A petition for annulment may be denied for a number of reasons (see Grounds for Annulment of Marriage). We’ve already discussed certain defenses, one of which is the expiration of the prescriptive period within which the petition should have been filed. A prescriptive period simply means that the petition based on a particular ground can no longer be filed beyond a given period. Of course, an action based on certain grounds, such as psychological incapacity, minority or other grounds for declaration of nullity, does not prescribe (see difference between annulment and declaration of nullity). Here are the prescriptive periods for each ground, as well as the person who is entitled to file the petition, as provided under Article 47 of the Family Code:
1. NO PARENTAL CONSENT
This covers anyone who was eighteen (18) or over, but below twenty-one (21) at the time of marriage, and the marriage was solemnized without the consent of the parents, guardian or person having substitute parental authority over the party.
| Who may file the action | Time frame |
| The spouse whose parent or guardian did not give his or her consent. | Within five years after attaining the age of twenty one (21). |
| The parent or guardian or person having legal charge of the minor. | At any time before his/her child reaches the age of twenty one (21). |
2. INSANITY
This means either party was of unsound mind, unless such party, after coming to reason, freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife.
| Who may file | Time frame |
| The sane spouse who had no knowledge of the other’s insanity; by any relative, guardian or person having legal charge of the insane. | Any time before the death of either party. |
| The insane spouse. | During a lucid interval or after regaining sanity. |
3. FRAUD
The consent of either party was obtained by fraud, unless such party afterwards, with full knowledge of the facts constituting the fraud, freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife.
| Who may file | Time frame |
| The injured party. | Within five (5 )years after the discovery of the fraud. |
4. FORCE
This covers a marriage where consent of either party was obtained by force, intimidation or undue influence, unless the same having disappeared or ceased, such party thereafter freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife.
| Who can file | Time frame |
| The injured party. | Within five (5) years from the time of the force, intimidation or undue influence disappeared or ceased. |
5. IMPOTENCE
This is a situation wherein either party was physically incapable of consummating the marriage with the other, and such incapacity continues and appears to be incurable.
| Who can file | Time frame |
| The injured party (the one who is not impotent). | Within five (5) years after the marriage. |
6. SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASE (STD)
Either party was afflicted with a sexually transmissible disease (STD) found to be serious and appears to be incurable.
| Who can file | Time frame |
| The injured party. | Within five (5) years after the marriage. |
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Browse through the comments below to check if your questions are similar to that of others. Other common issues are consolidated in Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Costs in seeking an Annulment, and other related posts. You can check the Related Posts at the bottom of each post.
- Extension of Filing Periods and Suspension of Hearings for March 29 to April 4, 2021: SC Administrative Circular No. 14-2021 (Full Text) - March 28, 2021
- ECQ Bubble for NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal: Resolution No. 106-A (Full Text) - March 27, 2021
- Guidelines on the Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplaces (Labor Advisory No. 3) - March 12, 2021
Atty,
I am married to a filipina who was already married. Cenomar was obtained due to a error in NSO system. Three cenomars ro be exact. These were obtained in Tacloban nso office even though nso manila had a certificate of marriage on exactly the same informaion, Name, date of birth, parents names. A check using SM Santa rosa produced a marriage certificate. Married in Bulacan to a Filipino four years ago
My question is can I file a petition for declaration of nullity of the marriage and how long will it take to become single again? What proof do I need.
Good Day Attorney!
I just like to ask if I can file a legal separation or annulment to my husband. Last Thrusday, nahuli ko sila ng kalaguyo niya sa parking lot ng workplace nila. Sa confrontation na yun, nasaktan niya ako. Ilang beses na rin po akong nasaktan lalo na kapag lasing siya. There are also times na nananakit siya infromt of our daughter.
For this grounds, is it better to file an annulment?
Thank you in advance!
Good morning po atty. Hingi po ako ng advise regarding sa situation namin ng fiancé ko.
Na meet ko po ang fiancé ko 5 years ago. Sinabi nya sakin umpisa pa lang nung niligawan nya ako na married sya pero nag cheat sa kanya ang wife nya at nagkaron ng anak sa ibang lalake. Nagtatrabaho po kasi sa USA ang fiancé ko kaya nagkaron ng karelasyon ang asawa nya na nasa pilipinas. Dahil sa pangyayaring yun, naghiwalay silang dalawa (totally walang connection/communication). Nag imbestiga ako sa hometown ng wife nya and na find out ko po na dalawa na po pala anak nung babae sa ibang lalake. Pati mga taong nakausap ko alam po nila ang nangyari sa fiancé ko at ng wife nya. Nabanggit din ng mga kamag anak ng babae sakin na gusto na rin nung wife ng fiancé ko na ipa annul ung kasal nila para mapakasalan nya ung lalakeng kinakasama nya ngayon.
