Pananagutan sa kasong bigamy ng isang Muslim convert

DR. PERSIDA V. RUEDA-ACOSTA / MAGTANONG KAY ATTORNEY

Dear Chief Acosta,

Muslim convert ang pinsan ko mula 1995. Ikinasal siya sa Kingdom of Saudi Arabia noong 2001. Nang siya ay mag­bakasyon sa Pilipinas noong 2015, may naki­lala siyang babae at nagpa­ka­sal sila agad nang walang pahintulot ninuman. Gayunman, hindi Muslim ang mga asawa ng aking pinsan. Nais kong mala­man kung maaari bang mapa­nagot ang pinsan ko sa kasong bigamy? — Ulysses

Dear Ulysses,

Sa kasong Atilano O. Nollora, Jr. vs. People of the Philippines (G.R. No. 191425, 7 September 2011) na siyang dinesisyunan ng Korte Suprema, sa panulat ni Mahistrado Antonio Carpio, ipinaliwanag ang Article 349 ng Revised Penal Code kung saan mahalagang mapatu­nayan na:

1. “That the offender has been legally married.

2. That the marriage has not been legally dissolved or, in case his or her spouse is absent, the absent spouse could not yet be presumed dead according to the Civil Code.

3. That he contracts a second or subsequent marriage.

4. That the second or subsequent marriage has all the essential requisites for validity.”

Sinabi rito na ang Muslim convert ay maaari pa ring mapanagot sa kasong bigamy dahil:

“Article 13(2) of the Code of Muslim Personal Laws states that [i]n case of a marriage between a Muslim and a non-Muslim, solemnized not in accordance with Muslim law or this Code, the [Family Code of the Philippines, or Executive Order No. 209, in lieu of the Civil Code of the Philippines] shall apply. Nolloras religious affiliation is not an issue here. Neither is the claim that Nolloras marriages were solemnized according to Muslim law. Thus, regardless of his professed religion, Nollora cannot claim exemption from liability for the crime of bigamy.” [Binigyang-diin]

Binigyang-sipi rin ng Kataas-taasang Hukuman ang naging dahilan ng Regional Trial Court (RTC) upang ma-convict ang akusado sa kaso kung saan sinabi na:

“The principle in Islam is that monogamy is the general rule and polygamy is allowed only to meet urgent needs. Only with the permission of the court can a Muslim be permitted to have a second wife subject to certain requirements.

xxx xxx xxx

What is clear, therefore, is [that] a Muslim is not given an unbridled right to just marry anybody the second, third or fourth time. There are requirements that the Sharia law imposes, that is, he should have notified the Sharia Court where his family resides so that copy of said notice should be furnished to the first wife. The argument that notice to the first wife is not required since she is not a Muslim is of no moment. This obligation to notify the said court rests upon accused Atilano Nollora, Jr. It is not for him to interpret the Sharia law. It is the Sharia Court that has this authority.” [Binig­yang-diin, inialis ang mga citation.]

Hindi sapat na dahilan ang pagiging Muslim convert upang magkaroon ng mara­ming asawa ang isang tao. Mayroong requirements ang batas na nagbibigay-kapang­yarihan sa ating mga kapatid na Muslim para legal nilang mapangasiwaan ang higit sa isang asawa. Sa kadahilanang hindi sumunod ang inyong pinsan sa mga nabanggit na mga panuntunan, maaaring siya ay mapanagot sa kasong bigamy.

Nawa ay nasagot namin ang inyong mga katanungan. Nais naming ipaalala sa inyo na ang opinyong ito ay nakabase sa inyong mga naisalaysay sa inyong liham at sa pagkakaintindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang impormasyon na ibibigay. Mas mainam kung personal kayong sasangguni sa isang abogado.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.