
with!whom!they!wish!to!remain.!!
(3)!The!court!shall!also!provide!for!visitation!rights!
of!other!parent.!!!
Decisions!on!the!nullification!of!the!marriage!!
Art.!48!(2):!In!the!cases!referred!to!in!the!preceding!
paragraph,! no! judgment! shall! be! based! upon! a!
stipulation!of!facts!or!confession!of!judgment.!!!
Stipulation! of! Facts:! An! admission! by! both! parties!
after! agreeing! to! the! existence! of! any! of! the!
grounds! or! facts! that! would! constitute! a!
void/voidable!marriage!!!
Confession! of! judgment:! The! admission! by! one!
party!admitting!his/her!fault!to!cause!the!invalidity!
of!the!marriage.!!!
EFFECTS!OF!NULLITY!!
The!effects!provided!for!by!paragraphs!(2),!(3),!(4)!
and! (5)! of! Article! 43! and! by! Article! 44! shall! also!
apply! in! the! proper! cases! to! marriages! which! are!
declared! ab! initio! or! annulled! by! final! judgment!
under!Articles!40!and!45!(Art.!50(1)).!!!
Final! judgment! in! such! cases! shall! provide! for! the!
liquidation,!partition,!and!distribution!of!the:!!
(1)!Properties!of!the!spouses!!
(2)!Custody!and!support!of!the!common!children!!
(3)!Delivery!of!their!presumptive!legitimes!!
(a)! Unless! such! matters! had! been!
adjudicated! in! previous! judicial! proceedings! (Art.!
50(2))!!
(b)! All! creditors! (of! the! spouses/property!
regime)! shall! be! notified! of! the! proceedings! for!
liquidation!(Art.!50(2!and!3))!!!
In!the!partition,!the!conjugal!dwelling!and!lot!shall!
be!adjudicated!to!the!spouse!with!whom!majority!
of!the!common!children!remain!(Art.!102!and!129)!
(Art.!50(4)!!!!
petitioner,!to!engage!in!prostitution,!or!connivance!
in!such!corruption!or!inducement;!!!!
Presumptive!legitimes,!computed!as!of!the!date!of!
the! final! judgment,! shall! be! delivered! in! cash,!
property!or!sound!securities:!!
(2)!The!children/guardian/trustee!of!property!may!
ask! for! the! enforcement! of! the! judgment! (Art.!
51(2))!
(3)!The!delivery!of!the!presumptive!legitimes!shall!
not! prejudice! the! ultimate! successional! rights,! but!
the! value! of! the! properties! already! received! shall!
be! considered! as! advances! on! their! legitime! (Art.!
51(3))!!!
(6)! Lesbianism!
respondent;!!
or!
Homosexuality!
of!
the!
!(7)!Contracting!by!the!respondent!of!a!subsequent!
Bigamous! marriage,! whether! in! the! Philippines! or!
abroad;!!!!
(8)!Sexual!infidelity!or!perversion;!!!
(9)! Attempt! by! the! respondent! Against! the! life! of!
the!petitioner;!or!!!!
Exceptions:!!
ACTS!OF!VIOLENCE!ACCORDING!TO!RA!9262!!
(1)! Causing! physical! harm! to! the! woman! or! her!
child;!!
(2)! Threatening! to! cause! the! woman! or! her! child!
physical!harm;!!
(3)! Attempting! to! cause! the! woman! or! her! child!
physical!harm;!!
(4)! Placing! the! woman! or! her! child! in! fear! of!
imminent!physical!harm;!!
(5)!Attempting!to!compel!or!compelling!the!woman!
or!her!child!to!engage!in!conduct!which!the!woman!
or! her! child! has! the! right! to! desist! from! or! desist!
from! conduct! which! the! woman! or! her! child! has!
the!right!to!engage!in,!or!attempting!to!restrict!or!
restricting! the! woman's! or! her! child's! freedom! of!
movement! or! conduct! by! force! or! threat! of! force,!
physical! or! other! harm! or! threat! of! physical! or!
other! harm,! or! intimidation! directed! against! the!
woman!or!child.!This!shall!include,!but!not!limited!
to,!the!following!acts!committed!with!the!purpose!
or! effect! of! controlling! or! restricting! the! woman's!
or!her!child's!movement!or!conduct:!!
(a)! Threatening! to! deprive! or! actually!
depriving! the! woman! or! her! child! of! custody! to!
her/his!family;!
(1)!Condonation!by!aggrieved!party!!
(6)!Inflicting!or!threatening!to!inflict!physical!harm!
on! oneself! for! the! purpose! of! controlling! her!
actions!or!decisions;!!
(7)! Causing! or! attempting! to! cause! the! woman! or!
if) other) grounds) were) used,) Art.) 60) par.) 1) is) not)
applicable.)(Balane)))))
EFFECTS!OF!FILING!PETITION!!!
(1)!The!spouses!are!entitled!to!Live!separately,!but!
the!marital!bond!is!not!severed.!(Art.!61!(1)!!
(2)! Administration! of! Community! or! Conjugal!
Property! ! If! there! is! no! written! agreement!
between!the!parties,!the!court!shall!designate!one!
of!them!or!a!third!person!to!administer!the!ACP!or!
CPG.!(Art.!61,!par.!2)!!!
EFFECTS!OF!PENDENCY!!!
The!Court!shall!provide!for:!(Art.!62,!cf.!Art.!49.!FC)!!
(a)!Support!of!spouses!!
(b)!Custody!of!children!!
The! court! shall! give! custody! of! children! to!
one! of! them,! if! there! is! no! written! agreement!
between! the! spouses.! It! shall! also! provide! for!
visitation!rights!of!the!other!spouse.!!
(c)!Visitation!rights!of!the!other!spouse!!!
EFFECTS!OF!LEGAL!SEPARATION!!
(1)!The!spouses!can!live!separately!(Art.!63)!but!the!
marriage!bonds!are!not!severed.!
(2)! The! ACP! or! CPG! shall! be! dissolved! and!
liquidated,!and!the!share!of!the!guilty!spouse!shall!
be! forfeited! in! favor! the! common! children,!
previous!children,!or!innocent!spouse,!in!that!order!
(Art.!63.!cf.!Art.!43,!par.!2).!!
(3)!Custody!of!the!minor!children!shall!be!awarded!
to!the!innocent!spouse!(Art.!63,!cf.!Art!213)!!
Void'
Voidable'
Marriages'
Marriages'
One! is! a! Lack!
of!
minor!!
parental!
consent!
No! authority! insanity!
to!marry!
Legal'Separation'
'
Repeated!
physical!
violence!
!
Effects!of!Filing!/!Pending!Decree!
Void/Voidable'Marriages'
Support!for!the!Spouses!
Custody! and! support! for!
the!children!
Visitation! rights! to! the!
other!spouse!
No!right!to!live!separately!
Properties!
are!
still!
managed!by!both!parties!
Legal'Separation'
Support!for!the!Spouses!
Custody! and! support! for!
the!children!
Visitation! rights! to! the!
other!spouse!
Spouses!to!live!separately!
Designation!
of!
an!
administrator! of! the!
properties!
!
!
!
Terminated' Voidable'
Marriages'
Marriages'
(Art.'41)'
Legal'
Separation'
Status'of'Marital'Ties'
severed!
severed!
Severed!
Not!severed!
Status'Marriage'
Void!ab!
initio!
Subsequent! Void!
marriage!is!
terminated!!
valid!
Status'of'Children'born'and'conceived'before'
termination'
Illegitimate!! legitimate!
Except:!Art.!
36!and!35!
conceived!
and!born!
before!
judgment!
(legitimate)!
legitimate!
legitimate!
Custody'of'Children'
Court!
proceeding!
Court!
Court!
proceeding!! proceeding!
Innocent!
spouse!
Property'Relations'
1. Dissolution!and!liquidation!of!properties!
a. Guilty/Bad!Faith!spouse!will!forfeit!his/her!
share!from!the!Net!Profits!to!the!(in!order)!
i.
Common!children!
ii.
Children!of!the!guilty!spouse!
iii.
Children!of!the!innocent!spouse!
2. Notification!of!creditors!with!the!proceedings!
for!liquidation!
3. Conjugal!dwelling!to!be!adjudicated!to!the!
spouse!who!has!majority!custody!of!common!
children!
4. Insurance!policy!may!be!invoked!only!by!the!
innocent!spouse!(Legal!Separation:!only!within!
5!years)!
5. Spouse!I!bad!faith/guilty!shall!be!disqualified!to!
inherent!(testate!and!intestate)'
'
'
Donation'Propter'Nuptias'
Valid,!nut!if!done!
contacted!marriage!in!bad!
faith,!revoked!by!
operation!of!law!
May!be!revoked!within!5!
years!(Legal!Separation)!
'
NB:!Except!for!support,!a!court!cannot!validly!issue!
a!decision!compelling!the!spouses!to!live!together,!
observe! mutual! love,! respect! and! fidelity.!
Nevertheless,!other!remedies!can!be!availed!of!if!a!
spouse! IN! BAD! FAITH! refuses! to! comply! with! the!
above!obligations.!
EFFECT!OF!NEGLECT!OF!DUTY!
In!case!the!other!spouse!neglects!his!or!her!duties!
or! commits! acts! which! tend! to! bring! danger,!
If!benefit!accrued!to!the!family!after!the!objection!
has! been! made,! the! resulting! obligation! shall! be!
enforced!against!the!community!property!!
!
Property!Relations!between!Husband!and!Wife!
WHAT!GOVERNS!PROPERTY!RELATIONS!!
BETWEEN!SPOUSES:!
1.!Marriage!settlement!future!spouses!may!agree!
upon!the!regime!of!ACP,!CPG,!complete!separation!
of!property!or!any!other!regime!!
2.!Family!Code!if!there!is!no!marriage!settlement!
or! when! the! regime! agreed! upon! therein! is! void,!
the!system!of!ACP!shall!govern!!
3.!Local!customs!
!
REQUISITES'OF'A'VALID'MARRIAGE'SETTLEMENT:'
'
1.!In!writing!
2.!Signed!by!the!parties!!
3.!Executed!before!the!celebration!
of!marriage!!
4.!To!fix!the!terms!and!conditions!of!their!property!
relations!!
5.! If! a! party! executing! the! settlement! needs!
parental! consent,! the! parent/guardian! whose!
consent! is! needed! must! be! made! a! party! to! the!
agreement!!
6.! If! the! party! executing! the! settlement! is! under!
civil! interdiction! or! any! other! disability,! the!
guardian! appointed! by! the! court! must! be! made! a!
party!to!the!settlement!!
7.!Registration!(to!bind!3rd!persons)!!
!
NOT'APPLICABLE:!!
1.! When! both! are! aliens,! even! if! married! in! the!
Phils.!!
2.!As!to!extrinsic!validity!of!contracts!!
3.!Contrary!stipulation!
!
DONATIONS'BY'REASON'OF'MARRIAGE''
Before!Marriage!General!Rule:!
Future!spouses!cannot!donate!to!each!other!more!
than!1/5!of!their!present!property!(excess!shall!be!
considered!void)!!
!
Requisites:!!
1.!Made!before!celebration!of!marriage!!
2.!In!celebration!of!marriage!!
3.!In!favor!of!one!or!both!future!spouses!!
!
Exception:!
If!they!are!governed!by!ACP!!
!
During!Marriage!General!Rule:!
Spouses! cannot! donate! to! each! other,! directly! or!
indirectly!!
(donations! made! by! spouses! to! each! other! during!
the!marriage!are!VOID)!!
Ratio:!
1.! To! protect! unsecured! creditors! from! being!
defrauded!!
2.!To!prevent!stronger!spouse!from!imposing!upon!
the!weaker!one!the!transfer!of!the!latters!property!
to!the!former!!
3.!To!prevent!indirect!modification!of!the!marriage!
settlement!!
!
Exception:!
1.! Moderate! gifts! on! the! occasion! of! any! family!
rejoicing!!
2.!Donation!mortis!causa!
!Applied!to!common!law!spouses!(Art.!87)!!
!
Solis! v.! Barroso! (1928):! In! donations! propter!
nuptias,!the!marriage!is!really!a!consideration,!but!
not! in! the! sense! of! giving! birth! to! the! obligation.!
There!can!be!a!valid!donation!even!if!the!marriage!
never!took!place,!but!the!absence!of!marriage!is!a!
ground!for!the!revocation!of!the!donation.!
Mateo!v.!Lagua!(1969):!Donations!!
propter!nuptias!are!without!onerous!consideration,!
marriage! being! merely! the! occasion! or! motive! for!
the!donation,!not!its!cause.!Being!liberalities,!they!
remain! subject! to! reduction! for! inofficiousness!
upon!the!donors!death,!if!they!should!infringe!the!
legitime!of!aforced!heir.!
!
GROUNDS!TO!REVOKE!DONATION!!
PROPTER!NUPTIAS:!
!
1.! Marriage! is! not! celebrated! or! is! judicially!
declared!void!ab!initio!
2.!Marriage!without!the!needed!parental!consent!
3.!Marriage!is!annulled!and!donee!is!in!bad!faith!!
4.! If! it! is! with! a! resolutory! condition! and! the!
condition!is!complied!with!!
5.! In! legal! separation! and! donee! is! the! guilty!
spouse!!
6.!Donee!commits!acts!of!ingratitude!such!as:!!
a.! If! the! donee! commits! an! offense! against! the!
person,!honor!or!property!of!the!donor,!his!wife,!or!
his!children!under!his!parental!authority!!
b.! If! the! donee! imputes! to! the! donor! any! criminal!
offense!or!any!act!involving!moral!turpitude,!unless!
the! crime! was! committed! against! the! donee!
himself,!his!wife,!or!his!children!under!his!authority!!
c.!If!the!donee!unduly!refuses!to!support!the!donor!
when! he! is! legally! or! morally! bound! to! give! such!
support!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Absolute'Community'of'Property'
GENERAL!RULE:!
The! community! property! consists! of! all! the!
property!owned!by!the!spouses!at!the!time!of!the!
celebration!of!the!marriage!or!acquired!thereafter.!!
EXCEPTIONS:!
Exclusions!from!Community!Property:!
1.
2.
3.
4.
the!family!must!always!be!proven.!!
!
ADMINISTRATION!OF!THE!COMMUNITY!PROPERTY:!!
!
General!Rule:!
It!shall!belong!to!both!spouses!Exceptions:!
1.!In!cases!of!disagreement,!husbands!!
decision!shall!prevail!!
Wife!can!go!to!court!within!5!years!!
2.!In!case!one!spouse!is!incapacitated!or!unable!to!
participate! in! the! administration! of! the! common!
properties,!other!spouse!may!assume!sole!powers.!!
These!powers!do!not!include:!!
a.!disposition!and!!
b.!encumbrance!!
Any! encumbrance! is! void! if! without! the! written!
consent!of!the!other!spouse.!!
!
Rules!on!Game!of!Chance:!!
LOSS:!
Borne!by!the!loser!spouse!and!shall!not!be!charged!
to!the!community!property!!
WINNINGS:!
Form!part!of!the!community!property!!
CHARGES!UPON!THE!ACP:!
1.! Debts! and! obligations! contracted! by! either!
spouse! without! the! consent! of! the! other! to! the!
extent!that!it!benefited!the!family!
2.! Debts! and! obligations! contracted! during! the!
marriage!by!designated!administratoraspouse,!both!
spouses,!or!by!one!with!the!consent!of!the!other!!
3.! Taxes,! liens,! charges! and! expenses! upon!
community!property!
4.!Support!of!spouses,!their!common!children!and!
legitimate!children!of!either!spouse!!
5.! Expenses! of! litigation! between! spouses! unless!
the!suit!is!found!to!be!groundless!!
6.! Anteanuptial! debts! which! redounded! to! the!
benefit!of!the!family!!
7.!Taxes!and!expenses!for!mere!preservation!made!
during!the!marriage!upon!the!separate!property!of!
either!spouse!used!by!the!family!!
8.!Expenses!for!professional!or!vocational!course!!
9.!Other!anteanuptial!debts,!support!of!illegitimate!
child,! and! liabilities! for! crime! or! quasiadelicts! in!
absence!of!separate!property!!
!
!
EXCLUSIVE!PROPERTY!IN!CPG:!
1.!That!brought!into!the!marriage!as!his/her!own!!
2.!That!acquired!during!the!marriage!gratuitously!!
!
3.! That! acquired! by! redemption,! barter! or!
exchange!with!exclusive!property!!
4.!That!purchased!with!exclusive!money!of!spouse!!
!
WHAT!CONSTITUTES!CPG:!
1.! Fruits! of! conjugal! property! due! or! received!
during! the! marriage! and! net! fruits! of! separate!
property!!
2.!Those!acquired!through!occupation!
3.! Livestock! in! excess! of! what! was! brought! to! the!
marriage!!
4.! Those! acquired! during! the! marriage! with!
conjugal!funds!
5.!Share!in!hidden!treasure!
6.! Those! obtained! from! labor,! industry,! work! or!
profession!of!either!or!both!spouse!!
7.!Those!acquired!by!chance!
!
Rules! in! Cases! of! Improvement! of! Exclusive!
Property:!!
1.!Accession!if!the!cost!of!the!improvement!of!the!
plus!value!is!equal!to!or!less!than!the!value!of!the!
principal!property!at!the!time!of!the!improvement,!
the!entire!property!remains!the!exclusive!property!
of!the!spouse!!
2.! Reverse! Accession! if! the! cost! of! the!
improvement! and! the! plus! value! is! more! than! the!
value! of! the! principal! property! at! the! time! of! the!
improvement,! the! property! becomes! conjugal!
(subject!to!reimbursement)!!
!
CHARGES!UPON!CPG:!!
1. Debts! and! obligations! contracted! by! one! without!
the! consent! of! the! other! to! the! extent! that! the!
family!benefited!
PROCEDURE!FOR!DISSOLUTION!OF!CPG:!
!
1.!Inventory!of!all!property!!
2.! Amounts! advanced! by! CP! as! payment! for!
personal!debts!and!obligations!of!either!spouse!are!
credited!!
3.!Reimbursement!for!use!of!exclusive!funds!!
4.!Debts!and!obligations!of!the!CP!are!paid!!
5.!Remains!of!exclusive!properties!are!returned!!
6.! Indemnify! loss! of! deterioration! of! movables!
belonging!to!either!spouse!used!for!the!benefit!of!
the!family!!
7.! Net! remainder! of! conjugal! property! is! divided!
equally!!
8.!Delivery!of!childrens!presumptive!legitimes!!
9.!Adjudication!of!conjugal!dwelling!and!custody!of!
children!!
NOTES:!!
Property!bought!on!installments!paid!partly!from!
exclusive! funds! of! the! spouses! and! partly! from!
conjugal!funds:!!
a.!If!full!ownership!is!vested!before!the!marriage!!
it!shall!belong!to!the!buyeraspouse!!
b.!If!full!ownership!was!vested!during!the!marriage!
!it!shall!belong!to!the!conjugal!partnership!!
The! separate! properties! shall! be! solidarily! and!
subsidiarily! liable! for! the! obligations! if! the!
community!or!conjugal!properties!are!insufficient!!
The!ACP!shall!also!be!liable!for!anteanuptial!debts,!
support! of! illegitimate! children,! and! liabilities!
incurred! by! either! spouse! by! reason! of! a! crime! or!
quasiadelict! in! case! of! insolvency! of! the! exclusive!
property!of!the!debtoraspouse.!Payment!advanced!
by!the!ACP,!subject!to!deduction!from!the!share!of!
the!debtoraspouse!!
The! conjugal! partnership! property! shall! likewise!
be!liable!for!the!payment!of!the!personal!debts!of!
either! spouse! insofar! as! they! have! redounded! to!
the!benefit!of!the!family.!!
!
!
Ayala!Investment!Corporation!v.!CA!
(1998)!
Indirect!benefits!that!might!accrue!to!a!husband!in!
his!signing!as!a!surety!or!guarantee!agreement!not!
in! favor! of! the! family! but! in! favor! of! his! employer!
corporation! are! not! the! benefits! that! can! be!
considered! as! giving! a! direct! advantage!
accruing!to!the!family.!Hence,!the!creditors!cannot!
go!against!the!conjugal!partnership!property!of!the!
husband! in! satisfying! the! obligation! subject! of! the!
surety! agreement.! A! contrary! view! would! put! in!
peril!the!conjugal!partnership!property!by!allowing!
it!to!be!given!gratuitously!as!in!cases!of!donation!of!
conjugal!partnership!property,!which!is!prohibited.!!
