Could someone automatically remarry after being separated, or when the other spouse had been “absent”, for several years? There are a number of questions along this line that were posted in the Forum. While there’s already an initial discussion on this, the question keeps cropping up, so let’s put this issue to rest once and for all.
The confusion appears to be based on Article 83 of the Civil Code, which reads:
Art. 83. Any marriage subsequently contracted by any person during the lifetime of the first spouse of such person with any other person other than such first spouse shall be illegal and void from its performance, unless:
xxx(2) The first spouse had been absent for seven consecutive years at the time of the second marriage without the spouse present having news of the absentee being alive, or if the absentee, though he has been absent for less than seven years, is generally considered as dead and believed to be so by the spouse present at the time of the contracting such subsequent marriage, or if the absentee is presumed dead according to articles 390 and 391. The marriage so contracted shall be valid in any of the three cases until declared null and void by a competent court.
If you stumbled on this provision, you may have this idea that a spouse can remarry even without securing a judicial declaration of presumptive death. In other words, there is NO need to go to court and it’s enough that any of the following circumstances is present: (a) there be no news that such absentee is still alive; (b) the absentee is generally considered to be dead and believed to be so by the spouse present; and (c) the absentee is presumed dead under Article 390 and 391 of the Civil Code.
This understanding would have been correct, except that Article 83 of the Civil Code was superseded by the Family Code, which now provides:
Art. 41. A marriage contracted by any person during the subsistence of a previous marriage shall be null and void, unless before the celebration of the subsequent marriage, the prior spouse had been absent for four consecutive years and the spouse present had a well-founded belief that the absent spouse was already dead. In case of disappearance where there is danger of death under the circumstances set forth in the provision of Article 391 of the Civil Code, an absence of only two years shall be sufficient.
For the purpose of contracting the subsequent marriage under the preceding paragraph, the spouse present must institute a summary proceeding as provided in this Code for the declaration of presumptive death of the absentee, without prejudice to the effect of reappearance of the absent spouse.
As the law now stands, a married person must, for purposes of remarriage, file the necessary action in court and ask for a declaration of presumptive death of the “absent” spouse. The crucial differences under the Civil Code and Family Code provisions are:
1. Under the Family Code, the time required for the presumption to arise has been shortened to 4 years.
2. Under the Family Code, there is need for a judicial declaration of presumptive death to enable the spouse present to remarry.
3. Under the Family Code, a stricter standard is imposed: there must be a “well founded belief” that the absentee is already dead before a petition for declaration of presumptive death can be granted. A married person must conduct a search for his missing spouse with such diligence as to give rise to a “well-founded belief” that he/she is dead.
If you need an extended discussion on declaration of presumptive death, please click here to read the previous article entitled: “Presumptive death of a spouse for subsequent marriage.” On the other hand, just to be clear: no matter how long a spouse is “absent”, the present spouse CANNOT remarry unless there is a judicial declaration of presumptive death. (Reference: Republic vs. Nolasco, G.R. No. 94053, 17 March 1993)
How do I apply for a judicial declaration of assumptive death of a spouse?
Hello Sir,
My Girlfriend and I were living together for 3 years in the same house and had 2 children but not legally married until February 14. 2009 we got married.
On Feb.28, 2009 I went to Saudi Arabia to work then my wife committed adultery and as a result gave birth to a child last 2011 of November.
As I came home January of 2012 we talk and agreed to live separately for she is having a new live-in partner not the one who impregnated her.
My question is:
1. Can I still file an Adultery case to her for i saw on facebook account all her malicious acts together with her new live-in partner?
2. Can I File an Annulment case with this situation?
hello.. kinasal po ako nung 2004 and naghiwalay po kmi nung 2005 .. pero wala po kming anak. and nung 2009 nkipag live in po ako at nagkron ng anak nung 2010.till now magkasama at mag 3 n po anak namin ng live in partner ko.. and nagpaplano n magpakasal sa 2016..
tanong ko lang po kung pede n po v ako magpakasal. sa ka live in ko khit kasal ako sa una..
hindi po kmi legal seperated.. at hndi ko n rin po alam kung nsan n sya ngaun..paano at anu po ang dapat kong gawin.. wala rin nman po akong sapat n pera para magpa-anull..
sana po matulungan nyo ako.. salamat po..
Good day pwd po magtanong almost 7 years n po ako ksal sa aswa ko. Then I become Muslim and also almost 6 years n kmi hiwalay for lost communication. And he his Christian. Ask no po Kung may possibility na makapag asawa ako ng Muslim din. Kc as shariah law pwd po mawalan ng bisa ang kasal ko. Kc christian ung. Ex ko
Please reply
Good afternoon po..hiwalay po aq sa X husband ko since 2008.May pmilya na po xang bago ngaun.Kung tutuusin po mula po ng mghwlay kmi kulang po ung suporta nia sa anak nmn at hnggang sa umabot na s Punto na wala na Syang suporta sa anak nmn.Gusto ko po mpwlang bisa ung kasal namin.Ano po b mga dpt gawin Pra mkpgfile ng legal seperation or anulment against him.at Para po. Maging malinaw sknya kung anu mga obligasyon nia sa anak nmn at ung mga grounded nia kpg naging null and void na ang kasal namin…since andto po sa Hongkong as ofw San po ba aq pd lumapit at mgconsult about my concern…SALmat po at umaasa po aq na mgkaron ng kasagutan ang concern ko po
Dear Sir,
Ako po ay halos 10 taon nang hiwalay sa asawa ko.. kasal po kmi sa simbahan. Pwde po b mapawalang bisa ang aming kasal… hiniwalayan q po sa kc nananakit po xa.. Tumakas lang ako nung panahon n un dahil n ri sa takot ko sa kanya…Pero bago po ako lumayas sa kanya nagpa medico legal p ako,katibayan n sinasaktan nya aq,, Ano po ang dapat kung gawin para mapawalang bisa ang aming kasal…
please give me an advice….
