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Divorce law possible before 17th Congress ends next year —Lagman


Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Sunday expressed confidence that the measures introducing divorce in the Philippines will be passed into law before the 17th Congress ends in 2019.

"Palagay ko bago magtapos ang 17th Congress, meron na tayong divorce [law]," Lagman said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

"Mas mabilis itong isabatas compared to the controversial reproductive health bill," he added.

Lagman is the head of the technical working group consolidating and discussing the measures filed to introduce divorce.

He said they intend to have the consolidated or substitute divorce bill approved in the plenary level before the International Women's Day this coming March.

"Ito ay pagbibigay ng diin na ang divorce bill ay pro-women legislation na higit pa sa mga kalalakihan ang mga asawang babae ay nangangailangan ng divorce bill sapagkat matagal na silang biktima ng failed marriages," he added.

He pointed out that one ground they are considering for absolute divorce is physical violence inflicted by the defendant upon the petitioner, in this case, the battered spouse.

In the existing Family Code, a ground for legal separation is repeated physical violence or grossly abusive conduct directed against the petitioner, a common child, or a child of the petitioner.

"[Ngayon], physical violence na lang. Sapagkat huwag mo naman bigyan ng masyadong pagsakripisyo ang isang asawang babae na halos araw-araw binubugbog," Lagman said.

Lagman added that there are provisions as regards custody and support for the children and their inheritance.

"The petitioner can submit a plan to the judge. Kung ang judge sasabihin na okay ang plano ninyo, then that will be approved by court." 

The Albay representative said they also excluded in the measure the terms "chronic differences or chronic unhappiness."

"Yung chronic unhappiness ay mahirap i-define, that's something esoteric na nilagay na lang namin doon sa irreconcilable differences," he said.

"Posibleng merong sukatan pero hindi pwedeng i-define completely sapagkat ang sabi ng Supreme Court, kapalit ng psychological incapacity, kapag yan ay dinefine ng Kongreso, posibleng may mga instances na hindi makasama sa definition." 

Faster, cheaper process

Likewise, Lagman noted that they are working to make the process of absolute divorce faster and cheaper.

"Kapag nag-file ng petition for absolute divorce, may tinatawag na six-month cooling off period, sapagkat binibigyan pa rin natin ng paraan o pag-asa na ma-reconcile yung mag-asawa. But after six months na wala na talagang pag-asa, itutuloy ang divorce proceedings." 

"Ngunit, kung ang ground is violence against the woman, walang cooling off period yan sapagkat baka parusahan nang parusahan yung asawang babae," he said.

Indigent litigants, meanwhile, will be excluded from paying filing fees and court fees under the proposed divorce bill.

"Kapag indigent litigant, hindi na siya magbabayad ng filing fees or court fees. Binibigyan namin ang husgado ng karapatan o authority na mag-appoint ng de officio counsel galing sa Integrated Bar [of the Philippines] o sa mga legal association upang mabawasan ang cost of fees," Lagman said.

CBCP opposition

Lagman believes that the Catholic Church is not entirely unsupportive of the divorce bill.

"Sila ay nakumbida, merong representative yung CBCP [Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines] sa aming mga pag-uusap. At kahit na sinasabi nila na sila ay tutol sa absolute divorce, inaamin naman nila na kahit ang Simbahan ay meron nang tinatawag na canonical nullification of a marriage," he said.

"Kaya I think hindi masyadong matindi ang opposition ng Catholic Church at yung ibang religious denominations." 

He likewise said that a divorce law will not encourage couples to ultimately end their marriage and opt not to work out the issues in the relationship.

"Ang experience sa mga bansa na meron nang divorce law ay hindi pinagsamantalahan ng mga spouses, at katunayan nga, yung mga countries sa Europe na may mga divorce decree ay bumababa pa nga yung application for divorce or yung instance of separation," the lawmaker said.

"Ito naman ay yung foundation ng marriage ay wala na kaya hindi natin sinisira ng foundation at binibigyan natin ng bagong pagkakataon ang mag-asawa at mabigyan ng proteksyon ang mga anak na talagang biktima ng marital conflict," he added.

According to him, the technical working group will meet again on Tuesday to discuss the bill which is expected to be approved by the mother committee on Wednesday, February 21.  —LBG, GMA News

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