!
ABALOS!v.!MACATANGAY!(2004)!
Prior!to!the!liquidation!of!the!conjugal!partnership,!
the!interest!of!each!spouse!in!the!conjugal!assets!is!
inchoate,! a! mere! expectancy,! which! constitutes!
neither! a! legal! nor! an! equitable! estate,! and! does!
not! ripen! into! title! until! it! appears! that! there! are!
assets! in! the! community! as! a! result! of! liquidation!
and! settlement.! The! interest! of! each! spouse! is!
limited! to! the! net! remainder! resulting! from! the!
liquidation! of! the! affairs! of! the! partnerships! after!
its! dissolution.! Thus,! the! right! of! the! husband! or!
wife! to! oneahalf! of! the! conjugal! assets! does! not!
vest! until! the! dissolution! and! liquidation! of! the!
conjugal! partnership! or! after! dissolution! of! the!
marriage!,!when!it!is!finally!determined!that,!after!
settlement! of! conjugal! obligations,! there! are! net!
assets! left! which! can! be! divided! between! the!
spouses!or!their!respective!heirs.!The!Family!Code!
requires! WRITTEN! consent! of! the! other! spouse! or!
authority! of! the! court! for! the! disposition! or!
encumbrance!of!conjugal!partnership!by!the!other!
spouse! if! the! former! spouse! is! incapacitated! or!
otherwise! unable! to! participate! in! the!
administration! of! the! conjugal! partnership.!
Otherwise,!the!disposition!is!void.!!
!
Plata!v.!Yatco:!!
Plata! purchased! property! when! she! was! single.!
When! married,! she! and! her! husband! Bergosa! coa
signed! a! mortgage! on! the! property.! Upon!
foreclosure,! Bergosa! was! sued! for! illegal! detainer.!
A!writ!of!execution!on!the!property!was!carried!out!
but! Plata! refused! to! leave! the! premises.! SC! ruled!
that!Plata!cannot!be!held!in!contempt.!Property!is!
not!conjugal.!Her!husband!signing!as!coamortgagor!
does! not! convert! it! to! CPG.! She! could! ignore!
execution! because! the! decision! was! for! her!
husband!alone.!
!
!
SEPARATION!OF!PROPERTY!
In! the! absence! of! an! express! declaration! in! the!
marriage! settlements,! the! separation! of! property!
between!the!spouses!during!the!marriage!shall!not!
take!place!except!by!judicial!order.!!
Judicial! separation! of! property! may! either! be!
voluntary!or!for!sufficient!cause.!
!
SUFFICIENT!CAUSE!FOR!JUDICIAL!!
SEPARATION!OF!PROPERTY:!
1.! Petitioners! spouse! has! been! sentenced! to! a!
penalty!which!carries!with!it!civil!interdiction!!
2.! Petitioners! spouse! has! been! declared! an!
absentee!
3.!Loss!of!parental!authority!of!petitioners!spouse!
has!been!decreed!by!the!court!!
4.! Abandonment! by! petitioners! spouse! or! failure!
to!comply!with!family!obligations!!
5.! Spouse! granted! the! power! of! administration! in!
marriage!settlements!has!abused!that!power!!
6.! At! the! time! of! petition,! the! spouses! have! been!
separated! in! fact! for! at! least! one! year! and!
reconciliation!is!highly!improbable!!
!
!
GROUNDS!FOR!TRANSFER!OF!!
ADMINISTRATION!OF!EXCLUSIVE!PROPERTY!OF!!
EITHER!SPOUSE:!!
1.!One!spouse!becomes!guardian!of!the!other!!
2.!One!spouse!judicially!declared!absent!
3.! One! spouse! sentenced! to! penalty! with! civil!
interdiction!
4.!One!spouse!becomes!a!fugitive!from!justice!or!is!
hiding!as!an!accused!in!a!criminal!case!!
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PROPERTY'REGIME'OF'UNIONS'WITHOUT'MARRIAGE'
!
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Applicability!
Salaries!and!Wages!
Art!147!
1.!man!and!woman!!
2.!living!together!as!husband!and!wife!!
3.!with!capacity!to!marry!(Art.5!!
without!any!legal!impediment)!!
at!least!18!years!old!!
not! Art.! 37! (incestuous! void!
marriage)!!
not!Art.!38!(void!marriage!by!reason!
of!public!policy)!!
notbigamous!!
4.!other!void!marriages!/!liveain!!
!
Owned!in!equal!shares!!
!
Art!148!
1.!man!and!woman!!
2.!living!together!as!husband!and!wife!!
3.!NOT!capacitated!to!marry!!
(Art.35(1)!under!18!years!old)!!
4.!adulterous!relationship!(e.g.!concubinage)!!
5.bigamous/polygamous!marriage!(Art.35(4))!!
6.!incestuous!marriages!under!Art.37!!
7.! Void! marriages! by! reason! of! public! policy!
under!Art.38!!
!
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!
JOAQUINO!v.!REYES!(2004)!
FACTS:!!
Respondent! Reyes! is! the! widow! of! Rodolfo! Reyes.!
Reyes!had!illicit!relations!with!petitioner!Joaquino.!
A! property! in! BF! Homes! Paranaque! was! executed!
in!favor!of!Joaquino.!Joaquino!had!no!means!to!pay!
for!!
this! property.! The! funds! used! to! purchase! this!
property!were!earnings!of!Reyes!from!his!position!
as! corporate! executive! and! from! a! loan! secured!
from! Commonwealth! Insurance! Corporation.!
Joaquino!and!!
Reyes!had!3!illegitimate!children.!!
!
HELD:!!
Article!148!is!the!property!regime!that!will!apply!in!
case! where! the! partners! have! a! legal! impediment!
to! marry! each! other.In! this! property! regime,! only!
the!property!acquired!by!them!through!their!actual!
joint! contribution! of! money,! property! or! industry!
shall! be! owned! by! them! in! common! and! in!
proportion! to! their! respective! contributions.! The!
registration! of! a! property! in! the! name! of! the!
paramour! who! had! no! income! whatsoever! at! the!
time! of! the! donation! by! a! husband! is! tantamount!
to!a!donation!which!is!void!under!Article!87!of!the!
Family! Code.! The! paramour! then! holds! the!
property! under! a! constructive! trust! under! Article!
1456! in! favor! of! the! conjugal! partnership! of! the!
husband! with! the! legitimate! spouse.! Status! of! an!
illegitimate! child! who! claimed! to! be! an! heir! to! a!
decedents! estate! could! not! be! adjudicated! in! an!
ordinary! civil! action! such! as! in! a! case! for! recovery!
of!property.!!
!
VILLANUEVA!v.!CA!(2004)!
!
FACTS:!!
Several! properties! are! the! subject! of! dispute!
between! petitioner! (illegitimate! son)! and! the!
legitimate! family! of! Nicolas,! the! decedent.!
Petitioner!is!contending!that!the!subject!properties!
are!not!part!of!the!conjugal!partnership!of!Nicolas!
and! his! legal! wife! (Eusebia)! but! under! the! regime!
of! coaownership! between! Nicolas! and! petitioners!
mother.!!
!
!
HELD:!!
For! as! long! as! it! is! proven! that! property! was!
acquired! during! the! marriage,! the! presumption! of!
conjugality! will! attach! regardless! in! whose! name!
the!property!is!registered.!The!presumption!is!not!
rebutted! by! the! mere! fact! that! the! certificate! of!
title!of!the!property!or!the!tax!declaration!is!in!the!
name! of! one! of! the! spouses.! A! reading! of! Article!
148!shows!that!there!must!be!proof!of!actual!joint!
contribution!by!both!the!liveain!partners!before!the!
property!becomes!coaowned!by!them!in!proportion!
to! their! contribution.! The! presumption! of! equality!
of!contribution!arises!only!in!the!absence!of!proof!
of!their!proportionate!contributions,!subject!to!the!
condition! that! actual! joint! contribution! is! proven!
first.! Simply! put,! proof! of! actual! contribution! by!
both! parties! is! required;! otherwise! there! is! no! coa
ownership!and!no!presumption!of!equal!sharing.!
!
CHING!vs.!COURT!APPEALS!(2004)!
The!presumption!of!conjugality!arises!as!long!as!it!
is!shown!that!it!is!acquired!during!the!marriage.!It!
is!not!even!necessary!to!prove!that!the!properties!
were! acquired! with! funds! of! the! partnerships.! In!
fact,! even! when! the! manner! in! which! the!
properties! were! acquired! does! not! appear,! the!
presumption!will!still!apply.!The!presumption!shall!
subsist! in! the! absence! of! clear,! satisfactory! and!
convincing! evidence! to! overcome! the! same.!
Benefit!to!the!family!must!be!direct!and!not!just!
a!byaproduct!or!a!spinaoff!of!the!loan!itself.!Where!
a! husband! contracts! obligations! on! behalf! of! the!
family! business,! the! law! presumes! and! rightly! so!
that!such!obligation!will!redound!to!the!benefit!of!
the!conjugal!partnership.!!
!
Rivera!v.!Heirs!of!Romualdo!Villanueva!(2006)!
!
FACTS:!!
From!1927!until!her!death!in!1980,!Pacita!Gonzales!
cohabited! with! Romualdo! Villanueva! without! the!
benefit!of!marriage!because!the!latter!was!married!
to! Amanda! Musngi! who! died! in! 1963.! During! the!
53! years! of! their! cohabitation! they! acquired! the!
several!properties!contested!in!this!case.!!
In!July!1980,!Pacita!died!without!leaving!a!will.!On!
August! 1980,! Romualdo! and! Angelina! (said! to! be!
the! illegitimate! child! of! Pacita! and! Romualdo)!
executed!a!deed!of!extrajudicial!partition!with!sale!
of! a! number! of! properties! of! Pacitas! estate.!
Petitioners!(Pacitas!halfabrothers,!etc.)!filed!a!case!
for! partition! of! her! estate! and! annulment! of! titles!
and!damages.!!
In! dismissing! the! complaint,! the! RTC! made! two!
findings:!(1)!Pacita!was!never!married!to!Romualdo!
even! after! Amandas! death,! and! (2)! respondent!
Angelina! was! Pacitas! illegitimate! child! by!
Romualdo! and! therefore! her! sole! heir! (to! the!
exclusion!of!the!petitioners).!CA!affirmed.!!
ISSUE:!!
Whether! the! real! properties! acquired! during! the!
cohabitation! of! Pacita! and! Romualdo! are! equally!
owned!by!them.!!
HELD:!!
NO.! Pacita! and! Romualdo! lived! together! without!
the! benefit! of! marriage! and! therefore! their!
property! relations! were! governed! by! Art.! 144! of!
the! Civil! Code.! However,! the! contending! parties!
agreed! that! the! relationship! of! Pacita! and!
Romualdo!was!adulterous,!at!least!until!the!death!
of! Amanda! in! 1963.! Because! the! cohabitation! of!
Pacita! and! Romualdo! from! 1927! to! 1963! was!
adulterous,! their! property! relations! during! those!
36!years!were!not!governed!by!Art.!144!of!the!Civil!
Code! which! applies! only! if! the! couple! living!
together! is! not! in! any! way! incapacitated! from!
getting! married.! According! to! the! doctrine! laid!
down! by! Juaniza! v.! Jose,! no! coaownership! exists!
between! parties! to! an! adulterous! relationship.! In!
Agapay! v.! Palang,! the! Court! expounded! on! this!
doctrine! by! declaring! that! in! such! a! relationship!
(adulterous),! it! is! necessary! for! each! of! the!
partners!to!prove!his!or!her!actual!contribution!to!
the! acquisition! of! property! in! order! to! be! able! to!
lay!claim!to!any!portion!of!it.!Presumptions!of!coa
ownership! and! equal! contribution! do! not! apply.!
The! only! property! acquired! after! Amandas! death!
in! 1963! and! registered! in! the! names! of! both!
Villanueva! and! Gonzales! was! only! one! property.!
This! is! governed! by! the! rules! on! coaownership!
pursuant! to! Art.! 144! of! the! Civil! Code.! Half! of! it!
should!pertain!to!Pacitas!heirs!and!the!other!half,!
to! Romualdo.! The! rest! of! the! properties!
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DISTINCTION'BETWEEN'THE'THREE'PROPERTY'REGIMES'
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JD 103-PERSONS AND FAMILY RELATIONS REVIEWER
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How'can'the'legitimacy'of'a'child'be'impugned'or'
questioned?!
Legitimacy!of!a!child!may!be!impugned!only!on!the!
following!grounds:!
[1]!That! it! was! physically! impossible! for! the!
husband! to! have! sexual! intercourse! with! his! wife!
within! the! first! 120! days! of! the! 300! days! which!
immediately! preceded! the! birth! of! the! child!
because!
of:!
!
[a]!the!physical!incapacity!of!the!husband!to!
have! sexual! intercourse! with! his! wife;!
!
[b]!the!fact!that!the!husband!and!wife!were!
living! separately! in! such! a! way! that! sexual!
intercourse!! was!
not!
possible;!
or!
!
[c]! serious! illness! of! the! husband,! which!
absolutely! prevented! sexual! intercourse;!
[2]!That! it! is! proved! that! for! biological! or! other!
scientific! reasons,! the! child! could! not! have! been!
that! of! the! husband,! except! in! the! instance!
provided!in!the!second!paragraph!of!Article!164;!or!
[3]!That! in! case! of! children! conceived! through!
artificial!insemination,!the!written!authorization!or!
ratification! of! either! parent! was! obtained! through!
mistake,! fraud,! violence,! intimidation,! or! undue!
influence.!
When' should' the' action' to' impugn' or' question'
the' legitimacy' of' a' child' be' filed' in' court?!
[1]!The!action!to!impugn!the!legitimacy!of!the!child!
must! be! brought! within! one! year! from! the!
knowledge! of! the! birth! or! its! recording! in! the! civil!
register,!if!the!husband!or,!in!a!proper!case,!any!of!
his! heirs,! should! reside! in! the! city! or! municipality!
where! the! birth! took! place! or! was! recorded.!
[2]!If!the!husband!or,!in!his!default,!all!of!his!heirs!
do!not!reside!at!the!place!of!birth!as!defined!in!the!
paragraph! above! or! where! it! was! recorded,! the!
period! shall! be! two! years! if! they! should! reside! in!
the! Philippines;! and! three! years! if! abroad.! If! the!
birth!of!the!child!has!been!concealed!from!or!was!
unknown! to! the! husband! or! his! heirs,! the! period!
must!be!counted!from!the!discovery!or!knowledge!
of!the!birth!of!the!child!or!of!the!fact!of!registration!
of! said! birth,! whichever! is! earlier.!
!
When'can'the'paternity'of'the'husband'be'
rejected?!
The! law! establishes! the! legitimacy! of! children!
conceived! or! born! during! the! marriage! of! the!
parents.! ! The! presumption! of! legitimacy! fixes! a!
status! for! the! child! born! in! wedlock,! and! only! the!
father,! or! in! exceptional! cases,! the! latters! heirs,!
can!contest!in!an!appropriate!action!the!legitimacy!
of!a!child!born!to!his!wife.!!Thus!it!is!only!when!the!
legitimacy! of! a! child! has! been! successfully!
impugned!that!the!paternity!of!the!husband!can!be!
rejected.!
What'rules'govern'when'the'marriage'is'
terminated'and'the'mother'marries'within'3oo'
days'after'the'former'marriage'is'terminated?!
If!the!marriage!is!terminated!and!the!mother!
contracted!another!marriage!within!three!hundred!
days!after!such!termination!of!the!former!
marriage,!these!rules!govern!in!the!absence!of!
proof!to!the!contrary:!
[1]!A!child!born!before!one!hundred!eighty!days!
after!the!solemnization!of!the!subsequent!
marriage!is!considered!to!have!been!conceived!
during!the!former!marriage,!provided!it!be!born!
within!three!hundred!days!after!the!termination!of!
the!former!marriage;!
[2]!A!child!born!after!one!hundred!eighty!days!
following!the!celebration!of!the!subsequent!
marriage!is!considered!to!have!been!conceived!
during!such!marriage,!even!though!it!be!born!
within!the!three!hundred!days!after!the!
termination!of!the!former!marriage.!
!
Who' has' the' burden' of' proof' in' proving' or'
disproving' the' filiation' of' a' child' born' after' 300'
days' following' the' termination' of' the' former'
marriage?!
The! legitimacy! or! illegitimacy! of! a! child! born! after!
three! hundred! days! following! the! termination! of!
the! marriage! must! be! proved! by! whoever! alleges!
such!legitimacy!or!illegitimacy.!
In' what' instances' can' the' heirs' of' a' husband'
impugn' or' question' the' filiation' of' an' alleged'
child?!
The!heirs!of!the!husband!may!impugn!the!filiation!
CASE:'Concepcion'vs.'CA'
a!A!(husband)!and!B!(wife)!were!married!in!1989.!A!
year!later!(1990),!B!gave!birth!to!C.!In!1991,!A!filed!
a!petition!to!have!their!marriage!annulled!on!the!
ground!of!bigamy,!alleging!that!Bs!marriage!with!D!
(Bs!previous!husband)!was!never!annulled.!The!
Court!ruled!that!A!and!Bs!marriage!was!void!ab!
initio!because!B!and!Ds!marriage!was!still!
subsisting.!!
!
a'Is'C'the'illegitimate'child'of'A'and'B,'or'the'
legitimate'child'of'B'and'D?'
a!C!is!the!legitimate!child!of!B!and!D.!!
a!Since!the!marriage!of!A!and!B!was!void!from!the!
very!beginning,!he!never!became!her!husband!and!
thus!never!acquired!any!right!to!impugn!the!
legitimacy!of!her!child.!The!minor!cannot!be!
deprived!of!his/her!legitimate!status!on!the!bare!
declaration!of!the!mother!and/or!even!much!less,!
the!supposed!father.!
!
Case:''Macadangdang'vs.'CA'
a!A!(husband)!was!married!to!B!(wife).!In!1967,!B!
allegedly!had!sex!with!C.!Because!of!this,!A!and!B!
separated!that!same!year.!210!days!(7!months)!
after,!B!gave!birth!to!D.!B!filed!for!recognition!and!
support!of!D!by!C.!Court!ruled!that!D!is!an!
illegitimate!son!of!C.!!
a!Is'D'conclusively'presumed'the'legitimate'child'
of'A'and'B?!
a!YES.!!
a!Art.!255!of!the!NCC!provides:!Children!born!after!
180!days!following!the!celebration!of!the!marriage,!
and!before!300!days!following!its!dissolution!or!the!
separation!of!the!spouses!shall!be!presumed!to!be!
legitimate.!Against!this!presumption!no!evidence!
shall!be!admitted!other!than!that!of!the!physical!
impossibility!of!the!husbands!having!access!to!his!
wife!within!the!first!120!days!of!300!which!
preceded!the!birth!of!the!child.!During!the!initial!
120!days!of!the!300!which!preceded!the!birth!of!
the!child,!there!was!no!concrete!or!substantial!
proof!that!was!presented!to!establish!physical!
impossibility!of!access!between!A!and!B.!
Case:''Andal'vs.'Macaraig'
a!A!(husband)!and!C!(wife)!were!married.!A!was!
suffering!from!tuberculosis.!His!brother,!B,!then!
lived!with!them!to!work!his!house!and!farm.!A!
became!so!weak!that!he!could!hardly!move!and!get!
up!from!his!bed.!Sometime!later,!As!wife!C!eloped!
with!B.!A!died.!Later!on,!C!gave!birth!to!a!boy!D.!
Much!later!on,!D,!assisted!by!his!mother!C,!filed!a!
complaint!for!the!recovery!of!the!ownership!and!
possession!of!a!parcel!of!land!owned!by!A!and!C.!
Said!land!was!donated!by!E!by!virtue!of!donation!
propter!nuptias!in!favour!of!C.!!
a!Is'D'a'legitimate'child'of'A?!
a!YES.!D!was!born!within!300!days!following!the!
dissolution!of!the!marriage!(when!A!died).!The!fact!
that!the!husband!was!seriously!sick!is!not!sufficient!
to!overcome!the!presumption!of!legitimacy.!(Like!
