It’s hardly surprising that divorce is a popular topic and among the top internet searches. There’s a lot of people just waiting for the right opportunity to end their respective marriages. The reasons are diverse – physical abuse (against the spouse and/or the children), sexual infidelity, irreconcilable differences and conflicting personalities, gross irresponsibility, loss (and transfer) of affection, among others.

Unfortunately, these grounds are not enough to severe the marital bond though annulment. On the other hand, divorce is not allowed for Filipinos – wherever they are in the world. For more explanation, click here.

Let us complicate matters.

What if a Filipino gets married to a foreigner and the foreigner secures a divorce? Is that divorce valid? Would it make a difference if the foreigner-spouse files for divorce here in the Philippines, and not abroad? Would it also make any difference if the Filipino spouse, instead of the foreigner, is the one filing for divorce? (The answer is found in the comments in this post)

While divorce is not allowed, annulment is recognized in the Philippines. Is this merely a play of words? Is annulmentĀ simply another term for divorceĀ?

What if the woman is a Philippine citizen, will she lose her Philippine citizenship if she marries a foreigner? If she does, will this mean that she can now ask for divorce if allowed in the country of her husband?

What if a Filipino gets married, then becomes a citizen of another country, and seeks a divorce? Is that divorce valid? (The answer is found here)

What is the effect, if any, of the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003 (Republic Act No. 9225), wherein Philippine citizens can retain (or re-acquire) their Philippine citizenship despite becoming a citizen of another country through naturalization? (The discussion is found here)

Allow me to stop myself here; life is too complicated by itself. Anyway, last year, party-list representative Liza Masa of Gabriela filed a divorce bill. The bill had a rough sailing in Congress, although it’s a good thing that the divorce bill rekindled the debate in this predominantly Catholic country.

However, I don’t see any divorce bill passed into law in the near future. Now, if you’re the sponsor of the divorce bill, how would you defend it?

Related posts: