By Rio N. Araja
QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday urged lawmakers to pass a law that makes marriage annulment “universally accessible” to the poor.
Belmonte called on the legislators to craft laws simplifying the process of annulment and make the costs of court litigation more affordable, especially to the poor.
Under Article 45 of the Family Code, an annulment application has become “the pleasure of the rich” who have the financial capability to pay for expensive court and lawyers’ fees, she noted.
“Maybe, in my view, it would better if annulment or legal separation is universally accessible,” Belmonte said.
Because of the high costs of annulment, the vice mayor said married persons who have long wanted to get their marriage annulled or be granted legal separation are unable to do so and are trapped in their bad marriage.
“Rich or poor, many married couples tend to part ways. So, I think it is important that annulment is accessible to all, for as long as there are proper grounds for annulment,” she cited.
Belmonte clarified she does particularly promote annulment, legal separation or divorce, only that it should only be allowed on specific cases or legal grounds specified under the Family Code.
Last January, Congress passed on third and final reading House Bill 6779, which would give church-decreed annulment of marriage the same weight as a court-ordered annulment.