In 1987, Leoncio Melocoton married Jennifer Pring while still married to Susan Jimenez. In 2005, he sought to nullify his marriage to Pring, claiming bigamy. The Supreme Court upheld the marriage’s validity, ruling that Melocoton failed to prove his prior marriage was still subsisting during his marriage to Pring.
In Empuerto v. Cabrillos, the Supreme Court held that the Regional Trial Court’s (RTC’s) order containing certain terms compromise agreement between the parents of the child as to the latter’s custody cannot be considered a full-fledged provisional order awarding custody given that the father, Jeffrey, was not served with summons nor given the opportunity to file an answer. The Court remanded the case to the RTC for trial.
In Green v. Green, the Supreme Court declared the marriage between Jeffrey and Rowena Green void due to Rowena’s psychological incapacity. Evidence showed her pathological gambling, infidelity, dishonesty, and substantial debts, making her unable to fulfill marital obligations. The Court emphasized that psychological incapacity need not be a clinical diagnosis but must be proven through clear acts of dysfunctionality.
In Go v. Go and Republic, the Supreme Court upheld the nullification of the marriage of the Spouses Leilani and Hendrick Go under Article 36 of the Family Code. It gave credence to the testimony of both ordinary and expert witnesses in determining the existence and gravity of the mutual incompatibility and antagonism between the spouses.
In Tsutsumi v. Republic, the Supreme Court recognized a Japanese divorce between a Filipino and Japanese citizen. The Court accepted authenticated documents as sufficient proof of divorce and Japanese law, emphasizing procedural flexibility to ensure substantial justice in family matters.
The Supreme Court ruled that a donation of property between spouses during marriage is void under the Family Code. In Santos v. Santos, the donated property was considered part of their community property. This case emphasizes the prohibition on such donations to protect marital property and preserve equality between spouses.
