Paghahain ng petisyon para sa declaration of presumptive death

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Oct. 17, 2024

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ikinasal ako kay X may 19 taon na ang nakararaan. Nangibang bansa siya at kalaunan ay hindi na umuwi sa akin. Sampung taon ang makalipas ay nakakilala ako ng lalaki na pumukaw muli sa aking puso, si Y, at kami ay nagpakasal. Nabalitaan ko na bumalik na ng bansa si X at mayroon na ring sarili niyang pamilya. Katunayan ay nakita ko sa CENOMAR na nakuha ko na siya ay ikinasal ding muli. Nitong nakaraang buwan lamang ay pumanaw na si Y. Nais kong makuha ang benepisyo bilang asawa ni Y ngunit hinihingian ako ng kanyang ahensya ng deklarasyon mula sa hukuman kaugnay sa presumptive death ng una kong asawa na si X. Maaari ba akong maghain sa hukuman ng petisyon para sa nasabing presumptive death? Sana ay malinawan ninyo ako. – Beverly

---

Dear Beverly,

Ang paghahain ng petisyon sa hukuman ng isang tao na mayroon nang asawa kaugnay sa presumptive death ng kanyang kabiyak ay nakasaad sa Artikulo 41 ng Family Code of the Philippines:

“Art. 41. A marriage contracted by any person during subsistence of a previous marriage shall be null and void, unless before the celebration of the subsequent marriage, the prior spouse had been absent for four consecutive years and the spouse present has a well-founded belief that the absent spouse was already dead. In case of disappearance where there is danger of death under the circumstances set forth in the provisions of Article 391 of the Civil Code, an absence of only two years shall be sufficient.

For the purpose of contracting the subsequent marriage under the preceding paragraph the spouse present must institute a summary proceeding as provided in this Code for the declaration of presumptive death of the absentee, without prejudice to the effect of reappearance of the absent spouse.” 

Subalit nais naming bigyang-diin na maaari lamang ihain sa hukuman ang naturang petisyon kung ang lahat ng mga sumusunod na rekisito ay mapatutunayan:

“Jurisprudence sets out four requisites for a grant of a petition for declaration of presumptive death under Article 41 of the Family Code: first, the absent spouse has been missing for four consecutive years, or two consecutive years if the disappearance occurred where there is danger of death under the circumstances laid down in Article 391 of the Civil Code; second, the present spouse wishes to remarry; third, the present spouse has a well-founded belief that the absentee is dead; and fourth, the present spouse files for a summary proceeding for the declaration of presumptive death of the absentee.” (Republic of the Philippines vs. Josephine Ponce-Pilapil, G.R. No. 219185, November 25, 2020, Ponente: Honorable Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando.) 

Sa sitwasyon na iyong nabanggit, ikinalulungkot naming ipaalam na hindi mo maaaring ihain ang Petition for Declaration of Presumptive Death ng iyong unang asawa na si X upang magamit sa pagkuha ng benepisyo para sa pagkamatay ng iyong ikalawang asawa na si Y. Bagaman matagal na hindi umuwi sa iyo si X at mayroon kang intesyon na magpakasal muli, sa katunayan ay pumasok ka nga sa ikalawang kasunduan ng kasal kay Y, hindi masasabi na present ang ikatlong rekisito – ang iyong well-founded belief na si X ay pumanaw na – sapagkat alam mo mismo na si X ay buhay pa, nakapag-asawa nang muli at mayroon nang sariling pamilya. Ang kawalan ng ikatlong rekisito na hinihingi sa paghahain ng naturang petisyon ay magsisilbing legal na balakid upang maihain mo ang nasabing petisyon sa hukuman.

Para sa higit na kalinawan, ipinaliwanag ng ating Korte Suprema kung ano ang kinakailangan at pakahulugan ng katagang well-founded belief:

“The well-founded belief in the absentee's death requires the present spouse to prove that his/her belief was the result of diligent and reasonable efforts to locate the absent spouse and that based on these efforts and inquiries, he/she believes that under the circumstances, the absent spouse is already dead.  It necessitates exertion of active effort (not a mere passive one). Mere absence of the spouse (even beyond the period required by law), lack of any news that the absentee spouse is still alive, mere failure to communicate, or general presumption of absence under the Civil Code would not suffice. The premise is that Article 41 of the Family Code places upon the present spouse the burden of complying with the stringent requirement of well-founded belief which can only be discharged upon a showing of proper and honest-to-goodness inquiries and efforts to ascertain not only the absent spouse’s whereabouts but, more importantly, whether the absent spouse is still alive or is already dead. (Emphasis supplied and citations omitted.)” (Republic vs. Ponce-Pilapil, id)

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.