This case has been cited 2 times or more.
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2006-03-24 |
CARPIO MORALES, J. |
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| (2) The first spouse had been absent for seven consecutive years at the time of the second marriage without the spouse present having news of the absentee being alive, or if the absentee, though he has been absent for less than seven years, is generally considered as dead and believed to be so by the spouse present at the time of contracting such subsequent marriage, or if the absentee is presumed dead according to Articles 390 and 391. The marriage so contracted shall be valid in any of the three cases until declared null and void by a competent court. (Emphasis and underscoring supplied) Under the foregoing provision of the Civil Code, a subsequent marriage contracted during the lifetime of the first spouse is illegal and void ab initio unless the prior marriage is first annulled or dissolved or contracted under any of the three exceptional circumstances. It bears noting that the marriage under any of these exceptional cases is deemed valid "until declared null and void by a competent court." It follows that the onus probandi in these cases rests on the party assailing the second marriage. [44] | |||||
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2005-11-29 |
CALLEJO, SR., J. |
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| With the effectivity of the Family Code,[44] the period of seven years under the first paragraph of Article 390 of the Civil Code was reduced to four consecutive years. Thus, before the spouse present may contract a subsequent marriage, he or she must institute summary proceedings for the declaration of the presumptive death of the absentee spouse,[45] without prejudice to the effect of the reappearance of the absentee spouse. As explained by this Court in Armas v. Calisterio:[46] | |||||