Sir!Esto!said,!there!are!alternative!love!positions!
for!sick!persons.)!This!presumption!can!only!be!
rebutted!by!proof!that!it!was!physically!impossible!
for!the!husband!to!have!had!access!to!his!wife!
during!the!first!120!days!of!the!300!days!next!
preceding!the!birth!of!the!child.!Cs!illicit!
intercourse!with!a!man!other!than!the!husband!
during!the!initial!period!does!not!preclude!
cohabitation!between!husband!and!wife.!!
a!Therefore,!D,!being!a!legitimate!son!of!the!
deceased,!becomes!an!owner!of!the!parcel!of!land.!
'
Case:''De'Jesus'vs.'Estate'of'Dizon!
a!C!and!D!are!the!legitimate!children!of!spouses!A!
and!B.!However,!they!were!acknowledged!as!
illegitimate!children!by!E!(the!person!whose!estate!
is!herein!discussed!and!their!alleged!illegitimate!
father)!in!a!notarized!document.!E!died.!!
a! Are' C' and' D' illegitimate' children' of' E' for' the'
purpose'of'inheriting'from'him?!
a!No,!they!are!not.!The!issue!whether!C!and!D!are!
indeed!the!acknowledged!illegitimate!children!of!E!
cannot! be! adjudicated! without! an! action! having!
been! first! instituted! to! impugn! their! legitimacy! as!
being!the!children!of!A!and!C!in!a!valid!marriage.!
Case:''Liyao'vs.'Liyao'
A,!the!alleged!illegitimate!son!of!the!deceased!B,!
filed!a!petition!to!be!recognized!and!acknowledged!
as!a!compulsory!heir!of!B!and!to!be!entitled!to!all!
successional!rights.!A!was!in!continuous!possession!
and!enjoyment!of!the!status!as!the!child!of!B,!
having!been!recognized!and!acknowledged!as!such!
by!the!decedent!B!during!his!lifetime.!!
As!mother!C!also!maintained!that!she!and!the!
deceased!B!were!legally!married!but!lived!
separately!for!more!than!10!years!and!that!they!
cohabited!again!until!the!death!of!B.!On!the!other!
hand,!D,!one!of!the!children!of!B!from!another!
woman,!stated!that!HER!mom!and!B!were!legally!
married!and!that!her!parents!were!not!separately!
legally!or!in!fact.!!!
Can'A'impugn'his'own'legitimacy'to'be'able'to'
claim'from'the'estate'of'the'deceased?'
NO.!!
Impugning!the!legitimacy!of!the!child!is!a!strictly!
personal!right!of!the!husband,!or!in!exceptional!
cases,!his!heirs,!for!the!reason!that!he!was!the!one!
directly!confronted!with!the!scandal!and!ridicule!
which!the!infidelity!of!his!wife!produced!and!he!
should!be!the!one!to!decide!whether!to!conceal!
that!infidelity!or!expose!it!in!view!of!the!moral!and!
economic!interest!involved.!!Hence,!it!was!then!
settled!that!the!legitimacy!of!the!child!can!only!be!
impugned!in!a!direct!action!brought!for!that!
purpose,!by!the!proper!parties!and!within!the!
period!limited!by!law.!!
Furthermore,!the!court!held!that!there!was!no!
clear,!competent!and!positive!evidence!presented!
by!A!that!his!alleged'father!B!had!admitted!or!
recognized!his!paternity.!
'
ON'BIRTH'CERTIFICATES'AS'PRIMA'FACIE'
EVIDENCE'OF'LEGITIMACY:'
A!birth!certificate!is!a!formidable!piece!of!evidence!
prescribed!by!both!the!Civil!Code!and!Article!172!of!
the! Family! Code! for! purposes! of! recognition! and!
filiation.! However,! birth! certificate! offers! only!
prima! facie! evidence! of! filiation! and! may! be!
refuted!by!contrary!evidence.!Its!evidentiary!worth!
cannot! be! sustained! where! there! exists! strong,!
complete! and! conclusive! proof! of! its! falsity! or!
nullity.!!
CASE:'Perla'vs'Baring'
Facts:''Mirasol!Baring!and!Randy!Perla!(child)!filed!
before!the!RTC!a!Complaint!for!support!against!
Antonio.!According!to!Baring,!she!and!Antonio!had!
a!common!law!relationship!for!2!years,!and!that!
Randy!was!the!result!of!their!affair.!!Randy!was!
made!to!testify!in!Court,!he!said!that!he!has!
been!in!the!house!of!his!Aunt!Lelita!(sister!of!
Antonio),!and!that!the!Perla!family!treated!him!as!a!
member!of!their!family.!Antonio!denied!Barings!
allegations,!saying!that!Randy!isnt!his!!and!claimed!
that!he!had!sexual!intercourse!with!Baring!only!
once!which!happened!in!the!month!of!September!
or!October!of!1981.!He!also!said!that!!Randys!birth!
certificate!has!a!lot!of!inaccuracies.!
Held:Respondents!presented!the!Certificate!of!Live!
Birth!of!Randy!identifying!Antonio!as!the!father.!
However,!said!certificate!has!no!probative!value!to!
establish!Randys!filiation!to!Antonio!since!the!
latter!had!not!signed!the!same.!It!is!settled!
that![a]certificate!of!live!birth!purportedly!
identifying!the!putative!father!is!not!competent!
evidence!of!paternity!when!there!is!no!showing!
that!the!putative!father!had!a!hand!in!the!
preparation!of!said!certificate.!We!also!cannot!
lend!credence!to!Barings!claim!that!Antonio!
supplied!certain!information!through!Erlinda!(the!
hilot!who!assisted!in!Barings!delivery!of!Randy).!
Aside!from!Antonios!denial!in!having!any!
participation!in!the!preparation!of!the!document!as!
well!as!the!absence!of!his!signature!thereon,!
respondents!did!not!present!Erlinda!to!confirm!
that!Antonio!indeed!supplied!certain!entries!in!
Randys!birth!certificate.!Besides,!the!several!
unexplained!discrepancies!in!Antonios!
personal!circumstances!as!reflected!in!the!subject!
birth!certificate!are!manifestations!of!Antonios!
nonaparticipation!in!its!preparation.!Most!
important,!it!was!Baring!who!signed!as!informant!
thereon!which!she!confirmed!on!the!witness!stand.!
ILLEGITIMATE'CHILDREN'
NOTE:''Articles'175'and'176'of'the'Family'Code'
provide'for'the'ways'by'which'illegitimate'
children'can'establish'their'filiation,'and'their'
rights'as'to'their'surname'and'inheritance.''
'
Who'are'illegitimate'children?!
Children!conceived!and!born!outside!a!valid!
marriage!are!illegitimate,!unless!otherwise!
provided!in!the!Family!Code.!
CASE:!Mendoza'vs'CA'!!
The!possession!of!such!status!means!that!the!
father!has!treated!the!child!as!his!own,!directly!
and!not!through!others,!spontaneously!and!
without!concealment!though!without!publicity!x!x!
x.!There!must!be!a!showing!of!the!permanent!
intention!of!the!supposed!father!to!consider!the!
child!as!his!own,!by!continuous!and!clear!
manifestation!of!paternal!affection!and!care.!
2.!!or!any!other!means!allowed!by!the!Rules!of!
Court!and!special!laws.!
No'further'action'is'required'when'proof'of'a'
consummated'act'of'acknowledgment'of'an'''
Illegitimate'child'is'present,'such'as:'
1.!!in!a!record!of!birth!
2.!!a!will!
3.!!a!statement!before!a!court!of!record!
How'can'illegitimate'children'establish'their'
filiation?!
Illegitimate!children!may!establish!their!filiation!(or!
relationship!with!their!biological!parent)!in!the!
same!way!and!on!the!same!evidence!as!legitimate!
children.!
4.!!in!any!authentic!writing!
CASE:!!Verceles'vs'Posada'
!
The'filiation'of'illegitimate'children'is'established'
by:!
1.
2.
'
aTreated!not!just!as!a!ground!for!compulsory!
recognition!but!also!a!voluntary!recognition!that!
does!not!require!a!separate!action!for!judicial!
approval.!
the!record!of!birth!appearing!in!the!civil!
register!or!a!final!judgment!
or!an!admission!of!legitimate!filiation!in!a!
public!document!or!a!private!handwritten!
instrument!and!signed!by!the!parent!
concerned!
In'the'absence'thereof,'filiation'shall'be'proved'
by:'
1. !!the!open!and!continuous!possession!of!the!
status!of!a!legitimate!child!
Facts:'!Verceles,!Mayor!of!Pandan,!ordered!Posada!
to! go! to! Virac! to! follow! up! funds! for! barangay!
projects! and! stayed! in! Catanduanes! Hotel.!!
Verceles!asked!her!to!brief!him!on!the!status!of!her!
task.! Posada! followed! Verceles! upstairs! under! the!
assumption! that! the! briefing! will! be! done! in! the!
restaurant!of!the!hotel.!!However,!he!led!her!to!a!
room!and!suddenly!embraced!her!and!told!her!that!
he! was! unhappy! w/his! wife! and! that! he! would!
divorce! her! anytime! and! promised! her! that! he!
would! give! her! the! position! of! municipal!
development!coordinator.!!Posada!succumbed!and!
became! pregnant.! ! She! told! Verceles! of! her!
condition!in!a!letter!of!which!he!responded!in!the!
same! manner,! in! his! handwriting,! that! he! would!
have! no! regrets! if! she! became! pregnant!
unexpectedly! and! that! they! would! both! take! care!
compulsory'recognition,!on!the!other!hand,!
may!be!demanded!by!the!illegitimate!child!of!
his!parents!and!must!be!brought!during!the!
lifetime!of!the!presumed!parents.!
Who'should'file'the'action'to'claim'the'status'of'
an'illegitimate'child?'When'should'it'be'filed?!
Based!on!Article!175,!the!action!to!claim!the!status!
of!an!illegitimate!child!must!be!filed:!
by!the!guardian!of!a!child!who!is!a!minor,!or!
is!incapacitated!or!insane,!during!the!childs!
lifetime;!
by!the!child,!upon!reaching!the!age!of!
majority;!
by!the!childs!heirs!if!the!child!dies!during!
minority!or!insanity,!within!five!years!from!
the!death.!
! If!the!child!dies!after!reaching!the!age!of!
majority!without!filing!the!action,!the!heirs!
cannot!file!it.!
! If!the!ground!for!filing!the!action!is!open!and!
continuous!possession!of!the!status!of!a!
illegitimate!child,!it!must!be!filed!during!the!
lifetime!of!the!alleged!parent.!(Article!175,!2nd!
paragraph).!
!
CASE:''Nepomuceno'vs'Lopez'
Facts:''Lopez,!through!her!mother!,filed!a!
complaint!for!recognition,!support!of!filiation,!and!
financial!support,!against!Nepomuceno!submitting!
as!evidence!a!handwritten!note!allegedly!written!
and!signed!by!Nepomuceno!.'
What'is'the'difference'between'voluntary'
recognition'and'compulsory'recognition'of'an'
illegitimate'child?!
Issue:''Whether'or'not'the'filiation'of'Lopez'as'
illegitimate'daughter'of'Nepomuceno'is'
established'by'handwritten'note'submitted'as'
documentary'evidence.'
Voluntary'recognition!must!be!express!such!as!
that!in!a!record!of!birth!appearing!in!the!civil!
register,!a!final!judgment,!a!public!instrument!or!
private!handwritten!instrument!signed!by!the!
parent!concerned.!The!voluntary!recognition!of!
an!illegitimate!child!by!his!or!her!parent!needs!
no!further!court!action!and!is,!therefore,!not!
subject!to!the!limitation!that!the!action!for!
recognition!be!brought!during!the!lifetime!of!
the!putative!parent.!!Judicial'or'
Held:''Lopez!relies!mainly!on!the!handwritten!note!
executed! by! petitioner.' ' The! note! does! not!
contain! any! statement! whatsoever! about!
Lopezs! filiation! to! Nepomuceno.! ! It! is!
therefore! not! a! competent! evidence! of!
illegitimate! filiation.! ! It! is! not! therefore!
within!the!ambit!of!Art.!172!(2)!visaaavis!Art.!
175! of! the! Family! Code! states! that! an!
admission! of! filiation! in! a! private!
What'surname'should'illegitimate'children'use'if'
the'father'does'not'recognize'the'child?'
CASE:''Wang'vs'Cebu'City'Civil'Registrar'
Our!laws!on!the!use!of!surnames!state!that!
legitimate!and!legitimated!children!shall!principally!
use!the!surname!of!the!father.!The!Family!Code!
gives!legitimate!children!the!right!to!bear!the!
surnames!of!the!father!and!the!mother,!while!
illegitimate!children!shall!use!the!surname!of!their!
mother,!unless!their!father!recognizes!their!
filiation,!in!which!case!they!may!bear!the!
fathers!surname.!!An'illegitimate'child'whose'
filiation'is'not'recognized'by'the'father'bears'only'
a'given'name'and'his'mother'surname,'and'does'
not'have'a'middle'name.!The!name!of!the!
unrecognized!illegitimate!child!therefore!identifies!
him!as!such.!It!is!only!when!the!illegitimate!child!is!
legitimated!by!the!subsequent!marriage!of!his!
parents!or!acknowledged!by!the!father!in!a!public!
document!or!private!handwritten!instrument!that!
he!bears!both!his!mothers!surname!as!his!middle!
name!and!his!fathers!surname!as!his!surname,!
reflecting!his!status!as!a!legitimated!child!or!an!
acknowledged!child.!
CASE:''Dela'Cruz'vs'Gracia'
Facts:! ! Jenie! and! Christian! lived! together! as!
husband! and! wife! w/o! the! benefit! of! a! marriage,!
and! lived! under! the! house! of! Christians! parents.!!
On!Nov.!Christian!died,!but!Jenie!continued!to!live!
w/his! parents! and! eventually! gave! birth! to! their!
child! also! named! Christian,! who! is! a! coapetitioner!
in! the! case.! Jenie! applied! for! registration! of! the!
Childs! birth! using! the! fathers! surname,! to! which!
she! attached! an! AUSF! which! she! executed! and!
signed! and! attached! her! late! husbands!
autobiography! which! stated! his! recognition! of! her!
and! their! unborn! child,! and! affidavit! of!
acknowledgment! executed! by! Christians! father,!
Domingo! Aquino.' Both! affidavits! were! proof! that!
the! late! Christian! continuously! acknowledged! his!
unborn! son! and! that! his! paternity! was! never! a!
question.!!However,!Antipolo!civil!registrar,!Gracia!
denied! Jenies! petition! stating! that! the! child! was!
born!out!of!wedlock!and!that!the!father!died!prior!
to! his! birth! and! no! longer! has! the! capacity! to!
acknowledge!his!paternity!to!the!child.!
Held:! ! Under! Art.! 278! of! the! New! Civil! Code,!
voluntary!recognition!by!a!parent!shall!be!made!in!
the! record! of! birth,! a! will,! a! statement! before! a!
court!of!record,!or!in!any!authentic!writing.!To!be!
effective,! the! claim! of! filiation! must! be! made! by!
the!putative!father!himself!and!the!writing!must!be!
the!writing!of!the!putative!father.xxx.!!There!is!no!
dispute! that! the! quoted! statements! in! the! late!
Christians! autobiography! have! been! made! and!
written!by!him.!Taken!together!with!relevant!facts!
of!their!living!together!as!husband!and!wife!under!
Dominique!and!enter!it!in!his!birth!certificate.!
Is'it'possible'for'a'legitimate'child'to'change'his'
status'to'that'of'being'an'illegitimate'child,'by'
deleting'his'fathers'surname?'
WHEREFORE,!the!petition!is!GRANTED.!The!City!
Civil!Registrar!of!Antipolo!City!is!DIRECTED!to!
immediately!enter'the!surname!of!the!late!
Christian!Dominique!Sto.!Tomas!Aquino!as!the!
surname!of!petitioner!minor!Christian!dela!Cruz!in!
his!Certificate!of!Live!Birth!and!record!the!same!in!
the!Register!of!Births.!
CASE:''Republic'vs'CosetengdMagpayo'
Facts:!Julian!Edward!Emereson!CosetengaMagpayo!
claimed!that!his!parents!were!never!married!and!
filed!a!petition!in!Quezon!City!to!change!his!name!
to!Julian!Coseteng,!using!his!mothers!maiden!
name.!He!submitted!proof!that!his!mother!has!no!
record!of!a!marriage!in!the!NSO,!and!that!he!has!
been!using!just!Coseteng!since!childhood!as!shown!
in!his!academic!records.!!Julian!submitted!his!
petition!through!Rule!103!of!the!Rules!of!Court!
which!enumerated!the!following!grounds!which!a!
person!can!effect!change!of!name:!
a.
illegitimate!child!shall!consist!of!oneahalf!of!
the!legitime!of!a!legitimate!child.!
2. 'If!the!father!does!not!recognize!the!child,!the!
entry!for!middle!name!in!the!birth!certificate!
must!be!left!blank.!
3. The!child!is!still!illegitimate!even!if!the!
biological!fathers!surname!is!used!under!RA!
9255.!The!mother!still!has!exclusive!parental!
authority!over!the!child.!
4.'RA'9255s'IRR'makes'the'use'of'the'fathers'
surname'automatic'and'mandatory.''The!
illegitimate!child!shall!use!the!surname!of!the!
father!if!a!public!document!is!executed!by!the!
father,!either!at!the!back!of!the!Certificate!of!
Live!Birth!or!in!a!separate!document.!!Under'the'
IRR,'if'the'father'signs'the'birth'certificate,'
then'AUTOMATICALLY'the'child'will'carry'his'
surname.'Rule'8.2'also'provides'that'for'births'
previously'registered'under'the'surname'of'the'
mother,'the'following'rule'shall'be'followed:!
Rule'8.2.1!If!admission!of!paternity!was!made!
either!at!the!back!of!the!Certificate!of!Live!Birth!
or!in!a!separate!public!document!or!in!a!private!
handwritten!document,!the!public!document!or!
AUSF!(Affidavit!To!Use!Surname!of!the!Father)!
shall!be!recorded!in!the!Register!of!Legal!
Instruments.!Proper!annotation!shall!be!made!
in!the!Certificate!of!Live!Birth!and!the!Register!
of!Births!as!follows:!"The!surname!of!the!child!is!
hereby!changed!from!(original!surname)!to!
(new!surname)!pursuant!to!RA!9255."!!The!
original!surname!of!the!child!appearing!in!the!
Certificate!of!Live!Birth!and!Register!of!Births!
shall!not!be!changed!or!deleted.!
How'much'is'the'legitime'of'an'illegitimate'child?!
The!legitime!of!each!illegitimate!child!is!oneahalf!of!
the!legitime!of!a!legitimate!child.!!
Are'illegitimate'children'entitled'to'financial'
support?!
[1]!If!the!illegitimate!children!have!not!been!
recognized!by!their!biological!father,!they!can!file!a!
petition!for!compulsory!recognition!and!financial!
support.!They!can!ask!the!court!to!compel!the!
father!to!undergo!DNA!testing.!!
[2]!If!the!father!has!recognized!the!illegitimate!
children!by!signing!the!birth!certificate!or!through!
a!written!document,!they!can!file!a!petition!for!
Protection!Order!for!support!under!Section!8,!
paragraph!(g)!of!RA!9262.!!If!the!father!claims!that!
his!signature!or!the!document!was!forged,!they!can!
ask!the!court!to!compel!him!to!undergo!DNA!
testing.!
!
NOTE:!!Through'a'Protection'Order,'the'court'will'
order'the'father'and'his'employer'to'set'aside'a'
certain'percentage'of'his'salary'to'be'remitted'
directly'to'the'children'on'a'monthly'basis.!If!the!
father!or!his!employer,!or!both!fail!to!do!so,!they!
can!be!charged!with!contempt!of!court.!
!
NOTE:!!The!Family!Code!does!not!provide!a!specific!
percentage!of!the!monthly!salary!for!the!support.!It!
only!provides!that!amount!of!support!is!balanced!
between!the!necessities!of!the!person!asking!for!
support!and!the!financial!capability!of!the!person!
from!whom!support!is!being!asked.!Support!can!be!
reduced!or!increased!proportionately,!according!to!
the!reduction!or!increase!of!the!necessities!of!the!
recipient!and!the!resources!or!means!of!the!person!
obliged!to!furnish!the!same.!