Kahit po nasa America ang fiancé ko, wala po siyang naipon dahil nabaon po siya sa loan and credit cards nung sila pa ng wife nya. Wala pong sinisekreto sakin ang fiancé ko pati bank accounts nya binigay sakin ang password online kaya nachicheck ko din kung magkano lang talaga ang pera na natitira sa kanya, in short, sa tingin namin di po enough yung pera para mapa annul nya yung kasal nila.
Pero dahil po nagging American Citizen na sya ngayong taon, gusto na po nya akong kunin at dalhin sa America. Nag woworry po kami na dahil di pa annul ang kasal nila ng ex wife nya eh maging problema po namin yun pag kukunin na nya ako, baka nga po masilip ng embassy na kasal sya sa pilipinas.
Willing naman po yung asawa na I annul ang kasal nila ng fiancé ko ang problema lang namin kung magkano kaya (kahit estimated amount) po ang dapat naming ihanda para matuloy ang annulment nila. And since na both parties po eh nag aagree sa annulment, gano po katagal yung proseso?
Sana po matulungan nyo kami. Maraming salamat po atty.
Dear Atty,
I am a Filipina and I met my Filipino husband in UAE in Year 2007 and we got married in Dubai Consulate in 2009 . When he brought me home to his brother’s house I was not accepted and was forced to live alone in a rented room while my husband continued to stay with his brother. For 1-3 months we had communication but days passed and he just lost communication with me. I went to his work and his house but he doesn’t want to talk to me and he even changed his mobile number! Eventually I also lost interest in him. Im still here in Dubai and I heard that he is still here but have no contact since year 2009.
Can you please let me know if I can file an annulment in this case.
a pleasant day atty.
gusto ko lang po sanang malaman kung ok lang ba na magfile ako nang annulment complaint kahit wala na o hindi ko na makita at macontact yong dating husband ko na pinakasalan ko nagpakasal po ako noong 2007 sa isang foreigner pagkatapos ng ceremony binigyan nya ako nang 20,000php umuwi na po ako at walang honeymoon na naganap magmula noon hindi na po kami nagkita hanggang ngayong taong kasalukuyan may boyfriend po ako ngayon at nais na naming magpakasal subalit pagkuha ko po nang cenomar ko sa nso nakita ko po na nakaregister pala ang aking naunang kasal maaari po bang mainvalid ang nauna kong kasal? ano po kaya ang maganda kong gawin para maituloy namin ng aking boyfriend ang binabalak naming pagpapakasal umaasa po ako sa inyong advice maraming salamat po.
itatanong ko lang po sana….kung may posibilidad na ma annul ang kasal namin nang nanay nang anak ko…ikinasal po kami noong june 2012….isa po akong ofw…hindi na po kasi kami magkasundo….lagi na lang po pagdududa at mga salitang walang saysay ang madalas kong matangap sa kanya mula,tawag sa telepono at txt sa cell phone,at kung minsan may pagmamalaki pang pakikipaghiwalay….hindi na po magnda ang pang araw araw na gawain,sa mga salitang lagi kong tinatangap….sana po matulungan nio ako….salamat po!
dearest atty
I need your help I need yo annul my married to my ex husband were seperated for 15 years we font have communication since then until now I work hard for my kids I have 3 kids from him were married in municipality of mandaluyong
thanks
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Many thanks
for supplying this information.
Hi Atty. Fred, gusto ko lang pong mag share ng story and to ask na rin po ng advice. I found out last 2010 na nagkaron ng babae ang asawa ko pero pinatawad ko nung sinabi nya na iniwan nya na ito dahil sa sobrang pagmamahal ko sa kanya. Palagi sya nun umuuwi ng late, nakainom at pinapatayan ako ng CP kapag kasama (daw) ang barkada. After nun, naulit uli last December 2014 pero wala akong matinding proof. Nakikita ko lang na naka online ang girl sa CP nya (ibig sabihin alam nya ang username and pw ng girl o kaya naman nakikigamit ito sa kanya) and naconfirm ko nung may snapshot ang girl sa gallery ng phone nya during marathon last april 2015 and nagtag pa ito sa FB nya ng mga photos na magkasama sila. Pero syempre nagdeny ang husband ko. Since January paranoid na ako then stressed and I’m undergoing therapy simula June until now dahil nagkaron ako ng stress related na sakit. Sa madaling sabi, puro pagdududa lang ang hawak ko.
