41-year age gap not a hindrance for Maguindanao couple to wed
Published Feb 16, 2020 12:00 am
By Ali Macabalang
COTABATO CITY – Maguindanao has hosted another record-setting wedding with second district Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu standing as sponsor in the wedding of a 64-year old man to a 23-year old woman on Valentine’s Day.
While ethnic Muslim residents in Maguindanao generally do not celebrate Valentine’s Day being a foreign practice outside the scope of events in Islam, relatives and friends of bride Venus Usman and groom Max Gandalibo opted to hold the wedding rites on Valentine’s Day to ensure the presence of their principal of choice, Rep. Mangudadatu, who was also this province’s governor.
For Mangudadatu, the event was significant because it fell on the birthday of his late wife, Ginalyn, and the finale leg of the Inaul Festival his three-term gubernatorial reign had set for annual observance which is from February 6-14.
His wife died alongside 56 other people in the infamous Nov. 23, 2009 “Maguindanao massacre.” The Inaul festival has reportedly been scrapped by current officials of the province.
“Isa na namang patunay na bulag ang pag-ibig at walang pinipiling edad kapag ito’y kumatok sa puso ninuman,” the first-term Congressman said in Facebook post coupled with weeding photos of the new couple.
“Ngayong araw mismo ng mga Puso ay pinatunayan ng isang 23 years old na batang babae na si Venus Usman na umibig sa isang 64 years old na lalaki na si Max Gandalibo,” Mangudadatu added.
It was not the first time that Mangudadatu stood as sponsor to a May-December union.
The first was the wedding of Philippine music legend Freddie Aguilar to his 16-year fiancé Jovie Gatdula Albao on November 21, 2013 as a highlight of Maguindanao’s anniversary foundation celebration.
The wedding in Muslim rites of Aguilar, who was then in his early 70s, had effectively quelled threats by detractors to sue him for “immoral and unlawful” romance with Albao.
Under the country’s civil code, persons below the legal age of 18 years would not qualify for marriage. But in Islamic Shariah Law, qualification for matrimonial age is reckoned on the first menstrual day of the bride as exemplified in the marriage of Prophet Mohammad with Aisha, who was about 16-year old then.
While ethnic Muslim residents in Maguindanao generally do not celebrate Valentine’s Day being a foreign practice outside the scope of events in Islam, relatives and friends of bride Venus Usman and groom Max Gandalibo opted to hold the wedding rites on Valentine’s Day to ensure the presence of their principal of choice, Rep. Mangudadatu, who was also this province’s governor.
For Mangudadatu, the event was significant because it fell on the birthday of his late wife, Ginalyn, and the finale leg of the Inaul Festival his three-term gubernatorial reign had set for annual observance which is from February 6-14.
His wife died alongside 56 other people in the infamous Nov. 23, 2009 “Maguindanao massacre.” The Inaul festival has reportedly been scrapped by current officials of the province.
“Isa na namang patunay na bulag ang pag-ibig at walang pinipiling edad kapag ito’y kumatok sa puso ninuman,” the first-term Congressman said in Facebook post coupled with weeding photos of the new couple.
“Ngayong araw mismo ng mga Puso ay pinatunayan ng isang 23 years old na batang babae na si Venus Usman na umibig sa isang 64 years old na lalaki na si Max Gandalibo,” Mangudadatu added.
It was not the first time that Mangudadatu stood as sponsor to a May-December union.
The first was the wedding of Philippine music legend Freddie Aguilar to his 16-year fiancé Jovie Gatdula Albao on November 21, 2013 as a highlight of Maguindanao’s anniversary foundation celebration.
The wedding in Muslim rites of Aguilar, who was then in his early 70s, had effectively quelled threats by detractors to sue him for “immoral and unlawful” romance with Albao.
Under the country’s civil code, persons below the legal age of 18 years would not qualify for marriage. But in Islamic Shariah Law, qualification for matrimonial age is reckoned on the first menstrual day of the bride as exemplified in the marriage of Prophet Mohammad with Aisha, who was about 16-year old then.