'
LEGITIMATION'
NOTE:''Articles'177'up'to'182'of'the'Family'Code'
are' the' rules' in' the' legitimation' of' children' born'
outside' of' wedlock' but' whose' biological' parents'
eventually'enter'into'a'valid'marriage.''
'
Who'can'be'legitimated?!
Only!children!conceived!and!born!outside!of!
wedlock!of!parents!who,!at!the!time!of!the!
conception!of!the!former,!were!not!disqualified!by!
any!impediment!to!marry!each!other!may!be!
legitimated.'
How'does'legitimation'take'place?!
Legitimation!takes!place!by!a!subsequent!valid!
marriage!between!parents.!!The!annulment!of!a!
voidable!marriage!does!not!affect!the!legitimation.!
What'are'the'effects'of'legitimation?!
[1]!Legitimated!children!enjoy!the!same!rights!as!
legitimate!children.!
[2]!The!effects!of!legitimation!retroact!to!the!time!
of!the!child's!birth.!
[3]!The!legitimation!of!children!who!died!before!
the!celebration!of!the!marriage!benefit!their!
descendants.!
Who'can'impugn'or'question'a'childs'
legitimation?!
Legitimation!may!be!questioned!only!by!those!who!
are!prejudiced!in!their!rights,!within!five!(5)!years!
from!the!time!their!cause!of!action!accrues.!
Legal'impediments'or'obstacles'to'legitimation!
As!it!now!stands,!Article!177!states:!Only!children!
conceived!and!born!outside!of!wedlock!of!parents!
who,!at!the!time!of!the!conception!of!the!former,!
were!not!disqualified!by!any!impediment!to!marry!
each!other!may!be!legitimated.!This!means!that!if!
at!the!time!of!the!childs!conception,!there!is!a!
legal!impediment!to!the!marriage!of!the!biological!
parents,!the!child!cannot!be!legitimated!under!
Article!177.!
For!example,!if!any!of!the!biological!parents!was!
validly!married!to!another!person!at!the!time!of!
the!conception!of!the!child!in!question,!the!child!
cannot!be!legitimated.!
ADOPTION'
a
NOTEa!EFFECT!OF!ADOPTION:!!
a The!effect!of!adoption!retroacts!to!the!time!
of! the! filing! of! the! petition.! On! the! other!
hand,! adoption! severs! all! relationship!
between! the! adopted! child! and! his/her!
natural! or! biological! parents.! For! purposes!
of! liability,! what! is! material! is:! At! the! time!
the!liability!is!incurred!by!the!child,!the!one!
who! has! actual! custody! and! has! parental!
authority! over! the! child! is! the! one!
responsible.!
c. Of!good!moral!character!
d. Has! not! been! convicted! of! any! crime!
involving!moral!turpitude!
e. Emotionally!
and!
psychologically!
capable!of!caring!for!children!
f. At!least!16!years!old!than!the!adoptee,!
except! when! the! adopter! is! biological!
parent!of!the!adoptee!or!is!!the!spouse!
of!the!adoptees!parent!
g. In! a! position! to! support! and! care! for!
his/her! children! in! keeping! with! the!
means!of!the!family!
FILIPINO'CITIZEN''
a. Of!legal!age!
b. With!full!civil!capacity!and!legal!rights!
NOTE:!Adopter'may'be'less'than'16'years'old'than'
Adopted:'
a
A!former!Filipino!citizen!who!seeks!to!adopt!
a!relative!by!consanguinity!
One!who!seeks!to!adopt!the!legitimate!child!
of!his!or!her!Filipino!spouse!
One!who!is!married!to!a!Filipino!Citizen!and!
seeks!to!adopt!jointly!with!his!or!her!spouse!
a!relative!by!consanguinity!of!the!latter!
Aliens' not' included' in' the' foregoing'
exceptions' may' adopt' Filipino' children' in'
accordance'with'the'rules'on'interdcountry'
adoption'as'may'be'provided'by'law.''
GUARDIAN'with!respect!to!their!ward!after!
the! termination! of! the! guardianship! and!
clearance!of!his!or!her!accountabilities!
NOTE:!Guardians'may'adopt'their'wards'only:'
a
a
After!approval!of!their!final!account'
The! final! accounts! must! have! been!
rendered! upon! the! termination! of! the!
guardianship!relation'
If!one!spouse!seeks!to!adopt!the!legitimate!
child!of!the!other!
If!one!of!the!spouse!seeks!to!adopt!his/her!
illegitimate! child! provided! that! other!
spouse!has!signified!his/her!consent!
If! spouse! are! legally! separated! from! each!
other!
EXAMPLE:)!A!husband!is!married!to!a!girl!who!has!
an!illegitimate)child.!If!the!wife!wants!to!adopt!said!
child,! must! her! husband! also! adopt! the! child?! No,!
because! the! child! is! illegitimate.) However,! if! the!
husband! wants! to! do! so,! he! may! join! in! the!
adoption.!!
CASE:!IN'RE'LIM!
Petitioner,! having! remarried! at! the! time! the!
petitions! for! adoption! were! filed,! MUST! jointly!
adopt.! Since! the! petitions! for! adoption! were! filed!
only! by! petitioner! herself,! without! joining! her!
husband,! Olario,! the! trial! court! was! correct! in!
denying!the!petitions!for!adoption!on!this!ground.!
(Sec.!7,!adoption,!Family!Code)!
NOTE:!!
a
a. Minor!who!has!been!administratively!or!
judicially!declared!available!for!adoption!
b. Legitimate!child!of!one!spouse!by!another!
c. Illegitimate!child!by!a!qualified!adopter!to!
improve!the!childs!status!to!that!of!
legitimacy!
d. A!person!of!legal!age!if,!prior!to!the!
adoption,!said!person!has!been!consistently!
considered!and!treated!by!adopter(s)!as!
his/her!child!since!minority.!
e. A!child!whose!previous!adoption!has!been!
rescinded!
f. A!child!whose!biological!or!adoptive!
parent(s)!has!died,!provided!that!no!
proceedings!shall!be!initiated!within!6!
months!from!the!time!of!death!of!said!
parent(s)!
NOTE:!Generally,%only'minors'can'be'adopted.'
EXEMPTION'A!person!of!legal!age!can!be!adopted,!
provided:!
a
c. Succession!
Art.! 365,! NCC.! An! adopted! child! shall! bear! the!
surname!of!the!adopter.!
CASE:!IN'RE:'ASTORGA'
There! is! no! law! prohibiting! an! illegitimate! child!
adopted! by! her! natural! father,! like! Stephanie,! to!
use,!as!middle!name!her!mothers!surname.!What!
the!law!does!not!provide,!it!allows!
!
Rules' on' legal' or' intestate' succession' to' the'
estate'of'the'adoptee:'
a. Legitimate! and! illegitimate! children,!
descendants! and! the! surviving! spouse! of!
the!adoptee!shall!inherit!in!accordance!with!
the! ordinary! rules! of! legal/intestate!
succession!
b. When! the! surviving! spouse! OR! illegitimate!
childrenAND! adopters! concur,! they! shall!
inherit!on!a!50a50basis!
c. When!the!surviving!spouse!AND!illegitimate!
children! AND! adopters! concur,! they! shall!
inherit!on!a1/3a/1/3a1/3!basis!
d. When! only! adopters! survive,! they! shall!
inherit100%!of!the!estate!
e. When! only! collateral! blood! relatives!
survive,! ordinary! rules! of! legal! or! intestate!
succession!shall!apply!
Example'of'par'a.''An!adopted!child!died!intestate!
survived! by! his! wife! andby! five! (5)! legitimate!
children.! If! the! estate! is! P12! million,! howshould! it!
be! distributed?ANSWER:) The! wife! shall! have! the!
same! right! as! each! ofthe! 5! legitimate! children.!
Hence,! the! estate! will! be! divided! into6! equal!
shares! with! each! child! inheriting! P2! million.! The!
wifeshall!also!inherit!P2!million.'
Example' of' par' b.' X! and! Y! are! the! parents! by!
nature! of! Z,! who! is! eventuallyadopted! by! A.! If! Z!
dies! with! an! intestate! estate! of! P18! million,! how!
will!the!estate!be!divided?!ANSWER:)Half!will!go!to!
the!legitimate!parents,!so!X!and!Y)will!get!a!total!of!
P9! million! (i.e.,! half! of! the! estate).! So! X) and! Y) will!
get!P4.5!million!each;!A)the!adopter,!will!inherit!P9!
million.!
'
'
'
RESCISSION'OF'ADOPTION'
Adoptee! may! request! for! rescission,! with! the!
assistance!of!DSWD!if!he/she!is!a!minor!or!over!18!
but!incapacitated,!based!on!the!ff.!grounds:!
a. Repeated!physical!and!verbal!maltreatment!
by! adopters! despite! having! undergone!
counselling!
b. Attempt!on!life!of!adoptee!
c. Sexual!assault!or!violence!
d. Abandonment!or!failure!to!comply!with!
parental!obligations!
!
NOTE:! Adoption,! being! in! the! best! interest! of! the!
child,! shall! not! be! subject! to! rescission! by! the!
adopter(s).!However,!the!adopter(s)!may!disinherit!
the! adopted! based! on! causes! enumerated! in! Art.!
919of!the!NCC:!
a. Conviction! of! an! attempt! on! the! life! of! the!
adopter!
b. Having! accused,! without! grounds,! the!
adopter! of! a! crime! punishable! by!
imprisonment!for!more!than!6!years!
c. Conviction! of! adultery/concubinage! with!
the!adopters!spouse!
d. Having! caused! the! adopter! to! make! or!
change! a! will! by! force,! intimidation! or!
undue!influence!
e. Refusal! without! just! cause! to! support! the!
adopter!
f. Maltreatment!of!the!adopter!by!word/deed!
g. Living!a!dishonorable/disgraceful!life!
h. Conviction! of! a! crime! which! carries! with! it!
the!penalty!of!civil!interdiction!
Effects'of'Rescission'[Sec.'20]'
(1)! Parental! authority! of! the! adoptee's! biological!
parents,! if! known,! OR! the! legal! custody! of! the!
DSWD! shall! be! restored! if! the! adoptee! is! still! a!
minor!or!incapacitated!
(2)! Reciprocal! rights! and! obligations! of! the!
adopters!and!the!adoptee!shall!be!extinguished!
(3)! Court! shall! order! the! Civil! Registrar! to! cancel!
the! amended! certificate! of! birth! of! the! adoptee!
and!restore!his/her!original!birth!certificate!
(4)!Succession!rights!shall!revert!to!its!status!prior!
to!adoption,!but!only!as!of!the!date!of!judgment!of!
judicial!rescission!
(5)!Vested!rights!prior!to!judicial!rescission!shall!be!
respected'
%
NOTE:) Rescission! contemplates! a! situation! where!
the! adoption! decree! remains! valid! until! its!
termination!
!
CASE:!LAHOM'VS.'SIBULO'
The) action) for) recission) of) the) adoption) decree,)
having) been) initiated) by) petitioner) after) R.A) 8522)
had)come)into)force,)no)longer,)could)be)pursued.a!
it! was! 2! months! after! the! effectivity! of! R.A! 8522!
that!herein!petitioner!filed!an!action!to!revoke!the!
decree! of! adoption! granted! I! 1975.! By! then,! the!
new! law! had! already! abrogated! and! repealed! the!
right! of! an! adopter! under! the! Civil! Code! and! the!
Family!Code!to!rescind!a!decree!of!adoption.!!
An) adopter) while) barred) from) severing) the) legal)
ties)of)adoption,)can)always)for)valid)reason)cause)
the)forfeiture)of)certain)benefits)otherwise)accruing)
to) an) undeserving) child.a! while! R.A! 8522! has!
unqualifiedly! withdrawn! from! an! adopter! a!
consequential!right!to!rescind!the!adoption!decree!
even! in! cases! where! the! adoption! might! clearly!
turn! out! to! be! undesirable.,! it! remains,! the!
bounded! duty! of! the! court! to! apply! the! law! (Dura!
lex!sed!lex).!!
RECTIFICATION'OF'SIMULATED'BIRTH'
Simulation!of!birth!is!the!tampering!of!LCR!records!
to!make!it!appear!that!a!certain!child!was!born!to!a!
person! who! is! not! his/her! biological! parent,!
causing!said!child!to!lose!his!true!identity/status!
!
SEC.'21dB'(RA'8552)'
Any! person! who! shall! cause! the! fictitious!
registration! of! the! birth! of! a! child! under! the!
name(s)!of!a!person(s)!who!is!not!his/her!biological!
parent(s)!shall!be!guilty!of!simulation!of!birth,!and!
shall! be! punished! by! prision! mayor! in! its! medium!
period! and! a! fine! not! exceeding! Fifty! thousand!
pesos!(P50,000.00).!
!
SEC.'22'(RA'8552)'
A! person! who! has,! prior! to! the! effectivity! of! RA!
8552,! simulated! the! birth! of! a! child! shall! not! be!
punished!for!such!act,!PROVIDED:!
(a)!The!simulation!was!for!the!childs!best!interest!
(b)!Child!has!been!treated!consistently!as!his!own!
a.
b.
c.
d.
!
CASE:!REPUBLIC'VS.'TOLEDANO'
In! cases! where! the! husband! is! a! natural! born!
American! citizen! (alien)! and! the! wife! is! a! Filipina!
turned! alien! through! naturalization,! adoption! of! a!
child! must! be! read! with! article! 184! in! line! with!
article! 185.! Although! the! naturalized! Filipina! may!
adopt!according!to!article!184(a)!it!must!be!read!in!
line!with!article!185!that!a!joint!adoption!must!be!
filed!by!spouses.!
Joint)adoption)by)husband)and)wife)is)mandatory.a
under!the!Family!Code,!joint!adoption!by!husband!
and! wife! is! mandatory.! This! is! in! consonance! with!
the! concept! of! joint! parental! authority! over! the!
child!which!is!the!ideal!situation.!As!the!child!to!be!
adopted!is!elevated!to!the!level!of!legitimate!child,!
it! is! but! natural! to! require! the! spouses! to! adopt!
jointly.!
Adoption)is)geared)more)towards)the)promotion)of)
the)welfare)of)the)child)and)enhancement)of)his)
opportunities)for)a)useful)and)happy)life.c!it!is!not!
the!bureaucratic!technicalities!but!the!interest!of!
the!child!!that!should!be!the!principal!!criterion!in!
adoption!cases.!!
!
SUPPORT'
'
!WHAT'IT'COMPRISES:'
Consists! of! everything! indispensable! for!
sustenance,!
dwelling,!
clothing,!
medical!
attendance,! education! and! transportation,! in!
keeping! with! the! financial! capacity! of! the! family.!
[Art.'194]!!
(a)! Education! includes! a! persons! schooling! or!
training!for!some!profession,!trade!or!vocation.!!
(b)! Transportation! includes! expenses! in! going! to!
and!from!school,!or!to!and!from!place!of!work.!!!
(c)! The! right! and! duty! to! support,! especially! the!
right!to!education,!subsists!even!beyond!the!age!of!
majority.!
!
!WHO'ARE'OBLIGED'TO'SUPPORT'EACH'OTHER:''
(a)!Spouses;!!
(b)!Legitimate!ascendants!and!descendants;!!
(c)! Parents! and! their! children! (legitimate! and!
illegitimate)! and! the! children! of! the! latter!
(legitimate!and!illegitimate);!!
(d)!Legitimate!brothers!and!sisters,!whether!of!full!
or!halfablood;![Art.'195]!!
(e)!Illegitimate!brothers!and!sisters,!whether!of!full!
or! halfablood,! EXCEPT! when! the! need! for! support!
of! one! (of! age)! is! due! to! a! cause! imputable! to!
his/her!fault!or!negligence.![Art.'196]!
Note:!Both!legitimate!and!illegitimate!children!are!
entitled!to!support.!!
''
PROPERTIES'ANSWERABLE'FOR'SUPPORT''
From!the!separate!property!of!the!obligor.!!!
If!no!separate!property,!the!ACP/CPG!(if!financially!
capable)!shall!advance!the!support,!to!be!deducted!
from! the! obligors! share! upon! liquidation! of! such!
regime.![Art.!197]!!
'ORDER'OF'SUPPORT''
If!there!are!multiple!obligors!(SDAB)!!
(1)!Spouses!!
(2)!Descendants,!nearest!in!degree!!
(3)!Ascendants,!nearest!in!degree!!
(4)!Brothers!and!Sisters![Art.'199]!!
!
When!two!or!more!are!obliged!to!give!support,!the!
payment! shall! be! divided! between! them! IN!
PROPORTION! to! their! resources;! Also,! in! case! of!
URGENT!NEED!and!by!special!circumstances,!judge!
may! order! only! one! obligor! to! furnish! support!
without! prejudice! to! reimbursement! from! other!
obligors!of!the!share!due!from!them!(Art.'200).!!
!
!If! there! are! multiple! recipients! and! only! one!
obligor,! and! the! latter! has! no! sufficient! means! to!
satisfy!all!claims:!!
(1)!Observe!order!in!Article!199!(SDAB)!as!to!whose!
claim!shall!be!satisfied!first;!!
(2)! But! if! the! concurrent! obligees! are! the! spouse!
and!a!child!subject!to!parental!authority,!the!child!
shall!be!preferred.![Art.!200]!!
'
'STRANGER'GIVES'SUPPORT''
When,! WITHOUT! THE! KNOWLEDGE! of! the! person!
obliged! to! give! support,! it! is! given! by! a! stranger,!
the! stranger! has! the! right! to! claim! the! same! from!
the!person!obliged,!unless!it!appears!that!he!gave!
it!without!intention!of!being!reimbursed.![Art.'206]!!
!
PERSON' OBLIGED' REFUSES' OR' FAILS' TO' GIVE'
SUPPORT''
When! the! person! obliged! to! give! support!
UNJUSTLY!REFUSES!OR!FAILS!to!give!support!when!
urgently! needed,! any! third! person! may! furnish!
support! to! the! needy! individual,! with! right! of!
reimbursement! from! the! person! obliged! to! give!
support.! This! particularly! applies! when! the! father!
or! mother! of! a! minor! child! unjustly! refuses! to!
support! or! fails! to! give! support! to! the! child! when!
urgently!needed.![Art.'207]!!
'
CONTRACTUAL'SUPPORT'OR'THAT'GIVEN'BY'WILL''
The! excess! in! amount! beyond! that! required! for!
legal! support! shall! be! subject! to! levy! on!
attachment!or!execution.![Art.'208]!!
PARENTAL'AUTHORITY'
'
GENERAL'PROVISIONS'
!
Q:' What! do! you! mean! by! parental! authority! (and!
responsibility)?!
!
Parental! authority! and! responsibility!
includes! (1)! the! caring! for! and! rearing! of! the!
children! for! civic! consciousness! and! (2)! the!
development! of! their! moral,! mental! and! physical!
character!and!wellabeing.!(Art.!209)!
!
Q:'What!is!patria%potestas?!
!
Patria% potestas! is! the! mass! of! rights! and!
obligations! which! parents! have! in! relation! to! the!
person! and! property! of! their! children! until! their!
emancipation,! and! even! under! this! under! certain!
circumstances.!!
!
Q:' Can! parental! authority! and! responsibility! be!
renounced!or!transferred?!
!
Parental! authority! and! responsibility! may!
not! be! renounced! or! transferred! except' in' the'
cases'authorized'by'law!because!the!upbringing!of!
the! children! is! a! sacred! duty! entrusted! to! the!
parents.!(Art.!210)!
'
Q:' Between! the! mother! and! the! father,! who! can!
exercise!parental!authority!over!common!children?!
!
The! father' and' the' mother' can! jointly!
exercise! parental! authority! over! their! common!
children.! However,! in! case! of! disagreement,! the!
fathers) decision! shall! prevail,! unless! there! is! a!
judicial!order!to!the!contrary.!(Article!211)!
!
Q:' Does! Article! 211! apply! only! to! legitimate!
children?!
!
No.' Article! 211! applies! also! to) illegitimate)
children) provided! that! the! following! requisites!
concur:! (1)! the! father! is! certain;! and! (2)! the!
illegitimate! children! are! living! with! the! said! father!
and! the! mother,! who! are! cohabiting! without! the!
!
