The authors of the measure said their proposal was an offshoot of Pope Francis’ position to simplify the procedures for annulling marriages in the Catholic Church.
THE Supreme Court (SC) has formally requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to launch an investigation into a social media page allegedly providing services related to annulment and nullity of marriage cases.
In a letter written by Court Administrator Raul Villanueva to NBI Director Medardo De Lemos, the SC urged the agency to swiftly probe the matter and uncover the individuals responsible for this fraudulent scheme.
The objective is to take appropriate action, including potential prosecution, to curtail the spread of such unlawful activities.
The Office of the Court Administrator (OCAD) initiated this request after being alerted to a Facebook advertisement offering to facilitate “100 percent legit” annulment and nullity of marriage procedures.
The ad asserts that no physical presence during hearings is required, making it accessible even for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) without the need for them to return to the country.
Furthermore, the advertisement guarantees that documents such as the “Decree of Declaration of Absolute Nullity,” “Entry of Judgment,” and “Marriage Certificate with Annotation of Null and Void” will be provided.
Describing it as utterly deceptive and highly misleading, Villanueva expressed concerns that the motive was to lure unsuspecting individuals into paying unwarranted fees for irregular services.
Villanueva also cautioned that there might be others operating on various websites or platforms engaged in similar activities, preying on individuals seeking expedited annulment or nullity proceedings.
