ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | November 22, 2025
Dear Chief Acosta,
Binabalak ng nanay ko na maghain ng petisyon para maipawalang-bisa ang kasal nila ng tatay ko dahil psychologically incapacitated diumano ang tatay ko. Maaapektuhan ba ang estado naming magkapatid bilang kanilang mga lehitimong anak? -- Dawson
Dear Dawson,
Ang iyong katanungan ay nasagot sa kasong Republic of the Philippines vs. Linney Jean L. Tangarorang and Ramer R. Tangarorang, G.R. No. 272006, 05 Pebrero 2025, sa panulat ni Honorable Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez. Tinalakay dito ang epekto ng pagpapawalang-bisa ng kasal sa lehitimong estado ng kanilang mga anak:
“Thus, following Section 22 of A.M. No. 02-11-10-SC, a judicial declaration of nullity of marriage of the parents may incidentally result in the declaration of the child’s illegitimate status. This would not be considered a collateral attack, which has been frowned upon in Boquiren. x x x
Considering that ‘a void marriage is deemed never to have taken place at all [,]’ the nullity of the marriage, as a general rule, will make the child’s status illegitimate from conception. However, Article 54 of the Family Code provides for exceptions:
Art. 54. Children conceived or born before the judgment of annulment or absolute nullity of the marriage under Article 36 has become final and executory shall be considered legitimate. Children conceived or born of the subsequent marriage under Article 53 shall likewise be legitimate.
Based on the foregoing provision, there are two instances when children born outside of valid marriages would still be considered legitimate so that the declaration of nullity of marriage would not result in a change of their status: (1) when the parent/s is/are declared psychologically incapacitated under Article 36 of the Family Code; and (2) when the child is conceived or born of the subsequent marriage under Article 53 of the Family Code, but the parent/s has/have not complied with the requirements of Article 52 of the Family Code.”
Bilang isang pangkalahatang tuntunin, ang isang walang bisang kasal ay itinuturing na hindi kailanman naganap. Kasunod ng pagpapawalang-bisa sa kasal, ang lehitimong estado ng anak ay maaaring mababago.
Gayon pa man, at naaayon sa iyong kaso, malinaw na isinaad ng ating Korte Suprema na hindi naaapektuhan ang lehitimong estado ng anak kung ang batayan ng pagpapawalang-bisa ng kasal ng mga magulang ay psychological incapacity. Pinoprotektahan ng ating batas ang pagpapalagay ng lehitimong estado ng mga anak, na batay sa prinsipyo ng natural na hustisya.
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.