In! case! of! separation! of! the! parents,!
parental! authority! will! be! exercised! by! the! parent!
designated) by) the) court.! The! Court! shall! take! into!
account! all! relevant! considerations,! especially! the!
choice! of! the! child! over! even! years! of! age,! unless!
the! parent! chosen! is! unfit! (Article! 213).! However,!
this! designation! does! not! mean! that! parental!
authority! of! the! other! parent! is! terminated! or!
suspended.! Parental! authority! shall! only! be!
terminated! ONLY! if! the! court! so! decrees! on! the!
basis!of!the!causes!provided!by!law.!!
!
Q:' In! case! of! separation! of! the! parents,! who! can!
exercise!parental!authority!to!children!under'seven'
(7)'years'of'age?!
!
As! a! general! rule,! no! child! under! seven! (7)!
years! of! age! shall! be! separated! from! the! mother,!
unless!the!court!finds!compelling!reasons!to!order!
otherwise.! (Article! 213)! Some! of! the! compelling!
reasons! are:! (a)! when! the! mother! is! insane;! (b)!
when! she! suffers! from! a! communicable! disease!
that!might!endanger!the!life!or!health!of!the!child;!
(c)!when!is!maltreating!the!child;!or!(d)!has!another!
child! by! another! man! who! lives! with! her.! [NOTE:!
Prostitution! and! infidelity! to! husband! does! not!
make!a!mother!unfit!as!parent].!!
!
Q:' In! case! of! separation! of! the! parents,! who! gets!
custody!of!minor!children!in!legal!separation?!!
!
In! case! of! separation! of! the! parents,! the!
innocent'spouse!gets!custody!of!minor!children!in!
legal!separation.!!
!
Q:'In!case!of!death,!absence!or!unsuitability!of!the!
parents,! who! can! exercise! substitute! parental!
authority!over!the!children?!!
!
!
In!case!of!death,!absence!or!unsuitability!of!
the! parents,! substitute! parental! authority! will! be!
exercised! by! the! surviving' grandparents.!
Grandparents! are! the! most! natural,! suitable,! and!
logical! persons! to! exercise! parental! authority.!
Hence,!the!grandparents!have!the!legal!preference!
in!the!matter!of!substitute!parental!authority.!!
!
Q:' What! are! the! RIGHTS' of' parents' upon' their'
children?!!
!
The!following!are!the!rights!of!parents!upon!
their!children:!(1)!to!have!them!in!their!custody;!(2)!
to! represent! them! in! all! matters! affecting! their!
interests;! (3)! ! to! demand! respect! and! obedience!
and! impose! discipline! on! them;! (4)! administer! the!
property! of! a! child! for! his/her! support! and!
education,!unless!title/transfer!provides!otherwise;!
administer! the! fruits! and! income! (ONLY)! of! the!
childrens! property! primarily! to! support! the! child!
and! secondarily! to! use! for! the! daily! needs! of! the!
family;!(5)!to!give!or!withhold!consent!on!marriage,!
preanuptial,! donation! propter) nuptias,! adoption,!
and! employment;! and! (6)! to! disinherit! them! for!
just!cause.!!
!
Q:' What! are! the! DUTIES' of' parents' upon' their'
children?!!
!
The! following! are! the! duties! of! parents!
upon! their! children:! (1)! support! and! upbringing! in!
accordance! to! their! means;! (2)! educate,! instruct,!
and! provide! them! with! moral! and! spiritual!
guidance,! and! love! and! understanding;! (3)! defend!
them! against! unlawful! aggression;! (4)! answer! for!
damages! caused! by! their! fault! or! negligence,! and!
for!civil!liability!for!crimes!committed!by!them;!and!
give!their!lawful!inheritance.!!
!
Q:' What! is! the! liability! of! parents! for! torts!
committed!by!their!minor!children?!
!
Parents! and! other! persons! exercising!
parental!authority!are!civilly'liable!for!the!torts!of!
their! unemancipated! children! provided! that:! (1)!
they) are) living) in) their) company;! and! (2)! he/she)
observes) the) diligence) of) a) good) father) of) a)
family) (bonus) paterfamilias)) to) prevent) the)
damage.! In! addition,! this! liability! of! the! parents!
and! those! exercising! parental! authority! over! the!
child!is!solidarily,'primarily'and'directly'liable,'not!
subsidiary.!!
!
Q:' If! the! minor! is! not! living! with! the! parents! but!
has!been!entrusted!to!the!care!of!other!persons,!or!
is!an!intern!in!school,!does!liability!apply!to!them?!
!
No.! It! does! not! apply.! (NOTE:! Always! go!
back! to! the! REQUISITES' to! check! whether! or! not!
parents! or! other! persons! exercising! parental!
authority! are! liable! for! torts! committed! by! their!
children.)!!
SUBSTITUTE'AND'SPECIAL'PARENTAL'AUTHORITY'
!
Q:! In! default! of! parents! or! a! judicially! appointed!
guardian,!what!is!the!order%of%preference!as!to!the!
persons! who! shall! exercise! substitute! parental!
authority!over!the!child?!!
!
In! default! of! parents! or! a! judicially!
appointed! guardian,! the! following! persons! shall!
exercise! substitute! parental! authority! over! the!
child! in! the! order! indicated:! (1)! the! surviving'
grandparent! (as! provided! in! Article! 214);! (2)! the!
oldest'brother'or'sister,!over!twentyaone!years!of!
age,! (unless! unfit! or! disqualified);! and! (3)! the!
childs'actual'custodian,!over!twentyaone!years!of!
age,!(unless!unfit!or!disqualified).!!
!
!
Whenever! the! appointment! of! a! judicial)
guardianship! over! the! property! of! the! child!
becomes!necessary,!the!same!order!of!preference!
shall!be!served.!(Article!216)!!
!
Q:!What!constitutes!substitute!parental!authority?!
!
Persons! who! have! substitute! parental!
authority!over!a!child!will!have!the!same!rights!and!
authority! of! the! parents! (enumerated! in! Article!
220).! In! addition,! they! will! also! be! civilly! liable! for!
the! injuries! and! damages! caused! by! acts! and!
omissions! of! the! unemancipated! children! living! in!
their!company!and!under!their!parental!authority.!!
!
Q:!Is!the!order!of!preference!enumerated!in!Article!
216!mandatory?!
!
No.!The!order!of!preference!enumerated!in!
Article! 216! is! NOT! mandatory.! Always,! the!
paramount! interest! of! the! child! must! be! the! basis!
of!custody!and!care.!!
!
!
Q:! In! case! of! foundlings,! abandoned,! neglected! or!
abused! children! and! other! children! similarly!
situated,!who!can!exercise!parental!authority!over!
them?!!
!
In!case!of!foundlings,!abandoned,!neglected!
or! abused! children! and! other! children! similarly!
situated,! parental! authority! shall! be! entrusted! in!
summary! proceedings! to! heads! of! childrens!
homes,! orphanages! and! similar! institutions! duly!
accredited!by!the!proper!government!agency.!!
!
Q:! What! is! the! liability! of! their! exercising! special!
parental!authority!over!the!child?!!
!
Persons! exercising! special! parental!
authority! are! principally% and% solidarily% liable! for!
damages! caused! by! the! acts! or! omissions! of! the!
minor! child! while! under! their! supervision,!
instruction,! or! custody.! HOWEVER,! the! liability! is!
subject! to! the! defense! that! the! person! exercising!
parental! authority! exercised! proper! diligence.! ! On!
the! other! hand,! the! parents! and! persons! judicial!
guardians! are! only! subsidiarily' liable' for! said! acts!
and!omissions!of!the!minor.!!
!
EFFECT' OF' PARENTAL' AUTHORITY' UPON' THE'
PERSONS'OF'THE'CHILDREN'
'
'
Chapter! 3! [basically]! only! enumerates! the!
rights! and! duties! of! the! parents! to! their! children!
and! the! duties! of! children! to! their! parents.!
Discussions! on! the! liabilities! are! already! discussed!
in!the!preceeding!chapters.!'
'
EFFECT' OF' PARENTAL' AUTHORITY' UPON' THE'
PROPERTY'OF'THE'CHILDREN'
!
a) The! father! and! the! mother! shall,! jointly!
exercise! legal! guardianship! over! the!
property! of! their! unemancipated! common!
child! without! the! necessity! of! a! court!
appointment.![Article!225]!
b) In! case! of! disagreement,! the! fathers!
decision! shall! prevail,! unless! there! is! a!
judicial!order!to!the!contrary.![Article!225]!!
c) Where!the!market!value!of!the!property!or!
the! annual! income! of! the! child! exceeds!
P50,000.00,! the! parent! concerned! shall! be!
required! to! furnish! a! bond! in! such! amount!
as! the! court! may! determine,! but! not! less!
than! ten! per) centum) (10%)! of! the! value! of!
the! property! or! annual! income,! to!
guarantee! the! performance! of! the!
obligations! prescribed! for! general!
guardians.![Article!225]!!
d) The!ordinary!rules!on!guardianship!shall!be!
merely!suppletory!except!when!the!child!is!
under! special! parental! authority,! or! the!
guardian! is! a! stranger,! or! a! parent! has!
remarried,!in!which!case!the!ordinary!rules!
on!guardianship!shall!apply.!
!
Two! cases! where! the! parent! cannot! be! the!
administrator!of!the!property!of!his!or!her!children:!
a. When! he! is! a! disinherited! parent! (e.g.! A!
disinherits! B! (son! of! A)! thus,! C! (son! of! B)!
inherits!As!properties)![Art.!923,!Civil!Code]!
b. When!he!is!incapacitated!(e.g.!B!accused!his!
father! A! of! murder! making! B! incapacitated!
due! to! unworthiness.)! [Art.! 1035,! Civil!
Code]!
Note:! B! will! not! enjoy! the! usufruct!
and! administration! of! his! childrens!
inheritance.!
!
PROCEDURE! IN! THE! APPROVAL! OF! THE! PARENTS!
BOND![ART.!225]!
a) A!verified!petition!for!approval!of!the!bond!
shall! be! filed! in! the! proper! court! of! the!
place!where)the)child)resides.!
b) If!the!child!resides!in!a!foreign)country,!the!
petition!shall!be!filed!in!the!proper!court!of!
the! place! where) the) property) or) any) part)
thereof)is)situated.!
c) The! petition! shall! be! docketed! as! a!
summary! special! proceeding.! The! court!
shall! determine! the! amount! of! the! bond,!
but!shall!not!be!less!than!10%!of!the!market!
value!of!the!childs!property!or!of!his!annual!
income.!
'
OWNERSHIP!OF!CHILDS!ACQUISITIONS![ART.!226]!
The!property!of!the!unemancipated!child!earned!or!
acquired!with!his!work!or!industry!or!by!onerous!or!
gratuitous! title! shall! belong! to! the! child! in!
ownership! and! shall! be! devoted! exclusively! to! the!
latters! support! and! education,! unless! the! title! or!
transfer!provides!otherwise.!
!
PARENTS!USUFRUCT![ART.!226]!
The!right!of!the!parents!over!the!fruits)and)income)
(not!the!property!itself)!of!the!childs!property!shall!
be! limited! primarily) to! the! childs! support! and!
secondarily) to! the! collective! daily! needs! of! the!
family.!!
!
Note:)If)the)childs)property)is)more)than)sufficient)
to)maintain)the)said)child,)the)said)properties)may)
be) used) to) defray) the) collective) daily) needs) of) the)
family.)It)must)likewise)be)emphasized)that)a)child)
is) obliged) to) support) his) or) her) parents) in)
accordance)with)Article)195)of)the)Family)Code)and)
from)his)or)her)separate)property)can)be)taken)the)
support) to) be) given) to) the) parents) if) the) same)
needs)it)and)if)the)child)can)afford)it.)
!
WHEN! PARENTS! ENTRUST! THE! MANAGEMENT! OF!
THEIR!PROPERTIES!TO!A!CHILD![ART.!227]!
a) If! the! parents! entrust! the! management! or!
administration!of!any)of!their)properties)to!
an! unemancipated! child,! the! net! proceeds!
of!such!property!shall!belong!to!the!owner.!
Note:!The)unemancipated)child)shall)
first) be) given) a) monthly) reasonable)
allowance) taken) from) the) gross)
proceeds)of)the)property)for)the)said)
month.)
Exception:) When) the) parentcowner)
just) decides) to) grant) the) entire)
proceeds)to)the)child)
b) The! child! shall! be! given! a! reasonable!
monthly! allowance! in! an! amount! not! less!
than!that!which!the!owner!would!have!paid!
if!the!administrator!were!a!stranger,!unless!
the!owner!grants!the!entire!proceeds!to!the!
child.!!
c) In! any! case,! the! proceeds! thus! given! in!
whole!or!in!part!shall)not)be!charged!to!the!
childs!legitime.!
'
'
'
'
'
!
TERMINATION! OF! PARENTAL! AUTHORITY! WHICH!
CAN!BE!REVIVED!BY!FINAL!JUDGMENT!
Article!229.!Unless!subsequently!revived!by!a!final!
judgment,!parental!authority!also!terminates:!
1. Upon!adoption!of!the!child;!
Note:)In)case)the)adoption)decree)is)
rescinded,) such) rescission) of) the)
adoption) shall) extinguish) all)
reciprocal) rights) and) obligations)
between) the) adopters) and)
3. Obscene!publications!and!indecent!shows;!!
4. Other!acts!of!abuse;!
a. An! ascendant,! stepparent! or!
guardian! of! a! minor! who! shall!
induce,!deliver!or!offer!the!minor!to:!
i.
Any! one! prohibited! to! keep! the!
minor!or!
ii.
Any! one! prohibited! to! have! in!
his! company! a! minor,! twelve!
(12)!years!or!under!or!who!is!ten!
(10)! years! or! more! his! junior! in!
any! public! or! private! place,!
hotel,! motel,! beer! joint,!
discotheque,! cabaret,! pension!
house,!sauna!or!massage!parlor,!
beach! and/or! other! tourist!
resort! or! similar! places! shall!
suffer!
penalties!
and!
imprisonment.!!
!
'
CASES'
LEOUEL'SANTOS,'SR.!vs.!CA'and'LEOPOLDO'and'
OFELIA'BEDIA'
(G.R.'No.'113054'March'16,'1995)'
!
FACTS:!
Petitioner! Leouel! Santos,! Sr.,! an! army! lieutenant,!
and! Julia! Bedia! a! nurse! by! profession,! were!
married! in! Iloilo! City! in! 1986.! Their! union! beget!
only!one!child,!Leouel!Santos,!Jr.!who!was!born!July!
18,!1987.!
Petitioner!and!wife!Julia!agreed!to!place!Leouel!Jr.!
in! the!temporary! custody!of! the! latter's! parents,!
the! respondent! spouses! Bedia.! The! latter! alleged!
that! they! paid! for! all! the! hospital! bills,! as! well! as!
the! subsequent! support! of! the! boy! because!
petitioner!could!not!afford!to!do!so.!
The! boy's! mother,! Julia! BediaaSantos,! left! for!
the!United! States!in! May! 1988! to! work.! Petitioner!
alleged! that! he! is! not! aware! of! her! whereabouts!
and! his! efforts! to! locate! her! in! the! United! States!
proved!futile.!!
Private! respondents! contend! that! through! deceit!
and!false!pretensions,!petitioner!abducted!the!boy!
and! clandestinely! spirited! him! away! to! his!
hometown!in!Bacong,!Negros!Oriental.!
!
ISSUE:!Who!should!properly!be!awarded!custody!of!
the!minor!Leouel!Santos,!Jr.?!
!
RULING:! We! find! the! aforementioned!
considerations! insufficient! to! defeat! petitioner's!
parental! authority! and! the! concomitant! right! to!
have! custody! over! the! minor! Leouel! Santos,! Jr.,!
particularly!since!he!has!not!been!shown!to!be!an!
unsuitable! and! unfit! parent.! Private! respondents'!
demonstrated! love! and! affection! for! the! boy,!
notwithstanding,! the! legitimate! father! is! still!
preferred!over!the!grandparents.!
Private!respondents'!attachment!to!the!young!boy!
whom!they!have!reared!for!the!past!three!years!is!
understandable.!Still!and!all,!the!law!considers!the!
natural! love! of! a! parent! to! outweigh! that! of! the!
grandparents,! such! that! only! when! the! parent!
present!is!shown!to!be!unfit!or!unsuitable!may!the!
grandparents! exercise! substitute! parental!
authority,!a!fact!which!has!not!been!proven!here.!
Custody! over! the! minor! Leouel! Santos! Jr.! is!
awarded!to!his!legitimate!father,!herein!petitioner!
Leouel!Santos,!Sr.!
'
ESPIRITU'VS'CA'(242'SCRA'362)'
!
FACTS:!!
At! Pittsburgh,! petitioner! Reynaldo! Espiritu! and!
respondent! Teresita! Masauding! began! with! a!
common! law! relationship.! Their! relationship!
resulted!to!Rosalind,!their!daughter!who!was!born!
on! August! 16,! 1986.! When! they! were! on!
brief!vacation!in!the!Philippines,!they!got!married.!
Upon!returning!to!United!States,!their!second!child!
Reginald!Vince!was!born.!
On! January! 1,! 1988,! their! relationship! went! sour!
and! they! decided! to! separate! sometime! on! 1990.!
Instead! of! giving! their! marriage! a! chance! as!
allegedly! pleaded! by! Reynaldo,! Teresita! left!
Reynaldo! and! the! children! and! went! back! to!
California.! Reynaldo! brought! his! children! home! to!
the! Philippines,! but! he! was! sent! back! by! his!
company!to!Pittsburg.!He!had!to!leave!his!children!
with!his!sister,!co!petitioner!Guillerma!Layug.!
Teresita!claims!that!she!did!not!immediately!follow!
her! children! because! she! was! afraid! of! being!
arrested! since! Reynaldo! had! filed! a! criminal! case!
for! bigamy! against! her.! On! 1992,! she! returned! to!
the! Philippines! and! filed! the! petition! of! writ! of!
habeas! corpus! to! gain! custody! over! her! children.!
The! trial! court! favored! Reynaldo! for! the! children!
chose!him!over!her!children.!However,!the!Court!of!
Appeals! reversed! the! trial! courts! decision.!!!!!
Petitioner! filed! for! review! to! the! SC! contending!
that! the! Court! of! Appeals! awarded! the! custody! of!
the! children! to! the! mother! through! an! automatic!
and! blind! application! of! the! age! proviso! that!
children!below!7!shall!not!be!separated!from!their!
mothers.!
!
ISSUE:!Between!the!father!and!the!mother,!who!is!
more! suitable! and! better! qualified! in! helping! the!
children! grow! into! responsible,! wellaadjusted,! and!
happy!young!adulthood?!
'
HELD:!!
In!ascertaining!the!best!interest!of!the!child,!courts!
are! mandated! by! the! Family! Code! to! take! into!
account! all! relevant! considerations.! If! a! child! is!
under!7!years!old,!the!law!presumes!the!mother!is!
the!best!custodian.!However,!it!is!not!conclusive.!It!
can!be!overcome!by!compelling!reason.!If!a!child!
is!over!seven,!his!choice!is!paramount!but!the!court!
is! not! bound! by! that! choice.! In! its! discretion! the!
court!may!find!the!chosen!parent!unfit!and!award!
custody!to!the!other!parent,!or!even!to!third!party!
as! it! deem! fit! under! the! circumstances.! Both!
children!Reginald!Vince!and!Rosalind!are!now!over!
7!years!old,!capable!of!fair!and!intelligent!decision.!
Their! best! interest! would! be! better! served! in! an!
dereliction!will!not!have!any!effect!upon!the!baby!
who!is!as!yet!unable!to!understand!the!situation.!
!
MARIA'TERESA'CUADRA,'REPRESENTED'BY'HER'
FATHER,'ETAL'VS'ALFONSO'MONFORT'
'
Facts:' Maria! Teresa! Cuadra! and! Maria! Teresa!
Monfort! were! both! classmates! in! Mabini!
Elementary! School! Bacolod! City.! While! they! were!
weeding,! Monfort! found! a! headband! and! she!
jokingly!shouted!it!as!an!earthworm!and!thereafter!
tossed!it!at!Cuadra,!hitting!in!her!eye.!Cuadras!eye!
got! infected,! was! attempted! to! be! surgically!
repaired! but! nevertheless! got! blind.! Cuadras!
parents!sued!Alfonso!Monfort!,!the!dad,!based!on!