thank you…
Atty.
Im married in the year of april 16, 2004 but my hushband going back to california at april 29, 2004 and starting from june 2004 i heard that he had already another family there and he didnt give me a financial support to my kid . Im already separated for 11 yrs. What im going to do can i file a legal separation.
Dear Atty.
Valid po ba ang separation ng both party kung napagkasunduan nila at ng pamilya na maghiwalay sila. sa kultura po kase namin ganon po ang ginagawa, pinaguusapan at kapag nakapagkasunduan na hilaway na sila at kanyakanya na sila ng buhay. my papel daw po sila sa munisipyo kase dun daw sila nag apply ng marriage, pwede n po bang magkasal sila sa iba kahit verbal with the consent of parents and the oldest man in the family na naging tulay sa pagaasawa nila before.pwede po ba ang ganon?
atty fred 5 years na po kami hiwalay nang asawa ko wala po ako contact s kanya gusto po kamu pakasal nag bf ko pano po ba yon,hindo ko po alam ang gagawin ko po .pls hep me
Good day po , gusto ko po sa ang malaman po regarding sa married ko separated po ako almost 6years na po ako sa demonyo ko asawa, bothered wife po ako kaya hiniwalayan ko po ang demonyo. Ni anino po ng demonyo ko asawa hindi na po kami nagpakita at walang supports sa mga anak. Sa ngayon po me gusting magpakasal sa akin pero kasal po ako sa demonyo pero 6years na po kami Hindi nagkikita. Pwede po ba akong magpakasal olit kahit di dumaan sa court ang dati kong kasal kasi wala naman pong anino ang dati kong asawa. Sana po matulungan nyo ako . Thanks in advance po.
Umaasa sa inyong ka sagutan.
Hi atty, ask ko lng po what if hiwalay n for 10 years ung lalaki (kasal cla) for 10 years tapos nagkasundo n cla sa baranggay ng asawa nia n mga anak nlng nila ang habol ng lalaki, pde n po b mag asawa ulit ung lalaki.
thanks po
Hi po, i was applying for a fiancee visa last month, the embassy ask for a cenomar of my petitioner which happenned dual citizen po cya, i was calm getting his cenomar, unfortunately he lied to me kinasAl po pala cya last 1998, i ask him paano nangyari all his family members doesnt know or even mga kapit bahay namin di alam na kinasal cya ( live in po kasi kami for 4 yrs. na) and we are living in his parents house with one of his brother. Sabi nya after daw nung kasal nila di na cla nagkita after a year. But 8 years ago daw nagpunta dito sa bahay pero naki fiesta lang but didnt introduce as his wife since fix marriage daw po yun, ngYon na deny po visa dahil dyan., pwede po ba pa ki explain if mag file xa annulment mga ilang taon kaya ang aabutin nun.. Hindi po cya nagbibigay kahit minsan ng sustento sa babae.
Atty.fred ,hi po ksal po ako s una q aswa mtgal na po kmi hiwalay at di n ngsasama may kanya knya n po kmi buhay may anak po kmi 3 na sinusuporthan nmin,hiwlay n kmi 5 yrs n po, may kinaksama n po cya,ako nman po nagkaroon ng anak s akin kinaksma ngaun, japanese boyfriend ko ama cya ng anak ko, gusto ko po mkasal n po kmi, pwde po b nio ako matulungan ano dpt ko gwin mging legal lht, di po b ako pwde mdla ng boyfriend ko s japan ksma baby ko,, slmt po
GOOD DAY SIR,,
my problem is i have a bf,he is married have 5 children sa una nyang asawa…
they separated since 2012..coz the x wife have some other boys outthere..kaya po ganon
we plan for their annulment but when the x know about the annulment she said that she never sign the papers….sir what im going to do???do we have a chance na makasal kami???
thanks sir
Good day po! im separated for 3 years kinasal ako nung dec.26, 2012 knowing na hindi q po alam talaga na kasal po ako nalaman q lang po nitong may 02, 2015 na inirehistro po ang kasal q sa isang egyptian wala po ako naging katibayan nun o pinanghawakan po na lcr sinabi lng po skin ng kapatid ng dti q pong asawa “daw” na kumuha po aq ng nso marriage contract nagulat lang po aq kasi hindi q po inexpected un kasi hindi q po tlgah alam paano po yung gagawin q unang una wala na po kaming communication since ngabroad po aq sa middle east nung march 13, 2013 at wala na akong balita saknya since january 2013