De Castro vs. Assidao-De Castro 545 SCRA 162, February 13, 2008
De Castro vs. Assidao-De Castro 545 SCRA 162, February 13, 2008
De Castro vs. Assidao-De Castro 545 SCRA 162, February 13, 2008
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G.R. No. 160172. February 13, 2008.
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* SECOND DIVISION.
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TINGA, J.:
1
This is a petition for review of the Decision
2
of the Court of
Appeals in CA-GR CV. No. 69166, declaring that (1)
Reianna Tricia A. De Castro is the legitimate child of the
petitioner; and (2) that the marriage between petitioner
and respondent is valid until properly nullified by a
competent court in a proceeding instituted for that purpose.
The facts of the case, as culled from the records, follow.
Petitioner and respondent met and became sweethearts
in 1991. They planned to get married, thus they applied for
a marriage license with the Office of the Civil Registrar of
Pasig City in September 1994. They had their first sexual
relation sometime in October 1994, and had regularly
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and wife for at least five years. The couple got married on
the same date, with Judge Jose C. Bernabe, presiding judge
of the Metropolitan Trial Court of Pasig City,
administering the civil rites. Nevertheless, after the
ceremony, petitioner and respondent went back to their
respective homes and did not live together as husband and
wife.
On 13 November 1995, respondent gave birth to a child
named Reinna Tricia A. De Castro. Since the child’s birth,
respondent has been the one supporting her out of her
income as a government dentist and from her private
practice.
On 4 June 1998, respondent filed a complaint for
support against petitioner 3before the Regional Trial Court
of Pasig City (trial court). In her complaint, respondent
alleged that she is married to petitioner and that the latter
has “reneged on his responsibility/obligation to financially
4
support her “as his wife and Reinna Tricia as his child.”
Petitioner denied that he is married to respondent,
claiming that their marriage is void ab initio since the
marriage was facilitated by a fake affidavit; and that he
was merely prevailed upon by respondent to sign the
marriage contract to save her from embarrassment and
possible administrative prosecution due to her pregnant
state; and that he was not able to get parental advice from
his parents before he got married. He also averred that
they never lived together as husband and wife and that he
has never seen nor acknowledged the child.5
In its Decision dated 16 October 2000, the trial court
ruled that the marriage between petitioner and respondent
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6 Id., at p. 37.
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voluntarily entered into by petitioner and respondent. The
dispositive portion of the decision reads:
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7 Id., at p. 40.
8 Rollo, p. 41.
9 Id., at pp. 43-44; Resolution dated 1 October 2003.
10 Id., at pp. 15-20.
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support. Citing several authorities, petitioner claims that
a void marriage can be the subject of a collateral attack.
Thus, there is no necessity to institute another
independent proceeding for the declaration of nullity of the
marriage between the parties. The refiling of another case
for declaration of nullity where the same evidence and
parties would be presented would entail enormous
expenses and anxieties, would be time-consuming for the 12
parties, and would increase the burden of the courts.
Finally, petitioner claims that in view of the nullity of his
marriage with respondent and his vigorous denial of the
child’s paternity and filiation, the Court of Appeals gravely
erred in declaring the child as his legitimate child.
In a resolution dated 16 February 2004, the Court
required respondent and the Office of the Solicitor General
13
(OSG) to file their respective
14
comments on the petition.
In her Comment, respondent claims that the instant
petition is a mere dilatory tactic to thwart the finality of
the decision of the Court of Appeals. Echoing the findings
and rulings of the appellate court, she argues that the
legitimacy of their marriage cannot be attacked
collaterally, but can only be repudiated or contested in a
direct suit specifically brought for that purpose. With
regard to the filiation of her child, she pointed out that
compared to her candid and straightforward testimony,
petitioner was uncertain, if not evasive in answering
questions about their sexual encounters. Moreover, she
adds that despite the challenge from her and from the trial
court, petitioner strongly objected to being 15
subjected to
DNA testing to prove paternity and filiation.
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13 Id., at p. 135.
14 Id., at pp. 119-126.
15 Id., at pp. 139-144.
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For its part, the OSG avers that the Court of Appeals erred
in holding that it was improper for the trial court to declare
null and void the marriage of petitioner and respondent in
the action16
for support. Citing the case of Niñal v.
Bayadog, it states that courts may pass upon the validity
of a marriage in an action for support, since the right to
support from petitioner hinges on the existence of a valid
marriage. Moreover, the evidence presented during the
proceedings in the trial court showed that the marriage
between petitioner and respondent was solemnized without
a marriage license, and that their affidavit (of a man and
woman who have lived together and exclusively with each
other as husband and wife for at least five years) was false.
Thus, it concludes the trial court correctly held that the 17
marriage between petitioner and respondent is not valid.
In addition, the OSG agrees with the findings of the trial
court that the child is an18illegitimate child of petitioner and
thus entitled to support.
Two key issues are presented before us. First, whether
the trial court had the jurisdiction to determine the validity
of the marriage between petitioner and respondent in an
action for support and second, whether the child is the
daughter of petitioner.
Anent the first issue, the Court holds that the trial court
had jurisdiction to determine the validity of the marriage
between petitioner and respondent. The 19
validity of a void
marriage may be collaterally attacked. Thus, in Niñal v.
Bayadog, we held:
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20 Niñal v. Bayadog, 384 Phil. 661, 675; 328 SCRA 122, 136 (2000).
21 Cariño v. Cariño, 403 Phil. 861; 351 SCRA 127 (2001).
22 Id., at p. 132.
23 FAMILY CODE, Art. 4.
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they had been living together for more than five years.
However, respondent herself in effect admitted the falsity
of the affidavit when she was asked during cross-
examination, thus—
ATTY. CARPIO:
Q But despite of (sic) the fact that you have not been living
together as husband and wife for the last five years on
or before March 13, 1995, you signed the Affidavit, is
that correct?
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A Yes, sir.
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Art. 34. No license shall be necessary for the marriage of a man and woman who
have lived together as husband and wife for at least five years and without any
legal impediment to marry each other. The contracting parties shall state the
foregoing facts in an affidavit before any person authorized by law to administer
oaths. The solemnizing officer shall also state under oath that he ascertained the
qualifications of the contracting parties and found no legal impediment to the
marriage.
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In the book Handbook on the Family Code of the Philippines by Alicia V. Sempio-
Diy, p. 246 (1988), the following were given as examples of “other means allowed
by the Rules of Court and special laws:” (a) the baptismal certificate of the child;
(b) a judicial admission; (c) the family bible wherein the name of the child is
entered; (d) common reputation respecting pedigree; (e) admission by silence; (f)
testimonies of witnesses; and (g) other kinds of proof admissible under Rule 130.
29 Records, p. 6.
30 Id., at p. 160.
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