Article! 2180! of! the! Civil! Code.! The! lower! court!
ruled!that!Monfort!should!pay!for!actual!damages!
(cost! of! hospitalization),! moral! damages! and!
attorneys!fees.!
Held:' Article! 2180! provides! that! the! father,! in!
case! of! his! incapacity! or! death,! the! mother,! is!
responsible! for! the! damages! caused! by! the! minor!
children! who! live! in! their! company.! The! basis! of!
this!vicarious,!although!primary,!liability!is!fault!or!
negligence,! which! is! presumed! from! that! which!
accompanied! the! causative! act! or! omission.! The!
presumption! is! merely! prima! facie! and! may!
therefore!be!rebutted.!This!is!the!clear!and!logical!
inference! that! may! be! drawn! from! the! last!
paragraph! of! Article! 2180,! which! states! that! the!
responsibility! treated! of! in! this! Article! shall! cease!
when! the! persons! herein! mentioned! prove! that!
they!observed!all!the!diligence!of!a!good!father!of!a!
family!to!prevent!damage.!
Principle:!
There! is! nothing! from! which! it! may!
be! inferred! that! the! defendant! could! have!
prevented! the! damage! by! the! observance! of! due!
care! or! that! he! was! in! any! way! remiss! in! the!
exercise! of! his! parental! authority! in! failing! to!
foresee! such! damage,! or! the! act! which! caused! it.!
On! the! contrary,! his! child! was! at! school! where! it!
was!his!duty!to!send!her!and!where!she!was,!as!he!
had! the! right! to! expect! her! to! be,! under! the! care!
and! supervision! of! the! teacher.! And! as! far! as! the!
act!which!caused!the!injury!was!concerned,!it!was!
an! innocent! prank! not! unusual! among! children! at!
play!and!which!no!parent,!however!careful,!would!
have! any! special! reason! to! anticipate,!
!
1.!
!
2.!
Whether!the!private!respondents!are!liable!
for!the!death!of!Alfredo!Amadora?!
!
HELD:)
!
!
Considering! the! fact! that! Alfredo! Amadora!
went!to!school!to!submit!a!project,!which!was!held!
a! legitimate! purpose,! the! Court! ruled! that! he! was!
still!under!the!custody!of!the!authorities!of!Colegio!
de! San! JoseaRecoletos,! notwithstanding! that!
classes! had! formally! ended.! However,! the! rector,!
the! high! school! principal! and! the! dean! of! boys!
cannot! be! held! liable! because! none! of! them! was!
the! teacherainacharge.! They! merely! exercise! their!
authority! over! the! student! body.! They! were! not!
directly!involved!with!the!students.!!
!
!
!
Moreover,! the! petitioners! werent! able! to!
disclose! who! the! teacherainacharge! of! Pablito!
Daffon!was.!The!dean!of!boys!cannot!also!be!held!
liable!for!the!shooting!incident!since!there!was!no!
concrete! proof! and! evidence! that! the! gun! he!
confiscated! and! returned! and! the! gun! that! killed!
Alfredo! Amadora! was! one! and! the! same.! Finally,!
Colegio! de! San! JoseaRecoletos! cannot! be! held!
directly!liable!because!it!is!an!academic!institution!
of! learning! and! not! a! school! of! arts! and! trades.!
Only!the!teacher!or!the!head!of!the!latter!is!made!
responsible!for!the!damage!caused!by!a!student!or!
apprentice! under! Article! 2180! of! the! Civil! Code.!
The! private! respondents! were! also! able! to! prove!
that! they! exercised! due! diligence! in! the!
enforcement!of!the!school!regulations.!
!
!
!
Hence,!the!petition!was!DENIED.!
!
ST.'MARYS'ACADEMY'V.'CARPITANOS'
FACTS:)
Petitioner! conducted! an! enrollment! drive!
for!the!school!year!1995a1996.!They!visited!schools!
from! where! prospective! enrollees! were!
studying.!Sherwin!Carpitanos!joined!the!campaign.!
Along! with! the! other! high! school! students,! they!
rode! a! Mitsubishi! jeep! owned! by! Vivencio!
Villanueva! on! their! way! to! Larayan! Elementary!
School.! The! jeep! was! driven! by! James! Daniel! II,! a!
15ayear! old! student! of! the! same! school.! It! was!
alleged!that!he!drove!the!jeep!in!a!reckless!manner!
which!resulted!for!it!to!turned!turtle.!Sherwin!died!
due!to!this!accident.!!
!
ISSUE:'
Whether!petitioner!should!be!held!liable!for!
damages?!
HELD:)
!
CA! held! petitioner! liable! for! the! death! of!
Sherwin! under! Article! 218! and! 219! of! the! Family!
Code! where! it! was! pointed! that! they! were!
negligent! in! allowing! a! minor! to! drive! and! not!
having!a!teacher!accompany!the!minor!students!in!
the!jeep.!However,!for!them!to!be!held!liable,!the!
act!or!omission!to!be!considered!negligent!must!be!
the! proximate! cause! of! the! injury! caused! thus,!
negligence! needs! to! have! a! causal! connection! to!
the! accident.! It! must! be! direct! and! natural!
sequence! of! events,! unbroken! by! any! efficient!
intervening!causes.!The!parents!of!the!victim!failed!
to! show! such! negligence! on! the! part! of! the!
petitioner.! The! spouses! Villanueva! admitted! that!
the! immediate! cause! of! the! accident! was! not! the!
reckless! driving! of! James! but! the! detachment! of!
the!steering!wheel!guide!of!the!jeep.!Furthermore,!
there!was!no!evidence!that!petitioner!allowed!the!
minor! to! drive! the! jeep! of! Villanueva.! The!
mechanical! defect! was! an! event! over! which! the!
school!has!no!control!hence!they!may!not!be!held!
liable!for!the!death!resulting!from!such!accident.!!
!
The!registered!owner!of!any!vehicle,!even!if!
not! used! for! public! service,! would! primarily! be!
responsible! to! the! public! or! to! third! persons! for!
injuries!caused!while!it!is!being!driven!on!the!road.!
It!is!not!the!school,!but!the!registered!owner!of!the!
vehicle!who!shall!be!held!responsible!for!damages!
for! the! death! of! Sherwin.! Case! was! remanded! to!
the! trial! court! for! determination! of! the! liability! of!
the!defendants!excluding!herein!petitioner.!
!
'LIBI'V.'IAC'
'
FACTS:)
FACTS:)
YLARDE'V.'AQUINO!
he!heads!is!an!academic!school!and!he!did!not!give!
any!instruction!regarding!the!digging.!
!
A!teacher!who!stands!in!loco!parentis!to!his!
students! should! make! sure! that! the! children! are!
protected!from!all!harm.!The!excavation!instructed!
clearly!exposed!the!students!to!risk!and!should!not!
be! placed! under! the! category! of! Work! Education!
such! as! school! gardening,! planting! trees,! etc.!
Aquino! acted! with! fault! and! gross! negligence!
where! instead! of! availing! himself! of! adult! manual!
laborers! he! instead! utilized! his! students.!
Furthermore,!the!warning!given!is!not!sufficient!to!
cast! away! all! serious! danger! that! the! concrete!
block!adjacent!to!the!excavation!would!present!to!
the! children.! He! is! therefore! ordered! to! pay!
damages!to!the!petitioners.!!
'
'
EMANCIPATION'
''
Art.' 234.! Emancipation! takes! place! by! the!
attainment!of!majority.!Unless!otherwise!provided,!
majority!commences!at!the!age!of!eighteen!years.!!
'
Art.'235.'Repealed!by!RA!No.!6809!
'
Art.' 236.! Emancipation! shall! terminate! parental!
authority!over!the!person!and!property!of!the!child!
who!shall!then!be!qualified!and!responsible!for!all!
acts!of!civil!life,!save!the!exceptions!established!by!
existing!laws!in!special!cases.!!
Contracting! marriage! shall! require! parental!
consent!until!the!age!of!twentyaone.!!
Nothing!in!this!Code!shall!be!construed!to!derogate!
from! the! duty! or! responsibility! of! parents! and!
guardians! for! children! and! wards! below! twentya
one! years! of! age! mentioned! in! the! second! and!
third!paragraphs!of!Article!2180!of!the!Civil!Code.!!
'
Art.'235.'Repealed!by!RA!No.!6809!
'
Emancipation'
! attained!upon!reaching!18!years!of!age.!!
'
RA'6809:''
By! virtue! of! this! law,! emancipation! can! no! longer!
take!place!by!virtue!of!the!minors!marriage!or!by!
the! concession! of! the! parents! to! a! minor! in! a!
recorded!public!instrument.!
!
RETROACTIVE'EFFECT''
!
RETROACTIVE'EFFECT''
This!Code!shall!have!retroactive!effect!insofar!as!it!
does! not! prejudice! or! impair! vested! or! acquired!
rights! in! accordance! with! the! Civil! Code! or! other!
laws.![Art!256]!!
!
INVALIDITY'OF'OTHER'PROVISIONS''
If!any!provision!is!held!invalid,!other!provisions!not!
affected!shall!remain!valid.![Art.!255]!!
!
FUNERAL,'NCC'ARTS.'305d310''
The! duty! and! the! right! to! make! arrangements! for!
the!funeral!of!a!relative!shall!be!in!accordance!with!
the! order! established! for! support,! under! Article!
294![Art.!305]:!!
(1)!!Spouse!!
(2)! !Descendants! in! the! nearest! degree.! In!
case!of!descendants!of!the!same!degree,!or!
of! brothers! and! sisters,! the! oldest! shall! be!
preferred.!!
(3)! !The! ascendants! in! the! nearest! degree.!
In! case! of! ascendants,! the! paternal! shall!
have!a!better!right!!
(4)!!The!brothers!and!sisters.!!
(5)! !Municipal! authorities! ! if! there! are! no!
persons! who! are! bound! to! support! or! if!
such!persons!are!without!means!!
!
NATURE! OF! FUNERAL:! Every! funeral! shall! be! in!
keeping! with! the! social! position! of! the! deceased.!
[Art.!306]!!
!
The!funeral!shall!be:!
(1)!In!accordance!with!the!expressed!wishes!of!the!
deceased.!!
(2)!!In!the!absence!of!such!expression,!his!religious!
beliefs! or! affiliation! shall! determine! the! funeral!
rites.!!
(3)!!In!case!of!doubt,!the!form!of!the!funeral!shall!
be! decided! upon! by! the! person! obliged! to! make!
SURNAMES'OF'CHILDREN''
(1)! Legitimate! and! legitimated! children! shall!
principally!use!the!surname!of!the!father.![Art.!364]!!
(2)!!An!adopted!child!shall!bear!the!surname!of!the!
adopter.![Art.!365]!!
(3)! !A! natural! child! acknowledged! by! both! parents!
shall! principally! use! the! surname! of! the! father.! If!
recognized! by! only! one! of! the! parents,! a! natural!
child! shall! employ! the! surname! of! the! recognizing!
parent.![Art!366]!!
(4)!Natural!children!by!legal!fiction!shall!principally!
employ!the!surname!of!the!father![Art.!367]!!
(5)! Illegitimate! children! referred! to! in! Article! 287!
shall!bear!the!surname!of!the!mother.![Art!368]!!
(6)!Children!conceived!before!the!decree!annulling!
a! voidable! marriage! shall! principally! use! the!
surname!of!the!father.![Art.!369]!!
!
WIFE'AFTER'AND'DURING'MARRIAGE''
(1)!A!married!woman!may!use![Art.!370]:!
(a)!Her!maiden!first!name!and!surname!and!
add!her!husband's!surname,!or!!
(b)! !Her! maiden! first! name! and! her!
husband's!surname!or!!
(c)!!Her!husband's!full!name,!but!prefixing!a!
word!indicating!that!she!is!his!wife,!such!as!
"Mrs."!!
[Tolentino:]! The! wife! cannot! claim! an! exclusive!
right! to! use! the! husbands! surname.! She! cant! be!
prevented! from! using! it;! but! neither! can! she!
restrain!others!from!using!it.!!
(2)!!In!case!of!annulment!of!marriage,!and!the!wife!
is! the! guilty! party,! she! shall! resume! her! maiden!
name! and! surname.! If! she! is! the! innocent! spouse,!
she! may! resume! her! maiden! name! and! surname.!
However,! she! may! choose! to! continue! employing!
her!former!husband's!surname,!unless![Art.!371]:!!
(a)!The!court!decrees!otherwise,!or!!
(b)! She! or! the! former! husband! is! married!
again!to!another!person.!!
CIVIL'REGISTRAR''
ARTS.!407a413!!
Art.! 407.! Acts,! events! and! judicial! decrees!
concerning! the! civil! status! of! persons! shall! be!
recorded!in!the!civil!register.!!
Art.!408.!The!following!shall!be!entered!in!the!civil!
register:!
(1)!Births;!
(2)!marriages;!!
(3)!deaths;!!
(4)!!legal!separations;!!
(5)!!annulments!of!marriage;!!
(6)! !judgments! declaring! marriages! void! from! the!
beginning;!!
(7)!!legitimations;!!
(8)!!adoptions;!!
(9)!!acknowledgments!of!natural!children;!!
(10)!!naturalization;!!
(11)!!loss,!or!!
(12)!!recovery!of!citizenship;!!
(13)!!civil!interdiction;!!
(14)!!judicial!determination!of!filiation;!!
(15)!!voluntary!emancipation!of!a!minor;!and!!
(16)!!changes!of!name.!!
!
Art.! 409.! In! cases! of! legal! separation,! adoption,!
naturalization!and!other!judicial!orders!mentioned!
in!the!preceding!article,!it!shall!be!the!duty!of!the!
clerk! of! the! court! which! issued! the! decree! to!
ascertain! whether! the! same! has! been! registered,!
and! if! this! has! not! been! done,! to! send! a! copy! of!
said! decree! to! the! civil! registry! of! the! city! or!
municipality!where!the!court!is!functioning.!!
!
Art.!410.!The!books!making!up!the!civil!register!and!
all!documents!relating!thereto!shall!be!considered!
public! documents! and! shall! be! prima! facie!
evidence!of!the!facts!therein!contained.!!
!
Art.! 411.! Every! civil! registrar! shall! be! civilly!
responsible! for! any! unauthorized! alteration! made!
in!any!civil!register,!to!any!person!suffering!damage!
thereby.! However,! the! civil! registrar! may! exempt!
himself!from!such!liability!if!he!proves!that!he!has!
taken! every! reasonable! precaution! to! prevent! the!
unlawful!alteration.!!
!
Art.! 412.! No! entry! in! a! civil! register! shall! be!
changed!or!corrected,!without!a!judicial!order.!!
!
Art.! 413.! All! other! matters! pertaining! to! the!
registration! of! civil! status! shall! be! governed! by!
special!laws.!!
!
RA'9048'AS'AMENDED'BY'RA'10172''
AN' ACT' AUTHORIZING' THE' CITY' OR' MUNICIPAL'
CIVIL' REGISTRAR' OR' THE' CONSUL' GENERAL' TO'
CORRECT'A'CLERICAL'OR'TYPOGRAPHICAL'ERROR'
IN' AN' ENTRY' AND/OR' CHANGE' OF' FIRST' NAME'
OR' NICKNAME' IN' THE' CIVIL' REGISTER' WITHOUT'
NEED'OF'A'JUDICIAL'ORDER,'AMENDING'FOR'THIS'
PURPOSE' ARTICLES' 376' AND' 412' OF' THE' CIVIL'
CODE'OF'THE'PHILIPPINES''
!
General! rule:! No! entry! in! a! civil! register! shall! be!
changed!or!corrected!without!a!judicial!order!!
Exception:!!
(a) Clerical!or!typographical!errors;!
petition!may!be!filed,!in!person,!with!the!local!civil!
registrar!of!the!place!where!the!interested!party!is!
presently! residing! or! domiciled.! The! two! (2)! local!
civil!registrars!concerned!will!then!communicate!to!
facilitate!the!processing!of!the!petition.!!
Citizens! of! the! Philippines! who! are! presently!
residing! or! domiciled! in! foreign! countries! may! file!
their! petition,! in! person,! with! the! nearest!
Philippine!Consulates.!!
The! petitions! filed! with! the! city! or! municipal! civil!
registrar!or!the!consul!general!shall!be!processed!in!
accordance! with! this! Act! and! its! implementing!
rules!and!regulations.!!
All!petitions!for!the!clerical!or!typographical!errors!
and/or!change!of!first!names!or!nicknames!may!be!
availed!of!only!once.!!
!
GROUNDS''
Who!may!file!the!petition!and!where?!
(1)! Any! person! having! direct! personal! interest! in!
the!correction!of!a!clerical!or!typographical!error!in!
an!entry!and/or!change!of!first!name!or!nickname!
in!the!civil!register!!
(2)! Verified! petition! with! the! local! civil! registry!
office!of!the!city!or!municipality!
(a)! where! the! record! being! sought! to! be!
corrected!or!changed!is!kept!!
(b)!!where!the!interested!party!is!presently!
residing!or!domiciled,!if!it!will!be!impractical!
to!submit!in!the!place!where!record!is!kept!
(i.e.! when! party! has! migrated! to! another!
place!in!the!country!!
(c)! !nearest! Philippine! Consulates,! if! the!
petitioner!is!presently!residing!or!domiciled!
in!foreign!countries!!
!
Note:!All!petitions!for!the!clerical!or!typographical!
errors! and/or! change! of! first! names! or! nicknames!
may!be!availed!of!only!once.!!
!
Sec.! 4.! Grounds! for! Change! of! First! Name! or!
Nickname.!!The!petition!for!change!of!first!name!
or! nickname! may! be! allowed! in! any! of! the!
following!cases:!!
(1)!The!petitioner!finds!the!first!name!or!nickname!
to! be! ridiculous,! tainted! with! dishonor! or!
extremely!difficult!to!write!or!pronounce.!
sex! of! a! person,! as! the! case! may! be,! shall! be!
published! at! least! once! a! week! for! two! (2)!
consecutive! weeks! in! a! newspaper! of! general!
circulation.!!
Furthermore,! the! petitioner! shall! submit! a!
certification! from! the! appropriate! law!
enforcements,! agencies! that! he! has! no! pending!
case!or!no!criminal!record.!!
The!petition!and!its!supporting!papers!shall!be!filed!
in!three!(3)!copies!to!be!distributed!as!follows:!first!
copy! to! the! concerned! city! or! municipal! civil!
registrar,!or!the!consul!general;!second!copy!to!the!
Office!of!the!Civil!Registrar!General;!and!third!copy!
to!the!petitioner.!!
!
RULE'108,'RULES'OF'COURT''
CANCELLATION' OR' CORRECTION' OF' ENTRIES' IN'
THE'CIVIL'REGISTRY''
Sec.! 1.! Who! may! file! petition.! a! Any! person!
interested! in! any! act,! event,! order! or! decree!
concerning! the! civil! status! of! persons! which! has!
been! recorded! in! the! civil! register,! may! file! a!
verified! petition! for! the! cancellation! or! correction!
of! any! entry! relating! thereto,! with! the! Court! of!
First! Instance! of! the! province! where! the!
corresponding!civil!registry!is!located.!!
Sec.!2.!Entries!subject!to!cancellation!or!correction.!
a! Upon! good! and! valid! grounds,! the! following!
entries! in! the! civil! register! may! be! cancelled! or!
corrected:! (a)! births;! (b)! marriages;! (c)! deaths;! (d)!
legal! separations;! (e)! judgments! of! annulments! of!
marriage;! (f)! judgments! declaring! marriages! void!
from! the! beginning;! (g)! legitimations;! (h)!
adoptions;! (i)! acknowledgments! of! natural!
children;! (j)! naturalization! (k)! election,! loss! or!
recovery! of! citizenship! (l)! civil! interdiction;! (m)!
judicial! determination! of! filiation;! (n)! voluntary!
emancipation!of!a!minor;!and!(o)!changes!of!name.!!
Sec.!3.!Parties.!a!When!cancellation!or!correction!of!
an! entry! in! the! civil! register! is! sought,! the! civil!
registrar! and! all! persons! who! have! or! claim! any!
interest! which! would! be! affected! thereby! shall! be!
made!parties!to!the!proceeding.!!
