Agnes Escudero says divorce favor the ‘bitter’ ones; Ernesto Arellano says it will destroy the republic

Senatorial candidate Agnes Escudero questioned the aim of proposals seeking to legalize divorce, saying that such measure is only for those who turned ‘bitter’ about their relationship.

“Bakit tayo gagawa ng mga batas para sa mga bitter na tao? Dapat gumawa tayo ng batas para sa pagpapatatag ng pamilya. Dapat bigyan ng incentive ang mag-asawa na 25 years, 50 years ng kasal, dahil mahirap na humanap ng forever,” Escudero, a teacher by profession, said during the Debate 2019: The GMA Senatorial Faceoff.

“Kailangan magkaroon ng seminars on good parenting, and being a [good] husband or wife,” Escudero added.

But for lawyer Ernesto Arellano, keeping the family together even if the husband and wife refuse to see each eye to eye and even hurt each other physically is not the best option.

“A strong republic is based on a strong family unit. Dun sa mag-asawang kalmutan ang almusal, tanghalian at hapunan, ang solusyon ay divorce. Kung kalmutan ang almusal, tanghalian at hapunan, paano magkakaroon ng malusog na environment para sa isang matatag na pamilya?,” Arellano said.

“Hindi porket nag-divorce ang magulang ay mawawala na ang good moral values ng pamilya,” Arellano added.

The Philippines, where at least 80 percent of the population is Catholic, is the only country in the world where divorce is illegal, aside from Vatican City , which is the seat of Catholic faith.

Philippine laws, however, allows annulment or voiding of marriage.

Divorce advocates, however, view the grounds of annulment as too stringent which prevents women suffering from domestic violence from getting out of the abusive marriage. —LDF, GMA News