Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile: So be it. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – He may be a “sinner” – not a saint – but Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile will not support a divorce bill now being pushed by some lawmakers.
“I’m not separated from my wife,” Enrile said in an interview on cable TV news program on Wednesday, responding to a question by an audience posted on Twitter and read by the TV host.
“I’m not a saint. I’m a sinner (and) I accept that. But everyday I ask forgiveness from the Lord,” he said.
“I will not impede any senator from voting in favor of a divorce law. But I will not vote [for it],” Enrile said, responding to another question by the host.
Enrile though said he would keep an open mind on the proposal “not for myself but for others who need it.”
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said she was also open to the proposal so long as the grounds for divorce would be very strict.
Santiago said divorce should only be allowed on two grounds—if there is an attempt on the life of the spouse by the other, and when one spouse is already living with another person.
“Iyon lang two grounds (Those are the only two grounds). On other grounds, I don’t advise it; I will not support it because it might trivialize the institution of marriage,” she said.
“Young people might rush into marriage, particularly when they are young, and then change their minds and get a divorce. They will not have the maturity or enough patience to work on their marriage. In effect, it makes divorce accessible in substantial grounds, we are telling young people : ‘If you cannot get along, divorce.’ Right now, the message of our society is that you cannot get along, try and get used to each other,” she added.
But with the Church expected to fight “tooth and nail,” against the divorce bill, Santiago said the “best compromise” is just adopt the grounds for annulment now being done by the Catholic church.