Yes, you still need to file a case in court because the annulment made by the Catholic Church is not yet recognized under the law.
Yes, you read that right. The annulment case filed in court is different and separate from the annulment made by the Catholic Church.
How does a civil or legal annulment differ from a church annulment?
While a legal or civil annulment results in the dissolution of a marriage in the eyes of the law, a religious annulment causes the dissolution of marriage only in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
The religious annulment establishes that because of certain factors, the marriage never occurred. The Catholic annulment is heard in the Ecclesiastical or Diocesan Tribunal.
Update: The House Bill 6779 proposes that the Catholic or religious annulment be recognized as having the same effects as a civil or legal annulment. It is now on its third and final reading at the House of Representatives.
Go back to the main article: How to File Annulment in the Philippines: An Ultimate Guide
