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The Supreme Court building in Padre Faura, Manila on Aug. 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA –  The Supreme Court has ruled that “decades-long” absence from the marital home by an individual could be deemed as evidence to prove psychological incapacity in marital obligations.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In a decision promulgated on April 17, 2024, the high court granted the petition of Leonora Dela Cruz-Lanuza against her husband Alfredo Lanuza, Jr. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The couple got married in 1984 and separated after ten years after Alfredo’s behavior changed</span><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/05/31/23/we-want-to-be-free-filipinos-demand-right-to-divorce">&#x27;We want to be free&#x27;: Filipinos demand right to divorce</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">He also refused to provide financial support to his family and married several women after the separation. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Leonora filed a petition to nullify their marriage but was denied both at the Regional Trial Court and Court of Appeals levels.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Supreme Court however ruled that their marriage was void because of Alfredo’s long absence from his marital home which showed psychological incapacity and made him unable to fulfill his marital duties.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/27/chiz-says-house-approved-divorce-bill-not-affordable-to-the-poor-1411">Chiz says House-approved divorce bill not affordable for the poor</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The high court noted that under Article 68 of the Family Code, spouses are obliged to live together, observe mutual love, respect and fidelity and render mutual help and support.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Respondent’s infidelity, failure to give support to his wife and children, and unjustified absence from his family are all indicative that he is not cognizant of the duties and responsibilities of a husband and father,” the court said in the decision penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/7/catholic-research-center-on-divorce-abusive-marriages-are-not-sacramental-at-all-1733">Catholic research center on divorce: &#x27;Abusive marriages are not sacramental at all&#x27;</a></span><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/11/cbcp-insists-stance-vs-divorce-but-admits-it-can-only-propose-not-impose-2045">CBCP insists stance vs divorce but admits it can only propose, not impose</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The court also noted in the decision that it was clear that Alfredo’s “personality disorder” developed from his childhood and is correlated to his inability to fulfill his obligations as a husband and father. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The court further noted that his disorder appears to have been caused by how he was raised by his family as he was deprived of appropriate parental supervision and the leniency of his parents encouraged him to be “extremely assertive.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“His psychological incapacity developed during his formative years and existed prior to his marriage to petitioner,” the court said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/28/escudero-sees-path-forward-for-divorce-proponents-in-senate-1527">Escudero sees path forward for divorce proponents in Senate</a> </span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></div>

<p>The Supreme Court has ruled that “decades-long” absence from the marital home by an individual could be deemed as evidence to prove psychological incapacity in marital obligations.</p>

The Supreme Court has ruled that “decades-long” absence from the marital home by an individual could be deemed as evidence to prove psychological incapacity in marital obligations.

SC says unjustified absence from home may be considered ground to void marriage

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SC says unjustified absence from home may be considered ground to void marriage

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 29, 2024 11:09 AM PHT

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Updated February 17, 2025 05:47 PM PHT

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