Politics · Philippines Bureau
Supreme Court Voids Marriage Over Falsified Cohabitation Claims
The Philippines Supreme Court has ruled that falsified proof of cohabitation can serve as grounds for nullifying an unlicensed marriage. The decision emerged from a case involving a couple from Antique province.
LSN Philippines ·
The Supreme Court has determined that marriages solemnized without a license may be declared void ab initio when the required affidavit of cohabitation is fraudulently executed, according to a ruling made public this week.
In the case involving an Antique couple, the high tribunal found that the falsely prepared cohabitation affidavit rendered the marriage invalid from its inception. The decision clarifies the legal consequences of submitting false documentary evidence in cases where couples seek to marry without obtaining the required marriage license.
The ruling reinforces the importance of accurate documentation in marriage proceedings under Philippine law. Cohabitation affidavits are typically required in certain circumstances where couples claim to have lived together as husband and wife for at least five years before solemnizing their union.
The Supreme Court's pronouncement provides guidance to lower courts handling similar marriage nullification cases and underscores the Court's position that marriages cannot be validated through fraudulent means, regardless of other circumstances surrounding the union.