Changing values, legal 'loopholes' seen as reasons for rising number of annulment cases in PHL

Changing values among Filipino youth and women—as well as legal "loopholes"—may be the reason for the rising number of annulment cases in the Philippines, a family lawyer and a Roman Catholic Church official said Monday. Lawyer Gaby Concepcion said the concept of “instant gratification” seems to appeal more to today's youth—the reason why some of them choose to file an annulment case if a marriage no longer works. “Parang hindi na sila mahilig magpaka-martir pa. Kung hindi na nila gusto iyong sitwasyon, gusto na nila ng solusyon para matapos na ang problema,” Concepcion said in an interview on GMA News TV's “News To Go.” She added Filipino women nowadays seem to be more “courageous” in ending failed marriages. “Hindi tulad ng values ng mga nanay at lola natin na dati ay nakakahiya o may stigma kapag ikaw ay hiwalay sa asawa o kapag aaminin mo na failed ang marriage mo. Dahil empowered na ang mga kababaihan ngayon, in a certain sense, mas malakas na rin ang loob nila na humiwalay,” Concepcion said. Records from the Office of the Solicitor General showed that the number of annulment cases been steadily rising for the past eight years. Last year, 10,528 cases seeking annulment and nullity of marriage were filed in the Philippines. Legal loopholes Monsignor Pedro Quitorio of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), for his part, agreed that there are some “social” factors that can be attributed to the rise in the number of annulment cases. He, however, pointed to legal “loopholes” as one of the primary factors why more Filipino couples are seeking to have their marriages declared nullified or annulled. “'Yung interpretation kasi ng psychological incapacity, iba-iba. Nakahanap ng butas sa batas 'yung iba para makapagpa-annul,” Quitorio said in a separate interview. Psychological incapacity is one of the grounds for annulment recognized under Article 36 of the Philippines' Family Code. In the Philippines, civil courts may grant annulments and nullity of marriage, while the Catholic Church can only declare nullity. Concepcion, however, said that the legal process for seeking annulment in the country is anything but easy, given the case load of courts in the country and the high cost of the legal procedure. “'Yung expenses kailangan mo talaga mag-save. Whether hindi de kampanilya ang abugado, o hindi masyadong kilala ang psychiatrist mo, marami ka pa ring gastos. Kailangan pa ring mag-ipon,” she said. She added that annulment “is a very, very difficult and very expensive. Also, it's very traumatic, lalo na sa mga bata, at kahit sa parties. Para kang pinipiga.” Gabriela Women's party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan earlier said that an annulment case in the Philippines can cost each party from P300,000 to P1 million. — Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMA News