Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Sy vs. Court of Appeals
Sy vs. Court of Appeals
SECOND DIVISION.
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551
CA Records, at 51-59.
552
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3 Id.
553
10
554
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4
555
reiterated the finding of the trial court that the couples marital
problems surfaced only in 1983, or almost ten years from the date of
the celebration of their marriage. And prior to their separation in
1983, they were living together harmoniously. Thus, the Court of
Appeals affirmed the judgment of the lower court which it found to
be in accordance with law and the evidence on record.18 Petitioner
filed a motion for reconsideration,19 which the Court of Appeals
denied in its resolution dated November 21, 1996.20
Hence, this appeal by certiorari21 wherein petitioner now raises
the following issues:
1.
1) WHETHER OR NOT THE HONORABLE COURT OF
APPEALS MANIFESTLY OVERLOOKED THE FACT
THAT ON THE DATE OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE
PARTIES MARRIAGE ON NOVEMBER 15, 1973, NOT
DISPUTED BY RESPONDENT FERNANDO, THERE WAS
NO MARRIAGE LICENSE THERETO;
2.
2) WHETHER OR NOT THE HONORABLE COURT OF
APPEALS COMMITTED MISAPPREHENSION OF FACTS
BY STATING THAT THE GROUNDS RELIED UPON BY
APPELLANT [herein petitioner] DO NOT CONSTITUTE
PSYCHOLOGICAL INCAPACITY AS WOULD JUSTIFY
NULLIFICATION OF HER MARRIAGE TO APPELLEE
[herein respondent];
3.
3) WHETHER OR NOT THE HONORABLE COURT OF
APPEALS COMMITTED MISAPPREHENSION OF FACTS
BY STATING THAT APPELLANT FAILED TO SHOW
THAT THE ALLEGED UNDESIRABLE ACTUATIONS OF
APPELLEE HAD EX_______________
Id. at 59.
Id. at 60-64.
20 Id. at 76.
21 Rollo, pp. 10-55.
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19
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1.
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FILIPINA SY:
Yes, Sir.
November 15, 1973, also appears as the date of marriage of the
parents in both their sons and daughters birth certificates which are
also attached as Annexes B and C in the petition for declaration
of absolute nullity of marriage before the trial court, and thereafter
marked as Exhibits B and C in the course of the trial.29 These
pieces of evidence on record plainly and indubitably show that on
the day of the marriage ceremony, there was no marriage license. A
marriage license is a formal requirement; its absence renders the
marriage void ab initio. In addition, the marriage contract shows that
the marriage license, numbered 6237519, was issued in Carmona,
Cavite, yet, neither petitioner nor private respondent ever resided in
Carmona.30
Carefully reviewing the documents and the pleadings on record,
we find that indeed petitioner did not expressly state in her petition
before the trial court that there was incongruity between the date of
the actual celebration of their marriage and the date of the issuance
of their marriage license. From the documents she presented, the
marriage license was issued on September 17, 1974, almost one year
after the ceremony took place on November 15, 1973. The
ineluctable conclusion is that the marriage was indeed contracted
without a marriage license. Nowhere do we find private respondent
denying these dates on record. Article 80 of the Civil Code31 is
_______________
Records, at 1 and 53.
28 TSN, 22 January 1993, p. 4.
29 Records, pp. 7 & 8; Exh. A, Rollo, p. 72.
30 Rollo, at 20.
31 Art. 80. The following marriages shall be void from the beginning:
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ART. 72. When one of the spouses neglects his or her duties to the conjugal
union or commits acts which tend to bring danger, dishonor or injury to the other or to
the family, the aggrieved party may apply to the court for relief.
ART. 73. Either spouse may exercise any legitimate profession, occupation,
business or activity without the consent of the other. The latter may object only on
valid, serious, and moral grounds.
In case of disagreement, the court shall decide whether or not:
1. (1) The objection is proper, and
2. (2) Benefit has accrued to the family prior to the objection or thereafter. If the
benefit accrued prior to the objection, the resulting obligation shall be
enforced against the separate property of the spouse who has not obtained
consent.
The foregoing provisions shall not prejudice the rights of creditors who acted in
good faith.
ART. 74. The property relations between husband and wife shall be governed in
the following order:
1. (1) By marriage settlements executed before the marriage;
2. (2) By the provisions of this Code; and
3. (3) By the local customs.
ART. 75. The future spouses may, in the marriage settlements, agree upon the
regime of absolute community, conjugal partnership of gains, complete separation of
property, or any other regime. In the absence of marriage settlements, or when the
regime agreed upon is void, the system of absolute community of property as
established in this Code shall govern.
ART. 76. In order that any modification in the marriage settlements may be valid,
it must be made before the celebration of the
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marriage, subject to the provisions of Articles 66, 67, 128, 135 and 136.
ART. 77. The marriage settlements and any modification thereof shall be in
writing, signed by the parties and executed before the celebration of the marriage.
They shall not prejudice third persons unless they are registered in the local civil
registry where the marriage contract is recorded as well as in the proper registries of
property.
ART. 78. A minor who according to law may contract marriage may also enter
into marriage settlements, but they shall be valid only if the persons designated in
Article 14 to give consent to the marriage are made parties to the agreement, subject
to the provisions of Title DC of this Code.
ART. 79. For the validity of any marriage settlements executed by a person upon
whom a sentence of civil interdiction has been pronounced or who is subject to any
other disability, it shall be indispensable for the guardian appointed by a competent
court to be made a party thereto.
33 See also Son vs. Son, 251 SCRA 556 (1995); Tison vs. CA, 276 SCRA 582
(1997); Quebral vs. CA, 252 SCRA 353 (1996).
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