House Bill No. 9348 Proposed Absolute Divorce Act

 

Oh!

Divorce in the Philippines?

Finally!!! or Whaaat???

The Philippines is predominantly a Christian country. The introduction of divorce divides the Filipinos between upholding church teachings and marital realities. 

There is no quarrel nor conflict with religion and the law. 

Religion teaches to uphold the ideal while the law resolves the realities.

Under HB No. 9349 or the proposed Absolute Divorce Act, the following are considered grounds for absolute divorce:

• Physical violence or grossly abusive conduct directed against the petitioner, a common child, or a child of the petitioner

• Physical violence or moral pressure to compel the petitioner to change religious or political affiliation

• Attempt of respondent to corrupt or induce the petitioner, a common child, or a child of the petitioner, to engage in prostitution, or connivance in such corruption or inducement

• Final judgment sentencing the respondent to imprisonment of more than six (6) years, even if pardoned

• Drug addiction or habitual alcoholism or chronic gambling of the respondent

• Homosexuality of the respondent

• Contracting by the respondent of a subsequent bigamous marriage, whether in the Philippines or abroad

• Marital infidelity or perversion or having a child with another person other than one’s spouse during the marriage, except when upon the mutual agreement of the spouses, a child is born to them through in vitro fertilization or a similar procedure or when the wife bears a child after being a victim of rape

• Attempt by the respondent against the life of the petitioner, a common child or a child of the petitioner

• Abandonment of petitioner by respondent without justifiable cause for more than one (1) year.

• When the spouses are legally separated by judicial decree for more than two (2) years, either spouse can petition the proper Family Court for an absolute divorce based on said judicial decree of legal separation

As always, availment of rights such as these require monetary fulfillment. But the availability of divorce is supposed to strengthen marriage such that spousal abuse should not happen if couples wish to remain married to each other.