REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, petitioner, v.
THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS, respondents.
G.R. No. 159614. December 9, 2005.
Facts:
On March 29, 2001, Alan B. Alegro filed a petition in the Regional Trial Courtbfor the declaration of presumptive death of his wife, Rosalia “Lea” A. Julaton.
At the hearing, Alan adduced evidence that he and Lea were married on January 20, 1995 in Catbalogan, Samar. He testified that, on February 6, 1995, Lea arrived home late in the evening and he berated her for being always out of their house. He told her that if she enjoyed the life of a single person, it would be better for her to go back to her parents. Lea did not reply. Alan narrated that, when he reported for work the following day, Lea was still in the house, but when he arrived home later in the day, Lea was nowhere to be found. Alan thought that Lea merely went to her parents’ house in Bliss, Sto. Niño, Catbalogan, Samar. However, Lea did not return to their house anymore.
Alan further testified that, he inquired Lea’s whereabouts but to no avail.
Sometime in June 1995, he decided to go to Manila to look for Lea, but his mother asked him to leave after the town fiesta of Catbalogan, hoping that Lea may come home for the fiesta. Alan agreed. However, Lea did not show up. Alan then left for Manila on August 27, 1995. He went to a house in Navotas where Janeth, Lea’s friend, was staying. When asked where Lea was, Janeth told him that she had not seen her. He failed to find out Lea’s whereabouts despite his repeated talks with Janeth. Alan
decided to work as a part-time taxi driver. On his free time, he would look for Lea in the malls but still to no avail. He returned to Catbalogan in 1997 and again looked for his wife but failed.
On June 20, 2001, Alan reported Lea’s disappearance to the local police station. The police authorities issued an Alarm Notice on July 4, 2001. Alan also reported Lea’s disappearance to the National Bureau of Investigation on July 9, 2001.
On January 8, 2002, the court rendered judgment granting the petition.
The OSG appealed the decision to the Court of Appeals which rendered judgment on August 4, 2003, affirming the decision of the trial court.
Issue:
Whether or not the declaration of presumptive death of the wife is valid
Ruling:
No. In view of the summary nature of proceedings under Article 41 of the Family Code for the declaration of presumptive death of one’s spouse, the degree of due diligence set by the Court in locating the whereabouts of a missing spouse must be strictly complied with. It is the policy of the State to protect and strengthen the family as a basic social institution. Marriage is the foundation of the family. Since marriage is an inviolable social institution that the 1987 Constitution seeks to protect from dissolution at the whim of the parties. For respondent’s failure to prove that he had a well-founded belief that his wife is already dead and that he exerted the required amount of diligence in searching for his missing wife, the petition for declaration of presumptive death should have been denied by the trial court and the Honorable Court of Appeals. For the purpose of contracting the subsequent marriage, 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. The spouse present is, thus, burdened to prove that his spouse has been absent and that he has a well-founded belief that the absent spouse is already dead before the present spouse may contract a subsequent marriage. The law does not define what is meant by a well-grounded belief. Cuello Callon writes that “es menester que su creencia sea firme se funde en motivos racionales.” The Court finds and so holds that the respondent failed to prove that he had a well-founded belief, before he filed his petition in the trial court, that his spouse Rosalia “Lea” Julaton was already dead. The Decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed and set aside.
