(FILE PHOTO)
TACLOBAN CITY — Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre emphasized the urgent need for marriage law reforms during the 31st National Convention of the Canon Law Society of the Philippines (CLSP), held from February 24 to 27, 2025.
Addressing an audience of canon lawyers, legal scholars, and church leaders, Acidre discussed House Bill No. 10970, a proposed measure that seeks to expand the grounds for marriage nullity and legal separation, streamline judicial proceedings, and recognize church declarations of nullity in civil courts.
“Many Filipinos remain trapped in invalid marriages because current laws are too restrictive,” he stated. “House Bill No. 10970 expands the grounds for nullity, making justice accessible while protecting the sanctity of marriage.”
The proposed measure introduces broader legal grounds for nullity, addressing gaps in the current system, including lack of due discretion, entering marriage without full psychological maturity; simulation of consent, marrying for reasons other than genuine partnership; error in person, being deceived about a spouse’s identity or fundamental qualities; and fraud, force, or coercion – Cases where marriage was entered into under false pretenses or against free will.
Beyond expanding legal grounds, the bill seeks to make the annulment process more accessible by reducing financial and procedural burdens. Acidre noted that “seeking legal relief is costly and time-consuming.”
Key provisions of the bill include placing nullity cases under summary procedure, reducing delays and costs; expedited processing for uncontested cases, allowing clear cases to be resolved without lengthy hearings; and recognition of church nullity declarations, if a marriage is annulled by a church tribunal, it should carry legal weight in civil courts.
Acidre also addressed the inconsistency between civil and ecclesiastical law, pointing out that “the Catholic Church recognizes lack of due discretion as grounds for nullity—civil law does not. This discrepancy leaves many couples in legal limbo.”
He cited Pope Francis’ call for simplified annulment processes as a model for civil law reforms, asserting: “If a church has the authority to solemnize a marriage, it should also have the power to nullify it under clear legal parameters.”
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
