Zubiri bats for Church-decreed annulment instead of divorce
Published Feb 7, 2020 12:00 am
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has renewed his proposal for a "Church-decreed annulment" in the Philippines as an alternative to divorce.
Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) He again pushed for his suggestion after a House of Representatives committee approved recently the bills seeking to legalize divorce in the country. "Divorce remains a contentious issue in the Catholic church," Zubiri said in filing Senate Bill. No. 1059 last September. The Philippines, dominated by Christians, is the only country that has not yet passed a divorce law, aside from the Vatican City. The Church, Zubiri noted, allows marriage annulment, "However, the process is both inefficient and arduous depending on the nature of the case and the available evidence." "As a result, the annulment process can take years to conclude," he lamented. Zubiri said his bill proposes to recognize church annulments so that it will have the same effect as an annulment declared by a competent court. The bill states that, "Whenever a marriage, duly and legally solemnized by a priest, minister, imam, rabbi or presiding elder of any church or religious sect in the Philippines is subsequently annulled or dissolved in a final judgment or decree in accordance with the canons or precepts of the church or religious sect, the said annulment or dissolution shall have the same effect as a decree of annulment or dissolution issued by a competent court." The final judgment or decree of annulment or dissolution issued by the proper church or religious sect shall be recorded in the appropriate civil registry within 30 days from issuance of said final judgment or decree of annulment or dissolution, it stated. Under the measure, either of the former spouses would be allowed to marry again after the judgment of annulment, as well as the partition and distribution of the properties of the spouses and the delivery of the children’s presumptive legitimes, were recorded in the civil registry, as required by the Family Code of the Philippines. In securing a marriage license, the spouse involved should present a certified true copy of the said final judgment or decree of declaration of nullity, annulment or dissolution of marriage registered with the appropriate civil registry. Aside from Zubiri, Senator Pia Cayetano also filed a similar measure. The bills are still pending before the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros. Read more: House panel OKs divorce, CBCP position rejected
Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) He again pushed for his suggestion after a House of Representatives committee approved recently the bills seeking to legalize divorce in the country. "Divorce remains a contentious issue in the Catholic church," Zubiri said in filing Senate Bill. No. 1059 last September. The Philippines, dominated by Christians, is the only country that has not yet passed a divorce law, aside from the Vatican City. The Church, Zubiri noted, allows marriage annulment, "However, the process is both inefficient and arduous depending on the nature of the case and the available evidence." "As a result, the annulment process can take years to conclude," he lamented. Zubiri said his bill proposes to recognize church annulments so that it will have the same effect as an annulment declared by a competent court. The bill states that, "Whenever a marriage, duly and legally solemnized by a priest, minister, imam, rabbi or presiding elder of any church or religious sect in the Philippines is subsequently annulled or dissolved in a final judgment or decree in accordance with the canons or precepts of the church or religious sect, the said annulment or dissolution shall have the same effect as a decree of annulment or dissolution issued by a competent court." The final judgment or decree of annulment or dissolution issued by the proper church or religious sect shall be recorded in the appropriate civil registry within 30 days from issuance of said final judgment or decree of annulment or dissolution, it stated. Under the measure, either of the former spouses would be allowed to marry again after the judgment of annulment, as well as the partition and distribution of the properties of the spouses and the delivery of the children’s presumptive legitimes, were recorded in the civil registry, as required by the Family Code of the Philippines. In securing a marriage license, the spouse involved should present a certified true copy of the said final judgment or decree of declaration of nullity, annulment or dissolution of marriage registered with the appropriate civil registry. Aside from Zubiri, Senator Pia Cayetano also filed a similar measure. The bills are still pending before the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros. Read more: House panel OKs divorce, CBCP position rejected