Ano ang kasong Bigamy? Paano sampahan ng kaso ang iyong asawa o ang pangalawang asawa? Una at Ikalawang kasal.

Jescelyn Del Rosario
is a Legal expert in the Philippines

Ako po ay humihingi ng dispensa na pag-uusapan ang paksang ito in English and Filipino dahil ako ay isang Cebuana.

Ang kasong ito ay karaniwang nangyayari sa pamilya ng mga OFWs. Ang pagpapakasal sa ibang bansa ng isang may asawa na ay hindi saklaw ng kasong bigamy dahil ang pangalawang kasal ay sa labas ng bansa. Ngunit kung uuwi ang dalawa at sila'y magsasama dito sa ating bansa sila ay maaring makasuhan ng Concubinage o Adultery. Sa maraming kadahilanan bihira lang naman ang naghahain ng ganitong kaso ngunit akoy naniniwala na makatutulong ang kaalaman tungkol dito para proteksiyonan ang inyong mga karapatan.

 Bigamy under Art. 349 of the Revised Penal Code is a criminal offense and it is punishable by prison mayor or  from 6 years and 1 day to 12 years.

 It is committed by a person legally married and he/she again contracted a second marriage:

- while the first marriage is still subsisting or undissolved; or (ang unang kasal ay existing at hindi pa na napawalang bisa ng korte)

- in the case of the absent spouse he/she could not be presumed dead according to law; and (Ang iyong asawa ay matagal ng nawawala at hindi pa nadeklara ng korte na Presumptively dead ayon sa batas.)

- that the second or subsequent marriage has all the essential requisites for validity. (Ang pangalawang pagpapakasal ay alinsunod naman sa batas dahil completo ang mga requirements.)

 

Kung alam mo na ang unang kasal mo ay void (walang-bisa)/voidable dahil sa ganitong mga kadahilanan:

- Kinasal ka o ang isa sa inyo sa kasal ninyo ay wala pang Eighteen (18) years of age;or

- Ang nagkasal sa inyo o solemnizing officer ay walang kapangyarihan ayon sa batas na magkasal maliban na lamang kon kayong dalawa o isa sa inyo ang naniniwala ng buong tapat na ang taong nagkasal sa inyo may legal na kapangyarihan;or

- Ang kasal ninyo ay walang marriage license or hindi kayo kumuha ng marriage license sa Local Civil Registrar unless exempted by law; or

- Maari ring ang iyong asawa ay Psychologically incapacitated para gampanan ang kanyang marital na obligasyon.

Ang lahat ng mga nabanggit at maraming iba pa ay nakasaaad batay sa ating Family Code ay magpapawalang bisa ng kasal ngunit nangangailangan ng Judicial declaration of nullity o Hudisyal na pagpapahayag na walang bisa ang inyong unang kasal bago ka magpakasal uli. Korte lang ang dapat magdesisyon sa status ng inyong kasal at hindi pwede ang mag asawa. Ang pagpapakasal sa ikalawang pagkakataon na walang Judicial Declaration of Nullity ay isang uri ng bigamy.

 

Death of the spouse on the other hand, can legally dissolve a first marriage without judicial intervention. Ibig sabihin nito ang pagkamatay ng asawa mo ay isang paraan na pagwawakas ng unang kasal.

Subalit ang ating batas ay may itinatag na Presumption of Death under ordinary circumstances which occurs after the absence or whereabouts being unknown for atleast four (4) consecutive years for purposes of remarriage under Art. 41 Family Code. Kagaya ng ordinaryong umalis ang asawa mo na hindi na muling nagpakita o kaya ay wala na kayong alam kon nasaan o anong nangyari na sa kanya.  After 4 years, kong gusto mong magpakasal sa iba, unang dapat mong gawin ang magfile ng summary proceeding sa korte for the declaration of the presumptive death of the absentee o para sa nawala mong asawa.

This kind of Presumption of Death is reduced to two (2) years if the disappearance is due to Art. 391 of the New Civil Code because there is danger of death of his disappearance. Nasa peligro talaga ang pagkawala ng asawa mo at malaki ang posibilidad na patay na sya kagaya na lang ng mga sumusunod:

- a person on board a vessel lost during a sea voyage, or an aeroplane which had been missing. (Kasali sya sa nalunod na barko or nawala sa kanyang paglalayag o kaya kasali sa bumagsak na eroplano at patuloy na nawawala.)

