PINURI ng Tingog party-list ang pag-usad ng panukala na kilalanin ng estado ang annulment na iginagawad ng Simbahan.

“On behalf of Tingog Party List, I’d like to thank the committee for its favorable action on House Bill (HB) 1593. This is a significant development that provides hope for an efficient and more affordable procedure to remedy the situation of couples trapped in an irreparable relationship,” sabi ni Rep. Jude Acidre, na kasama ni Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez bilang may-akda ng panukala.

Kasabay ang pag-apruba sa prinsipyo ng panukala, binuo ng House Committee on Population and Family Relations ang technical working group (TWG) upang pag-isahin ang mga panukala kaugnay ng civil recognition ng Church annulment.

Sa isinagawang pagdinig, ipinunto ni Acidre na kung kinikilala ng gobyerno ang pagkakasal ng simbahan makabubuti kung kikilalanin na rin nito ang annulment na binibigay ng mga relihiyon na kinikilala ng bansa.

Dahil hindi kinikilala ng gobyerno ang church annulment, ang nabigyan nito ay kailangang maghain pa ng civil annulment na lubhang magastos at matagal.

“This removes the burden of undergoing the civil annulment process. As a result, Catholics who have sought annulment in the Church should not anymore be ‘long oppressed by the darkness of doubt’ over whether their marriages already declared null and void should also be recognized as such by the State,” paliwanag ni Acidre.

Ang panukala ng mga kinatawan ng Tingog ay tugon din sa “Mitis Iudex Dominus lesus,” na inilabas ni Pope Francis upang maging simple ang proseso ng annulment sa Simbahang Katolika.

“If a marriage can be legitimately contracted under the laws of the Church, then it follows that under the same laws, such marriage can also be nullified or annulled,” sabi ng mga may-akda ng panukala.

“The Family Code of the Philippines recognizes as valid a marriage solemnized under the laws of the Church. If marriages so solemnized are recognized by the State, it is only proper that the very church that solemnized the marriage should also have the power to rule that attendant infirmity that rendered a marriage null and its effects binding on the State. This is also the same to all other established churches and religions,” punto pa ng mga may-akda.

Sa kasalukuyan ay kinikilala ng gobyerno ang Muslim divorce.