OSG stops automatic appeal of annulment cases — Berberabe

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has stopped the automatic appeal of annulment cases granted by regional trial courts (RTCs), Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe told the Senate.

"Imbes na automatic appeal, mag-a-assess po kami. Naghahanap kami ng mga factors na karapat dapat lamang na i-appeal," Berberabe said during the OSG's budget hearing on Tuesday.

(Instead of an automatic appeal, we will conduct an assessment. We are looking for factors that are truly deserving of an appeal.)

Berberabe cited recent trends on talks of divorce and the "liberalized" interpretations of the Supreme Court (SC).

"Ngayon po, gawa na rin ng recent trend sa mga usapin po ng divorce, kung ano po 'yung mga liberalized interpretation as well by the SC, 'yung mga moves po sa legislature as well, marami na rin pong mga rulings na parang nile-liberalize po 'yung rules of evidence on separation, so ang ginagawa po namin ngayon sa OSG ay magkaroon ng determination, ng independent assessment muna," she said.

(Now, due to the recent trend on the issue of divorce, the liberalized interpretations by the SC, the moves in the legislature, and there have been many rulings that seem to liberalize the rules of evidence on separation. So what we are doing now at the OSG is to make a determination, an independent assessment first.)

She also said the move was also due to "limited resources" which would make it difficult to appeal all cases that are granted. 

According to Berberabe, 20% of the office's cases are marriage-related.

However, she said she could not yet give an estimate on how many annulment cases have been appealed by the OSG under her term.

In August, Berberabe expressed hope that Congress will pass legislation on divorce, saying it was an opportune time to revisit the Family Code. — VDV, GMA Integrated News