President Benigno S. Aquino III is opposed to the legalization of a Las Vegas-type divorce in the country as he remained mum about the marriage problems involving his youngest sister, Kris Aquino, and basketball star James Yap.

The President, speaking to reporters at the sidelines of a motor show in Pasay City, said he prefers legal separation although estranged couples should be allowed to remarry.

“My own personal position on this point, but a study has to be made, is divorce a no-no,” he said amid renewed proposals in Congress to legalize divorce in the country.

Aquino, a 50-year-old bachelor, said he cannot support a practice common in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, in which “the stereotype is you get married in the morning (and) you can get divorced in the afternoon.”

“But I do recognize that there have been unions that were wrong that no matter what interventions are done, no matter what counseling is done, they really can't stay together and there is danger to either one or both parties in that marriage particularly specially the children,” he said.

The President said couples who pursue legal separation should be allowed to marry again. “(In) legal separation, it will be very, very stringent. You really have to ascertain that there really are irreconcilable differences in a long period. Sa Tagalog parang padaanin sa sampung butas ng karayom siguro,” he said.

At the end of the day they should be allowed to remarry. We have legal separation today (but they) cant’ marry. Kawawa naman yung mga nagkamali (Pity those who made a mistake),” he added.

At present, the country allows legal separation and annulment. Once the court approves an annulment of marriage, the parties may choose to remarry.

A legal separation, on the other hand, allows spouses to live separately but does not cut the bonds of marriage. They are disallowed to marry again.

Although he was vocal on the debates whether to allow divorce in the country, the President said he is “duty-bound not to comment” on the petition sister to nullify her marriage to Yap. “If I say any opinion, it might influence the workings of the court, the fiscals,” he said.

Kris Aquino recently announced his breakup with James Yap and filed for the nullity of their marriage. The main ground for Kris’ petition was lack of authority of the solemnizing officer. The couple got married in a civil ceremony in July, 2005.