High time to discuss divorce bill, says Pia Cayetano

Senator Pia Cayetano

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Pia Cayetano believes it is now high time for Congress to start discussions on the controversial divorce bill following public disclosure of two of her colleagues that they had ended their marriage.

Senator Aquilino “Koko”Pimentel III announced Tuesday night that he and wife of 12 years, Jewel, had been separated since November 2011 while Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero admitted in various media interviews that he and his wife, Christine, had parted ways.

“I really think it’s high time for the divorce bill,” Cayetano, head of the Senate committee on youth, women, and family relations, said over ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if there is now a need to pursue discussion on the proposed divorce bill.

“I’ll tell you why. I’ve talked to lawyers and psychologists and psychiatrists and it’s so traumatic to go through annulment because under our Philippine laws, you have to blame someone, you have to say you’re  incapacitated, you’re saying that this marriage never existed, which is not true,” she said.

“Ask anyone, I’m sure at some point in time whether it’s one year or 10 years or 20 years, they loved each other, so why can’t you call it what it is? We loved each other, something went wrong, it’s done. Why will you say it never existed?”
Cayetano herself has been separated for the past eight years and is now in the process of annulment. She described the process of annulment as “terrible.”
“It’s terrible. It’s not true, it’s not humane,” she said. “So for me, it’s high time. Let’s bring it to the level where it should be and call it a divorce and deal it that way.”

“But people are so sensitive. Si Lady Gaga nga lang e,” Cayetano added, referring to strong objection by some sectors against the controversial pop singer.