Pimentel: Dissolution of marriage ‘divorce’ by another name?

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he would keep an open mind on the proposed dissolution of marriage in the Philippines as this could allow separated couples to move on and become “productive citizens.”

Pimentel said Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who is pushing for the dissolution of marriage, “whispered” to him Monday about the proposal but he told him he would have to study it first.

READ: Alvarez vows to push for marriage dissolution, legalization of same-sex union

“Basahin ko muna yung idea ni Speaker kung paano naman naging bago ito. Pwede kasing divorce lang yan in another name so pag-aralan po muna natin,” he said in an interview over dzMM on Tuesday.

“Ang importante ngayon ay open mind tayo. Nare-realize ko rin na sa ibang bansa dalawa na lang daw tayong bawal ang divorce, Pilipinas at Vatican. Sa Vatican wala naman yatang kasal dun,” Pimentel said.

In other countries, the Senate leader noted that marriage can be dissolved easily “and then they move on.”

“I mean nagiging productive yung tao. Wala nang issue. Hindi na sya pinagtsitsimisan. Move on na. Ang idea siguro ni Speaker sa Pilipinas, hindi ka na maka-move on, ang bigat pa ng karga mo,” said Pimentel, who announced in 2012 his separation from his wife, Jewel May Lobaton.

“Ang maganda sigurong e-emphasize natin ay parang tinatalian natin ang ating mga kamay at paa na hindi tayo maka move on because of a personal problem na hindi pinoproblema ng ibang bansa,” he added.

But if the proposed “dissolution of marriage” was similar to divorce, then Pimentel suggested to simply call it divorce.

“Ang aking point ay kung binigyan lang ng bagong pangalan ang divorce, bakit hindi na lang talaga nating sabihing divorce kesa itago-tago pa natin sa ibang pangalan? So pag-aralan nating mabuti. Open mind lang tayo. Ang sabi naman ni Speaker he will give a copy of his bill,” he said. CBB/rga