Sec.!4.!Notice!and!publication.!a!Upon!the!filing!of!
the! petition,! the! court! shall,! by! an! order,! fix! the!
time! and! place! for! the! hearing! of! the! same,! and!
cause!reasonable!notice!thereof!to!be!given!to!the!
persons!named!in!the!petition.!The!court!shall!also!
PERSONS'AND'PERSONALITY''
Concept'of'Persons''
! Personality! is! the! quality! derived! from! being! a!
person;!it!is!an!attribute!of!persons.!!
!
Characteristics!!
1.!It!is!not!a!being,!but!a!quality!of!certain!beings.!!
# It! is! not! a! physical! element,! but! a! juridical!
concept.!!
# It! is! not! an! object! of! contract,! or! of!
possession,! and! cannot! be! impaired! by!
agreement.!!
2.!It!is!a!matter!of!public!interest.!!
!
CAPACITY'TO'ACT''
!
CIVIL'PERSONALITY''
Art.!37.!Juridical!capacity,!which!is!the!fitness!to!be!
the! subject! of! legal! relations,! is! inherent! in! every!
natural! person! and! is! lost! only! through! death.!
Capacity!to!act,!which!is!the!power!to!do!acts!with!
legal!effect,!is!acquired!and!may!be!lost!
!
!
!
Juridical!Capacity!
Fitness! of! man! to! be!
subject!of!legal!relations!
Passive!
Aptitude! for! the! Holding!
and!Enjoyment!of!rights!
Inherent! in! every! natural!
person!
Lost!upon!death!
Capacity!to!Act!
Power! to! do! acts! with!
legal!effect!
Active!
Aptitude! for! the! Exercise!
of!rights!
Must!be!acquired!
!
Note:! Juridical! capacity! can! exist! even! without!
capacity! to! act;! the! existence! of! the! latter! implies!
that!of!the!former.!!
!
RESTRICTIONS'ON'CAPACITY'TO'ACT''
Art.!38.!Minority,!insanity!or!imbecility,!the!state!of!
being!a!deafamute,!prodigality!and!civil!interdiction!
are!mere!restrictions!on!capacity!to!act,!and!do!not!
exempt! the! incapacitated! person! from! certain!
obligations,! as! when! the! latter! arise! from! his! acts!
or!from!property!relations,!such!as!easements.!!
!
Art.! 39.! The! following! circumstances,! among!
others,! modify! or! limit! capacity! to! act:! age,!
insanity,!imbecility,!the!state!of!being!a!deafamute,!
penalty,! prodigality,! family! relations,! alienage,!
absence,! insolvency! and! trusteeship.! The!
consequences!of!these!circumstances!are!governed!
in!this!Code,!other!codes,!the!Rules!of!Court,!and!in!
special!laws.!!
Capacity! to! act! is! not! limited! on! account! of!
religious!belief!or!political!opinion.!!
A! married! woman,! twentyaone! years! of! age! or!
over,! is! qualified! for! all! acts! of! civil! life,! except! in!
cases!specified!by!law.!!
!
General! rule:! Incapacitated! persons! are! not!
exempt! from! certain! obligations! arising! from! his!
acts!or!property!relations.!!
!
Minority''
RA! 6809! (1989):! An! act! lowering! the! age! of!
majority!from!twentyaone!to!eighteen!years.!!
Effects'on'Contracts''
(1)! They! cannot! give! consent! to! a! contract! [Art.!
1327!(1)]!!
(2)!A!contract!where!one!of!the!parties!is!a!minor!is!
voidable![Art.!1390(1)]!!
(3)! A! contract! is! unenforceable! when! both! of! the!
parties! are! minors! (incapable! of! giving! consent)!
[Art.!1403(3)]!!
(4)!Minority!cannot!be!asserted!by!the!other!party!
in!an!action!for!annulment![Art.!1397]!!
(5)!!Not!obliged!to!make!restitution!except!insofar!
as!he!has!been!benefited![Art.!1399]!!
(6)! !Minor! has! no! right! to! demand! the! thing/price!
voluntarily!returned!by!him![Art.!1426]!!
Effect'on'Marriage''
(1)!May!be!annulled!if!either!party!was!of!unsound!
mind!unless!the!such!party!after!coming!to!reason,!
freely!cohabited!with!the!other![Art.!45(2),!FC]!!
(2)!Action!for!annulment!of!marriage!must!be!filed!
by!the!sane!spouse!who!had!no!knowledge!of!the!
others!insanity,!or!by!any!relative/guardian!of!the!
insane! before! the! death! of! either! party;! or! by! the!
insane! spouse! during! a! lucid! interval! or! after!
regaining!sanity![Art.!47(2),!FC]!!
!
State'of'Being'DeafdMute''
(1)!Cannot!give!consent!to!a!contract!if!he/she!also!
does!not!know!how!to!write!(Art.!1327(2),!CC)!!
(2)! Can! make! a! valid! WILL,! provided:! he! must!
personally!read!the!will.!The!contents!of!the!same!
have! either! been! read! personally! by! him! or!
otherwise!communicated!to!him!by!2!persons!(Art.!
807,!CC)!!
(3)! Cannot! be! a! witness! to! the! execution! of! a! will!
(Art.!820,!CC)!!
(4)!Voidable!if!one!of!the!parties!is!deafamute!and!
does!not!know!how!to!write!!
(5)! Unenforceable! if! both! of! the! parties! are! deafa!
mutes!and!does!not!know!how!to!write!!
!
Prodigality''
!
Martinez!v.!Martinez,!(1902):!!
A! spendthrift! or! a! prodigal! is! a! person,! who,! by!
excessive! drinking,! gambling,! idleness! or!
debauchery! of! any! kind! shall! so! spend,! waste! or!
lessen!his!estate!as!to!expose!himself!or!his!family!
to!want!or!suffering.!The!acts!of!prodigality!must!
show!a!morbid!state!of!mind.!!
!
Note:!It!is!not!the!circumstance!of!prodigality,!but!
the! fact! of! being! under! guardianship! that! restricts!
capacity!to!act.!!
!
Civil'interdiction''
(1)! !It! is! an! accessory! penalty! imposed! upon!
persons! who! are! sentenced! to! a! principal! penalty!
not!lower!than!reclusion!temporal!(Art.!41,!RPC).!!
(2)! !Offender! is! deprived! of! rights! of! parental!
authority,! or! guardianship,! of! marital! authority,! of!
the!right!to!manage!his!property!and!of!the!right!to!
dispose!of!such!(Art.!34,!RPC)!!
civil!degree![Art.!11(2),!RPC]!!
(2)! Mitigating! circumstance! if! acted! in! the!
immediate! vindication! of! a! grave! offense/felony!
committed! against! his! spouse,! ascendants! or!
relatives!of!the!same!civil!degree![Art.!13(5),!RPC]!!
(3)!Incestuous!and!void!marriages:!
(a)!Between!ascendants!and!descendants!of!
any!degree;!
(b)! Between! brothers! and! sisters,! whether!
full!or!halfablood.![Art.!37,!FC]!!
(4)! !Donations/grants! of! gratuitous! advantage!
between! spouses! during! the! marriage! shall! be!
VOID,! except! moderate! gifts! during! family!
occasions![Art.!87,!FC]!!
(5)!!Descendants!cannot!be!compelled!to!testify!in!
a! criminal! case,! against! his! parents! and!
grandparents!
(a)! UNLESS:! crime! was! against! the!
descendant!!
OR! by! one! parent! against! the! other! [Art.!
215,!!
FC]!!
(6)! Spouses! cannot! sell! property! to! each! other,!
except:!!
(a)! Absolute! separation! is! agreed! upon! in!
the!marriage!settlements!!
(b)! Judicial! separation! of! property! [Art.!
1490]!!
!
Absence''
Art.!390.!After!an!absence!of!seven!years,!it!being!
unknown!whether!or!not!the!absentee!still!lives,!he!
shall!be!presumed!dead!for!all!purposes,!except!for!
those!of!succession.!!
The! absentee! shall! not! be! presumed! dead! for! the!
purpose! of! opening! his! succession! till! after! an!
absence! of! ten! years.! If! he! disappeared! after! the!
age!of!seventyafive!years,!an!absence!of!five!years!
shall!be!sufficient!in!order!that!his!succession!may!
be!opened.!(n)!!
!
Art.!391.!The!following!shall!be!presumed!dead!for!
all! purposes,! including! the! division! of! the! estate!
among!the!heirs:!!
1.! A! person! on! board! a! vessel! lost! during! a! sea!
voyage,!or!an!aeroplane!which!is!missing,!who!has!
not! been! heard! of! for! four! years! since! the! loss! of!
the!vessel!or!aeroplane;!!
2.!A!person!in!the!armed!forces!who!has!taken!part!
in!war,!and!has!been!missing!for!four!years;!!
3.!A!person!who!has!been!in!danger!of!death!under!
other!circumstances!and!his!existence!has!not!been!
known!for!four!years.!!
Article!124,!FC:!!
(1)!!Administration!and!enjoyment!of!the!CPG!shall!
belong!to!both!spouses!jointly.!!
(2)! !In! case! of! disagreement,! husbands! decision!
shall! prevail,! subject! to! recourse! to! the! court! by!
the! wife! for! proper! remedy! (within! 5! years! from!
date!of!contract!implementing!such!decision)!!
(3)! !If! one! spouse! is! incapacitated/unable! to!
administer,! sole! powers! of! administration! may! be!
assumed!by!the!other!spouse.!!
(4)!
General!
Rule:!
This!
power!
disposition/encumbrance.!!
!
Exception:! Judicial! authority! or! written! consent! of!
other!spouse.!!
!
Birth''
!
General! Rule:! Birth! determines! personality! [Art.!
40].!Death!extinguishes!civil!personality![Art.!42].!!
Exception:! A! conceived! child! shall! be! considered!
born! for! all! purposes! that! are! FAVORABLE! to! it,!
provided!it!be!born!later![Art.!40,!2nd!clause]!with!
the!following!circumstances:!!
!
!
Birth! =! complete! removal! of! the! fetus! from! the!
mothers!womb;!before!birth,!a!fetus!is!merely!part!
of!the!mothers!internal!organs.!!
!
Personality!of!Conceived!Child!!
(1) Limited!=!only!for!purposes!FAVORABLE!to!it.!
When!Considered!Born!
Alive!upon!delivery!
Alive! only! after! completion! of! 24!
hours!from!delivery!
other!(only).!!
!
Presumption%of%Survivorship%in%the%Rules%of%Court%
(Rule%131,%sec.%3,%(jj.)%%
Age!
Both!under!15!
Both!above!60!
One! under! 15,! the! other!
above!60!
Both! over! 15! and! under!
60,!different!sexes!
Both! over! 15! and! under!
60,!same!sex!
One! under! 15! or! over! 60,!
the! other! between! those!
ages!
Juridical!
Person!
Constitution!
(defines!
its!
1.!State!!
organization!and!limits!its!rights!visa
avis!citizens)!!
2.!
Political!
Charter!creating!them!!
Subdivision!!
3.!
Public!
Charter!creating!them!!
Corporation!!
4.!
Private!Corporation! Code,! Articles! of!
Corporation!! Incorporation!and!ByaLaws!!
Stipulations! of! the! parties! and!
suppletorily! by! the! general!
5.!Partnerships!!
provisions! on! partnership! of! the!
Civil!Code!!
!
Rules!!
Presumed!Survivor!
Older!
Younger!
One!under!15!
Male!
Older!
One!between!15!and!60!
Governed!by!
!
!
Juridical'Persons''
Juridical'Persons'(Art'44,'Civil'Code)'
The!place!of!their!habitual)residence)[Art.)50]!!
1. The!State!and!its!Political!subdivisions;!!
2. Other! Corporations,! Institutions! and!
Entities! for! public! interest! or! purpose,!
created!by!law;!!
3. Corporations,!
Partnerships,!
and!
Associations!for!private!interest!or!purpose!
to! which! the! law! grants! a! juridical!
personality.!!
Governing!Laws!(Art!45,!Civil!Code)!!
!
FOR'JURIDICAL'PERSONS:''
The! place! where! their! legal! representation! is!
established,! or! where! they! exercise! their) primary)
functions,! unless! there! is! a) law) or) other) provision)
that!fixes!the!domicile![Art.)51]!!
!
DOMICILE'VS.'RESIDENCE''
While! domicile! is! permanent! (there! is! intent! to!
remain),! residence! is! temporary! and! may! be!
changed! anytime! (there! is! no! necessary! intent! to!
remain).!!
!
REQUISITES'OF'DOMICILE'[Callejo%v.%Vera]'
(1) Physical)Presence)in)a)fixed)place)
(2) Intent! to! remain! permanently! (animus)
manendi))!
!
KINDS'OF'DOMICILE''
(1)! !Domicile! of! Origin! a! domicile! of! parents! of! a!
person!at!the!time!he!was!born.!!
(2)!!Domicile!of!Choice!!
(a)! !Domicile! chosen! by! a! person,! changing!
his!domicile!of!origin.!!
(b)!!A!3rd!requisite!is!necessary!!intention!
not! to! return! to! ones! domicile! as! his!
permanent!place.!!
(3)! !Domicile! by! Operation! of! Law! (i.e.,) Article! 69,!
domicile!of!minor)!
(a)! A! married! woman! does! not! lose! her!
domicile! to! her! husband.! (Romualdeza
Marcos!vs.!Comelec!(1995))!!
The!Civil!Code!took!effect!on!August!30,!1950!!
'
WHEN'LAWS'TAKE'EFFECT''
Art.! 2.! Laws! shall! take! effect! after! fifteen! days!
following! the! completion! of! their!
consequences!of!his!conduct;!but!not!ignorance!of!
law.!!
(c)!In!specific!instances!provided!by!law,!mistake!as!
to!difficult!legal!questions!has!been!given!the!same!
effect!as!a!mistake!of!fact.!(Tolentino)!!
(d)!The!laws!referred!to!by!this!article!are!those!of!
the!Philippines.!There!is!no!conclusive!presumption!
of!knowledge!of!foreign!laws.!(Tolentino)!!
!
Diego!v.!Castillo!!
Error!committed!by!respondent!Judge!being!gross!
and!patent,!the!same!constitutes!ignorance!of!the!
law!of!a!nature!sufficient!to!warrant!disciplinary!
action.!
!
!
RETROACTIVITY'OF'LAWS''
!
Art.!4.!Laws!shall!have!no!retroactive!effect,!unless!
the!contrary!is!provided.!(3)!!
General! Rule:! All! statutes! are! to! be! construed! as!
having!only!prospective!operation!!
!
Exceptions!!
(1)!When!the!law!itself!expressly!provides!!
Exceptions!to!Exception:!!
(a)!Ex!post!facto!law!!
(b)!Impairment!of!contract!!
(2)!!In!case!of!remedial!statutes!!
(3)!!In!case!of!curative!statutes!!
(4)!!In!case!of!laws!interpreting!others!!
(5)! !In! case! of! laws! creating! new! rights! [Bona! v.!
Briones!(1918)]!!
(6)!Penal!Laws!favorable!to!the!accused!!
!
Republic!v.!Miller!
American!spouses!wanted!to!adopt!a!Filipino!child,!
submitted! the! petition! for! adoption! on! July! 29,!
1988!before!August!3,!1988!when!the!Family!code!
took! effect! prohibiting! aliens! to! adopt! Filipino!
children.! The! adoption! petition! can! still! be!
continued!since!it!was!submitted!before!the!Family!
Code!took!effect.!Since!they!acquired!vested!rights!
which! could! not! be! affected! by! the! subsequent!
enactment!of!a!law!disqualifying!them.!
!
Valdez!v.!Republic!
When!the!courts!declared!a!law!to!be!inconsistent!
with!the!Constitution,!the!former!shall!be!void!and!
the!latter!shall!govern.!!
Administrative! or! executive! acts,! orders! and!
regulations! shall! be! valid! only! when! they! are! not!
contrary!to!the!laws!or!the!Constitution.!(5a)!!
TWO!KINDS!OF!REPEAL!OF!LAW![Tolentino]!
(1)! Express! or! Declared! ! contained! in! a! special!
provision!
of!
a!
subsequent!
law!
(2)! Implied! or! Tacit! ! takes! place! when! the!
provisions!of!the!subsequent!law!are!incompatible!
or!inconsistent!with!those!of!an!earlier!law.!!
!
JUDICIAL'DECISIONS''
!
Art.! 8.! Judicial! decisions! applying! or! interpreting!
the!laws!or!the!Constitution!shall!form!a!part!of!the!
legal!system!of!the!Philippines.!(n)!!
(a)! !Jurisprudence! cannot! be! considered! as! an!
independent!source!of!law;!it!cannot!create!law.!(1!
Camus!38!as!cited!in!Tolentino)!!
(b)! !But! the! Courts! interpretation! of! a! statute!
constitutes! part! of! the! law! as! of! the! date! it! was!
originally! passed! since! the! Courts! construction!
merely! establishes! contemporaneous! legislative!
intent! that! the! interpreted! law! carried! into! effect.!
[Senarillos!v.!Hermosisima!(1956)]!!
!
DUTY'TO'RENDER'JUDGMENT''
!
Art.! 9.! No! judge! or! court! shall! decline! to! render!
judgment! by! reason! of! the! silence,! obscurity! or!
insufficiency!of!the!laws.!(6)!!
!
Exception:!!
This!article!does!not!apply!to!criminal!prosecutions!
because! where! there! is! no! law! punishing! an! act,!
the!case!must!be!dismissed.![Tolentino]!!
!
PRESUMPTION'AND'APPLICABILITY'OF'CUSTOM''
!
Art.! 10.! In! case! of! doubt! in! the! interpretation! or!
application! of! laws,! it! is! presumed! that! the!
lawmaking! body! intended! right! and! justice! to!
prevail.!(n)!!
!
Art.!11.!Customs!which!are!contrary!to!law,!public!
(a)! !It! is! a! branch! or! part! of! Philippine! Law! which!
regulates! the! application! of! foreign! law! within!
Philippine! jurisdiction! in! the! resolution! of! cases!
involving!foreign!elements.!!
(b)! !It! is! that! part! of! municipal! law! which! governs!
cases!involving!a!foreign!element.!!
(c)! !Private! International! Law! is! more! commonly!
known!in!other!jurisdictions!as!conflict!of!laws!!
!
SOURCES!!
(1)!!Codes!and!statutes!!
(2)!!Treaties!and!international!conventions!!
(3)! !Treatises,! commentaries,! and! studies! of!
learned!societies!!
(4)!!Judicial!decisions!!
!
EXAMPLES! OF! CONFLICT! OF! LAW! RULES! IN! THE!
PHILIPPINES!!
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Art.!15!CC:!Lex!Patriae!
Art.!1251!(par.!3)!CC:!Lex!Domicili!
Art.!16!CC:!Lex!Situs/!Lex!Rei!Sitae!
Art.! 17! (par.! 1)! CC:! Lex! Loci! Contractus! (5)! Art.!
71!CC:!Lex!Loci!Celebrationis!
(5) Art.!26!(par.!1)!FC:!Lex!Loci!Celebrationis!(7)!Art.!
1306!CC:!Lex!Loci!Intentionis!!
!
Art.!15.!Laws!relating!to!family!rights!and!duties,!or!
to! the! status,! condition! and! legal! capacity! of!
persons! are! binding! upon! citizens! of! the!
Philippines,!even!though!living!abroad.!(9a)!!
Most! civil! law! countries! such! as! the! Philippines!
follow!
the!
National!
Law!
Theory:!
It!is!the!nationality!or!citizenship!of!the!individual,!
which!regulates!the!following:!!
(a)!Civil!status!
(b)!Capacity!
(c)!Condition!
(d)!Family!rights!and!duties!!
(e)!Laws!on!Succession!!
(f)!Capacity!to!succeed!!
!
According! to! the! Supreme! Court,! it! is! a! conflict! of!
laws!theory!by!virtue!of!which!jurisdiction!over!the!
particular! subject! matter! affecting! a! person! is!
determined! by! the! latters! nationality.! [Ellis! vs.!
Republic!(1963)]!!
!
!
RULE'ON'PROPERTY''
Controlling!Law!!Lex!Situs/Lex!Rei!Sitae!!
General!Rule:!Real!and!Personal!Property!is!subject!
to!the!law!of!the!country!where!it!is!situated!(Art.!
16)!!
Application! of! the! Doctrine! of! Lex! Situs/Lex! Rei!
Sitae!!
