World | Philippines
Unwed couples allowed to live together
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has allowed unwed Filipino couples to live together, in circumstances when their religion allows such conjugal arrangements.
- By Gilbert Felongco, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 June 24, 2006
Manila: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has allowed unwed Filipino couples to live together, in circumstances when their religion allows such conjugal arrangements.
Ruling 9 to 5 with one magistrate abstaining, the high court dismissed on Thursday a complaint filed against Soledad Escritor, a court interpreter and member of the non-Catholic Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watch Tower and Bible Tract Society.
Arrangement
Escritor had been accused by Alejandro Estrada before a court in suburban Las Pinas of engaging in "disgraceful and immoral act" for cohabiting with her partner, Luciano Quilapio Jr without the benefit of marriage and having a child by him.
In a complaint filed by Estrada on July 27, 2000, he said that such union constitutes an "immoral act that tarnished the image of the court", at which Escritor worked as an interpreter.
But issuing the decision, Associate Justice Reynato Puno said the Supreme Court gave credence on Escritor's defence that her "conjugal arrangement with Quilapio had been sanctioned by their congregation and her religious beliefs".
The Supreme Court noted that in the eyes of Escritor's church, "there is nothing immoral about the conjugal arrangement and they remain members in good standing in the congregation".
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