Kahit nakakahiya, isasama ko na din ang negative side ng story ko. Dahil sa sobrang inis ko sa husband ko, naghanap ako ng paraan para maexpress ko ang nasa loob ko dahil di ako makapag kwento sa mga kaibigan ko, pamilya and mga katrabaho. Ang nakuha kong libangan ay ang chat hanggang may makilala akong lalake na nagbigay sa akin ng importansya. Nagttxt kami ang naguusap sa phone not realizing na cheating na din ang ginagawa ko. After 3 days of chatting, texting and calling, there is this feeling na parang mahal mo na. People will not believe me but I felt it. Sinabi ko agad sa husband ko dahil ayoko magtago ng matagal, di ako sanay nang nagsisinungaling sa kanya. Sabi nya, di daw totoo ang nararamdaman ko, handa daw sya magbago. Kaya lang nung pinapili nya ako, pinili ko yung guy. Ewan ko ba pero siguro dahil binigyan ako importansya nung lalake kaya nahulog ang loob ko. Dun na sya nagwala. Tinawagan yung lalake, inaway. Kinuha username and password sa yahoo, gmail and other accnts ko, pumunta pa kami sa computer shop para pabuksan yung accnts then inisa-isa ang inbox habang pinapagalitan ako sa harap ng marami tao. I was abused verbally pero hinayaan ko kasi may kasalanan ako. 3 times nya rin ako nasampal dahil dun. Ang masakit pa dun pinaparinig nya sa 6 yr old daughter namin na nagaaway kami dahil sa lalake. Kaya sabi ng anak ko, ma wag ka na nga mag chat para di na kayo nag aaway ni papa. Simula din nun pinipilit nya ako makipagtalik sa kanya araw-araw and sinasabi nya na kailangan nya ako mabuntis para di ako makaalis.
The first day din na nag-away kami, di sya nakatulog. Habang tulog daw ako, iniisip nya kung ano gagawin sa akin, sasakalin ba o dadaganan ng unan. The second day, nilabasan nya na ako ng kutsilyo. Dun na talaga ako bumigay. Kahit anong tapang ang pinapakita ko, feeling ko talaga mapapatay ako.
After ilang weeks dahil na rin sa pakiusap ng husband ko, tinigil ko na ang communication ko dun sa guy pero yung feelings nandun pa din. Ang di lang maalis ay yung image ng husband ko na may hawak na kutsilyo sa harap ko. More than 1 month na po ang lumipas pero parang paulit ulit lang ang mga nangyayari. Sumbat at emotional at verbal abuse ang tinatanggap ko. Sabi nya kasi, pag nagkamali pa ako ilalayo nya anak namin.
Alam ko po may kasalanan din ako. Ask ko lang po kung ano pwede ko gawin to protect myself. May possibility po kasi na saktan nya ulit ako o pagbantaan ang buhay ko. Gusto ko sana umalis ng bahay dahil natatakot ako sa kanya kaya lang alam ko di nya ibibigay sa akin ang anak ko.
Dear Atty,
Good day, I hope you can give me advice in my situation.
I got married April 2006, even before we had our first child he is cheating on me and said that he only marry me because I got pregnant, so then he abandoned us after I gave birth and went abroad. As of now we have been separated for 9 yrs. I already filed an annulment a year ago, my ex- already signed my petition, but because of I am an OFW I cannot continue to process while I am here. I had my vacation from June til August this year,my attorney told me that she will help me to have my collision hearing, and another hearing after that, but then nothing happens. She said she cannot do anything about my case unless I stay in the Philippines to process and wait for the hearing schedule. I have my daughter with me, I cannot just leave my work. Some said it can be process without appearance because of my situation, but my atty is not that competent enough to undergo on that process. What will I do? I don’t want to wait forever for my annulment to get through. Can I change my attorney on this case, someone who can help me process my annulment even without appearance? She is my cousin, but she can’t give me any positive response whenever I ask her of this issue.
Thank you.