IGINIIT ng ilang mambabatas na ang isinusulong nilang Absolute Divorce Bill sa Kamara ay para lamang maging alternatibong paraan upang mapawalang bisa ang kasal sa mas madaling paraan, mabilis at mas murang halaga kumpara sa annulment para lamang sa mga mag- asawang may naabuso na sa pagsasama at may mga seryosong grounds o dahilan para ito ay payagan.
Ang House Bill Number 9349 o “An Act Reinstituting Divorce as an Alternative Mode for Dissolution of Marriage” na sponsored ni District Representative Edcel Lagman ay tinalakay sa plenaryo ng Kamara ng Pebrero 28 at ng mga nakaraang sesyon. Renstituting umano ay dahil may dati ng umiral na absolute divorce sa Pilipinas.
“HB 9349 An Act Reinstituting Divorce as an Alternative Mode for Dissolution of Marriage.This bil seeks to reinstate absolute divorce as a mode of dissolution of marriage that has become dysfunctional irreparable, and irredeemable.Based on limited grounds on divorce and well -defined judicial proceedings.It is consistent with the Philippine constitution and is our obligation under the universal declaration of human rights, the international covenant of civil and political rights, and elimination of all forms of discrimination against women,the convention of the rights of the child,and other international treaties and instruments.The Philippine is only of the few countries that do not allow divorce.While we allow annulment and declaration of nullity, the grounds of such dissolution of marriage is very narrow and limited and involve a very tedious and costly legal process.On the other hand. Legal separation does not dissolve marital obligation, but only allows a separation of property and living conditions leading the couples still bound by their vows, “ang sabi ni 4th District Negros Oriental Juliet Ferrer.
Paliwanag ni Ferrer ang annulment ay mahal at maprosesong paraan ng pagpapawalang bisa ng kasal at limitado ang grounds upang ito ay payagan ng husgado.Samantalang ang legal separation ay hindi naman nagpapawalang bisa ng kasal, mas pagpayag lamana aniya ito na maghiwalay ng tahanan at mga ari arian ang mga mag asawang hindi na nagkakasundo.
“This would emancipate all Filipino women who are trapped in abusive and failed marriages.Freeing them from domestic violence, physical, emotional, and economic abuse and other harmful behavior commonly experienced by them.It will empower women to become more independent,promote their mental health, and personal growth, and lead to wholistic improvement of their well being.This will also spare the children of failed marriages the horrors and drama of domestic violence or living on an unhappy home,”sabi ni Ferrer.
Ayon naman kay Gabriela Partylist Representative Arlene Brosas sila ay nanawagan na ipasa ang batas na ito mula pa ng 2005 sa kadahilanang marami nang kababaihan ang nagtitiis sa pang- aabuso sa kanila ng kanilang kabiyak.
Giit naman ni Lagman walang limit sa isang indibidwal na gustong i-avail ang divorce.”There is no limit to the number of divorces a person may secure…It is hard to make that limitation.Because it could be really the unfortunate lack of spouse to enter into a second marriage, where is again the victim of cruelty, abandonement, or inifidelity,So another chance would be given to her,And we are not limiting the number of divorces spouses can file, provided, there is a valid cause under the law,”ayon kay Lagman.
Hindi rin anya kabilang sa inilagay nilang provision sa naturang panukalang batas ang tinatawag na “no-fault divorce” na isang uri ng divorce sa ibang bansa kung saan ang mga mag asawa ay maaaring mag-divorce kahit wala silang tinutukoy na maling dahilan o seryosong ground upang mapawalang bisa ang kasal.Giit ni Lagman mayroong mga seryosong ground na magiging basehan kung bakit kailangan payagan ang divorce ng magkabiyak.
Tiniyak ni Lagman na sa naturang panukalang batas, ang grounds sa absolute divorce ay “well defined” at may mga “elements” na kailangang ikonsidera ang korte bago ito payagan.
Ang kanyang pagpapaliwanag ay bunsod ng agam agam ni 3rd District of Nueva Ecija Rossana “Ria” Vergara na baka isama ang ‘no fault divorce’ sa isinusulong na divorce ng ilang mambabatas sa Kamara.
Ma.Luisa Macabuhay-Garcia
