'Divorce debate not over'

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Pia Cayetano said yesterday the debate on the introduction of a divorce law in the country is not yet over in spite of President Aquino’s recent statements on the issue.

Cayetano, who chairs the Senate committee on youth, women and family relations, said the issue of divorce deserves a healthy debate considering there are just as many people who favor the measure as those who are against it.

She said people should not jump to conclusions right away just because the President has said “divorce is a no-no.”

“People should not hastily jump to conclusions or second-guess President Aquino based on the brief statement he made on Thursday opposing the legalization of divorce,” Cayetano said.

The President caused some confusion when he said last Thursday that he wanted legal separation to have a provision for remarriage.

Under the law, legally separated couples may not remarry.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda was quick to clarify that the President was probably referring to annulment because it is only when the marriage is declared null and void by courts that couples would be allowed to remarry.

“As it stands, legal separation under our laws does not end the marriage. Consequently, the parties may not remarry,” said Cayetano, who is legally separated from her husband.

“So perhaps, amendments can be made to the Family Code to come up with a ‘Pinoy-style’ separation that would also be more acceptable and suited to our culture and society,” she said.

She said the President’s openness to a strengthened legal separation law should prompt lawmakers to start the healthy debates, instead of totally shutting the door on the issue.

Cayetano’s younger brother, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, is less open to the idea of divorce, saying it is not the solution to the problems faced by some married couples.

“I’m afraid that if we allow divorce, especially what is being pushed for is what the United States call the no-fault divorce,” he said.

“It might cause more harm than good because if we are saying a minority or small group of people married in the Philippines have problems, that can be addressed by strengthening the remedy of the annulment by psychological incapacity,” he added.