- a person who takes parts in war and a person who has been in danger of death under other circumstances who had been missing or her/his existence has not been known. (Kasali bilang sundalo or napasama sa delikadong pangyayari at patuloy pa ring nawawala.)

Mahigpit ng batas natin tungkol dito, kinakailangan na ang naiwang asawa na gustong magpadeklara ng Presumptive Death has a well-founded belief o may konkretong basihan na talagang namatay na ang kanyang asawa at ginawa na niya ang lahat ng paraan para mahanap pero wala na talagang impormasyon na makuha sa kanya.

“The law did not define what is meant by "well-founded belief." It depends upon the circumstances of each particular case. Its determination, so to speak, remains on a case-to-case basis. To be able to comply with this requirement, the present spouse must prove that his/her belief was the result of diligent and reasonable efforts and inquiries to locate the absent spouse and that based on these efforts and inquiries, he/she believes that under the circumstances, the absent spouse is already dead. It requires exertion of active effort (not a mere passive one).” (Republic v. Cantor, supra note 2 at 20, citing Republic v. Court of Appeals, 513 Phil. 391, 397-398 (2005)

 

This is the requirement before he/she can institute an action for the declaration of the presumptive death of the absentee and must obtain a favorable judgment from court before he/she can contract again a second marriage, without prejudice to the effect of reappearance of the absent spouse.

Ang mangyayari kasi if nadeklara na ang kanyang asawa na Presumptively Dead ang bigla niyang pagpapakita sa darating na panahon ay makaapekto sa pangalawang kasal. Automatic and pangalawang kasal na materminate by recording an affidavit of reappearance before the civil registry of the residence of the parties to the subsequent marriage after due notice to the spouses of the subsequent marriage at the resumption of the first marriage. (Article 42, Family Code). Kaya mahigpit ang batas dahil mapawalang bisa ang ikawalang kasal sa pamamagitan ng pagfile ng Affidavit of Reappearance.

 

Sino ang pwede maghain ng kasong Bigamy?

Maging sino sa una o pangalawang asawa ang biktima nito ang pwedeng maghain ng kaso. Magiging depensa naman ng ikalawang asawa na wala talaga siyang alam na kasal na pala ang lalaking pinakasalan din niya.

 Ang bigamy ay tinatawag na public offense ibig sabihin kahit pinatawad na ng asawa at walang balak na maghain ng kaso, maaring ang ibang tao na may alam sa ginawa mo ay siyang maghain laban sa iyo.

“It is immaterial whether it is the first or the second wife who initiates the action, for it is a public offense which can be denounced not only by the person affected thereby but even by a civic spirited citizen who may come to know the same. (People vs. Belen, C.A. 45 O.G., Supp, 5, 88)

Ngunit ang kasong bigamy ay hindi na pwede isampa pagkalipas ng ng Labin-limang (15) taon simula ng matuklasan ang pagpapakasal sa pangalawang beses ng asawa mo.

Ito ay isang simple at maikling pagtatalakay lamang kung ano ang bigamy at sana makatulong ang kaalamang ito.

 

About the author

Jescelyn Del Rosario

Legal Services and Litigation works Philippine/Foreign Paralegal Works Graduated AB Political Science and Bachelor of Laws at University of San Jose Recoletos-Cebu Completed Lawyers Trial Academy Training sponsored by IBP Cebu Chapter AIT-DOST Scholar at Cebu Institute of Technology
Profession: Lawyer
MJ Del Rosario Law Office and Associates
Office Address: Block 19, lot 26-27, Deca Homes, Talisay
Philippines , Talisay , Cebu

 

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Atty paano po kung iba yung apelyido ng lalaki sa unang kasal at stepfather niya din ang nakalagay sa papel dahil yun yung utos ng step father ng lalaki, pinilit lang ipakasal sa kanya ang 17 yearsold na babae nung 1995 at wala din silang marriage linsence biglaan lang kasi pinikot siya ng babae, wala din record sa psa ang tunay niyang pangalan ng kasal single pa din sa cenomar, pwede pa ba magpakasal ulit
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