FACTS:
27 years old Vicenta Escano who belong to a prominent
Filipino Family of Spanish ancestry got married on Feburary 24, 1948 with
Pastor Tenchavez, 32 years old engineer, and ex-army officer before Catholic
chaplain Lt. Moises Lavares. The marriage was a culmination of the love
affair of the couple and was duly registered in the local civil registry.
A certain Pacita Noel came to be their match-maker and go-between who had an
amorous relationship with Tenchavez as written by a San Carlos college student
where she and Vicenta are studying. Vicenta and Pastor are supposed to
renew their vows/ marriage in a church as suggested by Vicenta’s parents.
However after translating the said letter to Vicenta’s dad , he disagreed for a
new marriage. Vicenta continued leaving with her parents in Cebu while
Pastor went back to work in Manila.
Vicenta applied for a passport indicating that she was
single and when it was approved she left for the United States and filed a
complaint for divorce against Pastor which was later on approved and issued by
the Second Judicial Court of the State of Nevada. She then sought for the
annulment of her marriage to the Archbishop of Cebu. Vicenta married
Russell Leo Moran, an American, in Nevada and has begotten children. She
acquired citizenship on August 8, 1958. Petitioner filed a complaint
against Vicenta and her parents whom he alleged to have dissuaded Vicenta from
joining her husband.
ISSUE: Whether the divorce sought by Vicenta Escano is valid and binding upon
courts of the Philippines.
HELD:
Civil Code of the Philippines does not admit
divorce. Philippine courts cannot give recognition on foreign decrees of
absolute divorce between Filipino citizens because it would be a violation of
the Civil Code. Such grant would arise to discrimination in favor of rich
citizens who can afford divorce in foreign countries. The adulterous
relationship of Escano with her American husband is enough grounds for the
legal separation prayed by Tenchavez. In the eyes of Philippine laws,
Tenchavez and Escano are still married. A foreign divorce between
Filipinos sought and decreed is not entitled to recognition neither is the
marriage of the divorcee entitled to validity in the Philippines. Thus,
the desertion and securing of an invalid divorce decree by one spouse entitled
the other for damages.
WHEREFORE, the decision under appeal is hereby
modified as follows;
(1) Adjudging plaintiff-appellant Pastor Tenchavez
entitled to a decree of legal separation from defendant Vicenta F. Escaño;
(2) Sentencing defendant-appellee Vicenta Escaño to
pay plaintiff-appellant Tenchavez the amount of P25,000 for damages and
attorneys' fees;
(3) Sentencing appellant Pastor Tenchavez to pay the
appellee, Mamerto Escaño and the estate of his wife, the deceased Mena Escaño,
P5,000 by way of damages and attorneys' fees.
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