(1)!!The!capacity!to!transfer!or!acquire!property!is!
governed!by!Lex!Situs.!!
Note:! Transfer! of! property! to! a! foreigner!
who!subsequently!became!a!Filipino!citizen!
shall! be! recognized! [Llantino! v! Co! Liong!
Chong]!!
(2)! !The! formalities! of! a! contract! to! convey!
property!are!governed!by!Lex!Situs!!
!
Exceptions!to!Lex!Situs!!
(1)! Transactions! Not! Affecting! Transfer! of! Title! or!
Ownership! of! Land:! Lex! Intentionis! or! Lex!
Voluntatis!!
(2)! Contracts! where! Real! Property! Offered! as!
Security:! The! principal! contract! is! the! loan! while!
the!mortgage!of!the!land!is!only!an!accessory!
(a)!Mortgage!a!Lex!Situs!!
(b)! Loan! Contract! a! Rules! on! ordinary!
contracts!!
(3)!Intestate!and!Testamentary!Succession:!
Intestate! and! testamentary! successions! shall! be!
regulated!by!the!national!law!of!the!decedent,!with!
respect!to!the!following![Art.!16(2);!Art.!1039]!!
(a)!Order!of!succession!
(b)!Amount!of!succession!rights!
(c)! Intrinsic! validity! of! the! testamentary!
provisions!!
(d)!Capacity!to!succeed!!
(4)!Under!a!Policyacentered!Approach:!
Forum!court!is!not!bound!to!look!to!the!law!of!the!
situs! when! the! situs! of! the! movable! property! is!
insignificant!or!accidental!!
(a)! !Questions! relating! to! the! validity! and!
effect!of!!
the! transfer! of! the! movable! property! are!
governed! by! the! law! of! the! place! of!
principal!use!!
(b)!!Where!the!issue!involves!considerations!
other! than! the! validity! and! effect! of! the!
transfer! itself,! governing! law! is! the! law! of!
the!state!whichhasrealinterest!!
RULE'ON'SUCCESSION''
!
Extrinsic'Validity'[Arts.'17,'815d817,'CC]''
Alien!Testator!
Filipino!Testator!
Place!of!execution!
Philippines!
Foreign!Country!
Applicable!law!
!Philippine!Law!
(1)! Law! of! the! place!
where! he! may! be! (lex!
loci! celebrationis)! [Art!
815]!!
(2)!Philippine!law![see!III!
Tolentino!117]!
Philippines!
(1)!PhilippineLaw(Art.17)!
(2)!Law!of!the!country!in!
which! he! is! a! citizen! or!
subject! (lex! nationali)!
[Art.!!
817]!!
!
Foreign!
Country! (1)! Law! of! the! place! in!
(Arts!816,!17)!
which! he! resides! (lex!
domicilii)!!
(2)! Law! of! his! country!
(lex!nationali)!!
(3)!
Philippine!
law!
(4)! Law! of! the! place!
where!!
they! were! executed! (lex!
loci!celebrationis)!!
!
Note:!Rule!re:!Joint!Wills!!
(1)! !Joint! wills! prohibited! under! Art.! 818! executed!
by!Filipinos!in!a!foreign!country!shall!not!be!valid!in!
the!Philippines!even!though!authorized!by!the!laws!
of! the! country! where! they! were! executed.! (Art.!
819)!!
(2)! !Civil! Code! is! silent! as! to! the! validity! of! a! joint!
will! executed! by! an! alien! in! the! Philippines.! It! is!
suggested!that!it!should!not!be!probated!if!it!would!
affect!the!heirs!in!the!Philippines.!!
!
Intrinsic'Validity''
Intestate! and! testamentary! successions! shall! be!
regulated!by!the!national!law!of!the!decedent,!with!
respect! to! the! following! (Art.! 16(2);! Art.! 1039)!
(1)!Order!of!succession!!
(2)!Amount!of!successional!rights!
(3)!Intrinsic!validity!of!the!testamentary!provisions!
(4)!Capacity!to!succeed!!
!
Interpretation'of'Wills''
Governed!by!the!National!Law!of!the!decedent.!!
!
Revocation''
Testator!!
!
Testator!
Will!is!revoked!in! Philippine!
the!Philippines!
Domiciliary!
Nonadomiciliary!
(Art.!829)!
Philippine!
Domiciliary!
Nonadomiciliary!
Will!is!revoked!in!
(Art.!829)!
a!
Foreign!
Country!
Applicable!Law!
Philippine!Law!
(1)!
Philippine!
Law!
(2)! Law! of! the!
place!of!!
revocation! (lex!
loci!!
actus)!
(1)! law! of! the!
place!where!!
the! will! was!
made! (2)! law! of!
the!place!in!!
which!
the!
testator! had! his!
domicile! at! the!
time! of! the!
revocation!!
!
!
Applicable!Law!!
Probate'of'wills''
!
Controlling!Law:!!
The! probate! of! a! will! being! essentially! procedural!
in! character,! the! law! of! the! forum! (lex! fori)!
governs.!!
Wills!Proved!and!Allowed!in!a!Foreign!Country!!
(1)!!A!will!proved!and!allowed!in!a!foreign!country!
in!accordance!with!the!laws!of!that!country!may!be!
allowed,!filed,!and!recorded!in!the!proper!Regional!
Trial! Court! in! the! Philippines! (RULES! OF! COURT,!
Rule!77,!Sec.1)!!
(2)! !Requisites! for! Reprobate! [Vda! de! Perez! v!
Tolete,!232!SCRA!722]!!
The! following! must! be! proved! by! competent!
evidence:!
(a)! due! execution! of! the! will! in! accordance!
with!the!foreign!laws!
the!Republic!of!the!Philippines!in!a!foreign!country!
[Art.!17(2),!FC]!!
(2)! Contracts! entered! Into! by! Letter/! Cablegram,!
etc.:!A!contract!accepted!by!letter!or!cablegram!is!
presumed! to! have! been! entered! into! the! place!
where!the!offer!was!made.![Art.!1319(2)]!!
!
Three!possible!laws:!!
(1)! Lex! Loci! Contractus! (Asked! in! 95,! 02! BAR!
EXAMINATIONS)!
(a)! Law! of! the! place! where! the! contract! is!
made!!
(b)!Merits!!
(i)!Relative!ease!in!establishing!!
(ii)!Certainty!and!stability!!
(c)! Demerit! a! Unjust! results! when! place! of!
making!entirely!incidental!!
Note:! To! determine! where! the! contract! is! made,!
we! look! to! the! place! where! the! last! act! is! done!
which!is!necessary!to!bring!the!binding!agreement!
into! being! so! far! as! the! acts! of! the! parties! are!
concerned.!!
(2)!Lex!Loci!Solutionis!
(a)! Law! of! the! place! of! performance!
governs!
(b)! Merit! a! Always! connected! to! the!
contract!in!a!significant!way!!
(c)!Demerit!a!Not!helpful!when!the!contract!
is! performed! in! 2! or! more! states! with!
conflicting!laws!!
(3)!Lex!Loci!Intentionis!!
(a)!!Law!intended!by!the!parties!!
(b)!!Basis:!!
The! contracting! parties! may! establish! such!
stipulations,! clauses,! terms! and! conditions!
as! they! may! deem! convenient,! provided!
they! are! not! contrary! to! law,! morals,! good!
customs,!public!order,!or!public!policy![Art.!
1306]!!
(c)!!May!be!express!or!implied!!
(i)! Express! a! when! the! parties!
stipulate! that! the! contract! be!
governed!by!a!specific!law,!such!law!
will! be! recognized! unless! there! are!
cogent!reasons!for!not!doing!so.!!
(ii)!Implied!!
(a)!
!Based!
on!
the!
contemporaneous! and! subsequent!
acts!of!the!parties!!
(b)! !Often! upheld! with!
reference! to! the! rule! of!
validity! of! contracts! which!
presumes! that! the! parties!
contemplate! to! enter! into! a!
valid!contract!!
Roehr!v.!Rodriguez!
The! issues! on! this! case! is! that! whether! or! not! the!
divorce!in!Germany!by!the!German!National!to!his!
Filipina! wife! is! recognized.! And! to! whom! the!
custody! shall! be! awarded.! As! a! general! rule,!
divorce! decrees! obtained! by! foreigners! in! other!
countries! are! recognizable! in! our! jurisdiction,! but!
the!legal!effects!thereof,!e.g.!on!custody,!care!and!
support! of! the! children,! must! still! be! determined!
by!our!courts.!The!Court!declare!that!the!trial!court!
has!jurisdiction!over!the!issue!between!the!parties!
as!to!who!has!parental!custody,!including!the!care,!
support! and! education! of! the! children.! The! case!
was! referred! back! to! the! trial! court! for! further!
proceeding! regarding! the! custody,! support! and!
appropriate!proceedings.!
!
Art.!18.!In!matters!which!are!governed!by!the!Code!
of! Commerce! and! special! laws,! their! deficiency!
shall!be!supplied!by!the!provisions!of!this!Code.!!
!
SPECIAL'CONFLICT'OF'LAW'RULES''
!
MARRIAGE''
Definition:!!
Art.! 1,! FC.! 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.!!
!
Extrinsic'Validity'of'Marriage''
(1)!Formal!Requisites!of!Marriage!under!Philippine!
Law![Art.!3,!FC]!!
(a)!Authority!of!the!solemnizing!officer!!
(b)! !Valid! marriage! license! except! in! the!
cases!provided!for!in!Chapter!2!of!Title!I!!
(c)!!A!marriage!ceremony!which!takes!place!
with! the! appearance! of! the! contracting!
parties! before! the! solemnizing! officer! and!
their! personal! declaration! that! they! take!
each! other! as! husband! and! wife! in! the!
presence!of!not!less!than!two!witnesses!of!
legal!age.!!
(2)!Determination!of!Extrinsic!Validity!!
Art.! 26,! FC.! 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.!Xxx!!
Art.!2,!Hague!Convention.!Formal!requirements!for!
marriage! are! governed! by! the! law! of! the! state! of!
celebration.!!
General!Rule:!Lex!Loci!Celebrationis!!
Exceptions:!The!following!marriages!are!void!even!
if! valid! in! the! country! where! celebrated! [Art.! 26,!
FC]:!!
(a)! Those! contracted! by! any! party! below! 18! years!
of! age! even! with! the! consent! of! parents! or!
guardians![Art.!35(1),!FC]!
(b)! Bigamous! or! polygamous! marriages! not! falling!
under!Art.!41,!FC![Art.!35!(4),!FC]!
(c)! Those! contracted! thru! mistake! of! one!
contracting! party! as! to! the! identity! of! the! other!
[Art.!35(5),!FC]!!
(d)! Those! subsequent! marriage! without! recording!
in! the! civil! registry! the! judgment! of! annulment! or!
declaration! of! nullity,! partition! and! distribution! of!
properties! and! the! delivery! of! the! childrens!
presumptive!legitimes![Art.!35(6),!FC]!!
(e)!!A!marriage!contracted!by!any!party!who,!at!the!
time! of! the! celebration,! was! psychologically!
incapacitated! to! comply! with! the! essential! marital!
obligations! of! marriage,! even! if! such! incapacity!
becomes! manifest! only! after! solemnization! [Art.!
36,!FC]!!
(f)!!Incestuous!marriages[Art.37,FC]!!
(i)! !Marriages! between! ascendants! and!
ascendants! of! any! degree,! whether!
legitimate!or!illegitimate;!and!!
(ii)! !Marriages! between! brothers! and!
sisters,!whether!of!the!full!or!halfablood!!
(g)!Void!marriages!for!reasons!of!public!policy!(Art.!
38,!FC)!!
(i)! !Marriages! between! collateral! blood!
relatives,!whether!legitimate!or!illegitimate,!
up!to!the!4th!civil!degree!!
(iv)!!support!!
(v)! !right! of! the! wife! to! use! the!
husbands!family!name!!
(2)!Property!relations!
(a)!The!Hague!Convention!declares!that!the!
governing!law!on!matrimonial!property!is:!!
(i)! !The! internal! law! designated! by!
the!spouses!before!the!marriage!!
(ii)! !In! the! absence! thereof,! the!
internal!law!of!the!state!in!which!the!
spouses!fix!their!habitual!residence!!
(b)!Rule!under!Philippine!law![Art.!80,!FC]!!
(i)! !In! the! absence! of! a! contrary!
stipulation!in!the!marriage!settlements,!the!!
property! relations! of! the! spouses!
shall! be! governed! by! Philippine! laws,!
regardless!of!!
the! place! of! the! celebration! of! the!
marriage!and!their!residence.!!
(ii)!!Rule!is!inapplicable:!!
(1)!!If!both!spouses!are!aliens!!
(2)! !With! respect! to! the!
extrinsic! validity! of! the!
contracts! affecting! property!
not! situated! in! the!
Philippines! and! executed! in!
the! country! where! the!
property!is!located!!
(3)! !With! respect! to! the!
extrinsic!validity!of!contracts!
entered! into! in! the!
Philippines! but! affecting!
property!situated!in!a!foreign!
country! whose! laws! require!
different! formalities! for! its!
extrinsic!validity.!!
(c)!Doctrine!of!Immutability!of!Matrimonial!
Property!Regime:!!
The!change!of!nationality!on!the!part!of!the!
husband!or!wife!does!not!affect!the!original!
property! regime! EXCEPT! when! the! law! of!
the! original! nationality! itself! changes! the!
marital!regime,!hence,!the!property!regime!
has!to!change!accordingly.!!
!
!
!
!
DIVORCE'AND'SEPARATION''
!
Rule'under'the'Hague'Convention''
The!granting!of!divorce!or!separation!must!comply!
with! the! national! law! of! the! spouses! and! lex! fori!
(law!of!the!place!where!the!application!for!divorce!
is!made).!!
Divorce!Decrees!Obtained!by!Filipinos!!
General!Rule:!Decrees!of!absolute!divorce!obtained!
by! Filipinos! abroad! have! no! validity! and! are! not!
recognized!in!Philippine!Jurisdiction.!!
Note:!Statutory!Bases!!
(a)!!Laws!relating!to!Family!rights!and!duties,!or!to!
the!Status,!Condition!and!Legal!capacity!of!persons!
are! binding! upon! citizens! of! the! Philippines,! even!
though!living!abroad![Art.!15,!CC]!!
(b)!!Prohibitive!laws!concerning!persons,!their!acts!
or!property,!and!those!which!have!for!their!object!
public!order,!public!policy!and!good!customs,!shall!
not!be!rendered!ineffective!by!laws!or!judgments,!
or! by! determinations! or! conventions! agreed! upon!
in!a!foreign!country.![Art.!17(3),!CC]!!
!
Exception:!Art.!26(2),!FC!
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!!
!
Van! Dorn! v.! Romillo,! Jr.! (1985):! Owing! to! the!
Nationality! Principle,! only! Philippine! nationals! are!
covered! by! the! policy! against! absolute! divorces,!
the!same!being!considered!contrary!to!our!concept!
of!public!policy!and!morality.!However,!aliens!may!
obtain! divorces! abroad,! provided! they! are! valid!
according!to!their!national!law.!!
!
Llorente! v.! Court! of! Appeals! (2000):! Divorce!
obtained!by!Petitioner!from!his!first!wife,!after!he!
was! admitted! to! US! citizenship,! is! valid! and!
recognized!in!our!jurisdiction!as!a!matter!of!comity.!!
!
Republic!v.!Orbecido!(2005):!Paragraph!2!of!Article!
26!should!be!interpreted!to!include!cases!involving!
parties! who,! at! the! time! of! the! celebration! of! the!
marriage!were!Filipino!citizens,!but!later!on,!one!of!
them!becomes!naturalized!as!a!foreign!citizen!and!
obtains! a! divorce! decree.! The! Filipino! spouse!
should! likewise! be! allowed! to! remarry! as! if! the!
other! party! were! a! foreigner! at! the! time! of! the!
solemnization!of!the!marriage.!The!reckoning!point!
is! not! the! citizenship! of! the! parties! at! the! time! of!
the! celebration! of! the! marriage,! but! their!
citizenship! at! the! time! a! valid! divorce! is! obtained!
abroad! by! the! alien! spouse! capacitating! the! latter!
to!remarry.!!
!
Validity'of'Foreign'Divorce'Between'Foreigners''
(1)! A! foreign! divorce! will! be! recognized! in! all!
contracting! states! if,! at! the! date! of! the! institution!
of! the! proceedings! (Hague! Convention! on! the!
Recognition!of!Divorce!and!Legal!Separation):!!
(a)!either!spouse!had!his!habitual!residence!
there;!!
(b)! both! spouses! were! nationals! of! that!
state;! or! (c)! if! only! the! petitioner! was! a!
national,! he! should! have! his! habitual!
residence!there!!
(2)While! there! is! no! provision! of! law! requiring!
Philippine! courts! to! recognize! a! foreign! divorce!
decree! between! nonaFilipinos! such! will! be!
recognized! under! the! principle! of! international!
comity,!provided!that!it!does!not!violate!a!strongly!
held!policy!of!the!Philippines.!!
!
ANNULMENT'AND'DECLARATION'OF'NULLITY''
Jurisdiction'to'Annul''
(1)! Vested! in! the! court! of! the! domicile! of! the!
parties!!
(2)! Jurisdiction! over! the! nonaresident! defendant! is!
not!essential!!
!
Governing'Law''
(1)! Lex! loci! celebrationis! determines! the!
consequences!of!any!defect!as!to!form!!
(2)! In! general,! the! same! applies! with! reference! to!
substantive!or!intrinsic!validity.!But!with!regard!to!
capacity! of! the! parties! to! marry,! national! law! is!
determinative.!!
!
!
!
HUMAN'RELATIONS''
ABUSE'OF'RIGHT''
!
Art.! 19.! Every! person! must,! in! the! exercise! of! his!
rights! and! in! the! performance! of! his! duties,! act!
with! justice,! give! everyone! his! due,! and! observe!
honesty!and!good!faith.!!
!
ACTS'CONTRARY'TO'LAW''
Art.!20.!Every!person!who,!contrary!to!law,!wilfully!
or! negligently! causes! damage! to! another,! shall!
indemnify!the!latter!for!the!same.!!
!
ACTS'CONTRA'BONUS'MORES''
Art.! 21.! Any! person! who! wilfully! causes! loss! or!
injury! to! another! in! a! manner! that! is! contrary! to!
morals,! good! customs! or! public! policy! shall!
compensate!the!latter!for!the!damage.!!
Breach! of! promise! to! marry! is! not! an! actionable!
wrong.! [De! Jesus! vs.! Syquia,! 58! Phil.,! 866]!
BUT!damages!may!be!recoverable!!
!
Wassmer!v.!Velez!(1964):!Mere!breach!of!promise!
to! marry! is! not! an! actionable! wrong.! But! to!
formally! set! a! wedding! and! go! through! all! the!
aboveadescribed!preparation!and!publicity,!only!to!
walk! out! of! it! when! the! matrimony! is! about! to! be!
solemnized,! is! quite! different.! This! is! palpably! and!
unjustifiably! contrary! to! good! customs! for! which!
defendant!must!be!held!answerable!in!damages!in!
accordance!with!Article!21!aforesaid.!!
!
Baksh! vs.! Court! of! Appeals! (1993):! Article! 21! may!
also! be! applied! in! a! breach! of! promise! to! marry!
where! the! woman! is! a! victim! of! moral! seduction.!
Award! of! damages! pursuant! to! Article! 21! is!
justified!not!because!of!such!promise!to!marry!but!
because!of!the!fraud!and!deceit!behind!it!and!the!
willful! injury! to! her! honor! and! reputation! which!
followed!thereafter.!!
!
Tanjanco! v.! Court! of! Appeals! (1966):! The! conduct!
of! a! woman! of! adult! age,! maintaining! intimate!
sexual!relations!with!appellant,!with!repeated!acts!
of! intercourse! is! incompatible! with! the! idea! of!
seduction.!!
!
PRINCIPLE'OF'UNJUST'ENRICHMENT''
!
Art.! 22.! Every! person! who! through! an! act! of!
performance! by! another,! or! any! other! means,!
acquires!or!comes!into!possession!of!something!at!
the! expense! of! the! latter! without! just! or! legal!
ground,!shall!return!the!same!to!him.!!
Not! necessarily! a! Payment! should! be! mistake! in!
payment!made!by!mistake!!
!
!