Ok So It Did Not Work Out....now What?

[Old55]

I am not really keen on getting married in a foreign country at my age, but I do understand it might be the only option is some cases.

For the sake of argument and forum discussion, let's say Joe from the USA, or some other "first world" country marries a girl in the Phillipines....this marriage is stamped and sealed by some civil authority and a piece of parchment paper is issued outlining the "deed"

So time goes by and things sour to the point Joe wants to bail out or Suzie runs away to the jungle.

What are the legal implications of anyone enforcing the legality of the marriage in the Phils......after Joe has fled back to LAX and his digs there.

Surely some authority is not going to issue an arrest warrant or other legal means of yanking Joe back to the Phils to face the music?

Comments, rumors or facts??

I'll jump in and actually answer the questions you ask.

I don't know if your post was intended as humorous, it seems somewhat insulting but could be you did not mean it that way.

You do have options and choices when it comes to marriage. No one can force you to marry another.

If Joe were to become married to a Filipino citizen in the Philippines he would be legally married just the same as if in his home country. A marriage is when two people have a legal contract and they must honor that commitment.

If Joe or Suzie were to abandon their partner the marriage would still be valid however the couple would be separated. There is no way a Filipino or any other “authority” could force a Foreigner living outside Philippines to return to Philippines.

There have been cases of Canadian and US citizens who have abandoned a Filipino wife and children in Philippines and have been required to pay support for those children. I am unable in a quick search find those details but remember reading this has been done.

[Jollygoodfellow]

But to answer your question ...... no they won't go after you but you will never be free to remarry unless of course you lie about it but you better look at the penlites for bigamy before you do that ....... and an annulment here in the Phils can be VERY expensive and time consuming

I do believe that as divorce is available in the op's country then he can still divorce his Filipina wife if he does it in his own country, he will be free to marry but she will not unless she is able to get an annulment.

[dalidali]

I am not really keen on getting married in a foreign country at my age, but I do understand it might be the only option is some cases.

For the sake of argument and forum discussion, let's say Joe from the USA, or some other "first world" country marries a girl in the Phillipines....this marriage is stamped and sealed by some civil authority and a piece of parchment paper is issued outlining the "deed"

So time goes by and things sour to the point Joe wants to bail out or Suzie runs away to the jungle.

What are the legal implications of anyone enforcing the legality of the marriage in the Phils......after Joe has fled back to LAX and his digs there.

Surely some authority is not going to issue an arrest warrant or other legal means of yanking Joe back to the Phils to face the music?

Comments, rumors or facts??

Why would one marry in the first place if they think things are going to go sour?

Thanks for your comments but I think you pretty much missed the entire point.

Of course I do not expect, nor do I want, things to go bad.

But it's a reality of life....sometimes things do go bad and I am sure all of us can agree with that.

With that said....does anyone know the legal ramifications of just walking away (right or wrong or decent or whatever) and returning to your home country?

[dalidali]

I am not really keen on getting married in a foreign country at my age, but I do understand it might be the only option is some cases.

Hello Dali-Dali,

Based on your statement above, the cases you referring to, require a marriage?? Does that sound like a shot gun

(or bolo knife) wedding where the new bride is already pregnant? Or am I reading too much into your line of thinking?

The hypothetical Joe or the hypothetical Suzie is a scenario played out a thousand times. Jack P mentioned that the

Philippines does not recognize divorce proceedings. However, Philippine law does allow annulment:

http://en.wikipedia....round_the_world

There are a few Suzie's that will seek revenge and may have the resources (money) to act upon getting her wayward

ex-husband from entering the country ever again. BOI agents can share the bio-data and photographs of Joe which

will be posted at every point of entry. Likewise, I have never heard of any authorities from PI going around various

foreign countries, just to fetch and bring back the ex-husband.

A more likely scenario is to wait for the ex-husband to return (for some fresh meat) and he ends up floating in Pasig

River without his head. Hired goons can sometimes be bought by drugs or couple cases of beer. It's the Law of the

Jungle and it is seriously real.

Bottom line -- over population of unwanted babies, abandoned 14- 20 year old mothers, AIDS and sexual diseases

feed the ugly monster called poverty. We don't need foreigners to perpetuate this problem. Us Filipinos have been

doing this for a long time now. Unfortunately, it will not improve within my lifetime.

Happily married for 27 years, thank you -- Jake

Good followup Joe....

But as you say you read too much into this.

It looks to me that "Joe" cannot return to the Phils....or his head is in the river as you say.

That is what I wanted to know....and that the Phil authorites are not going to fly half way around the world to yank Joe back to face the music.

[dalidali]

Not sure just what or who this OP's post is about and it really doesn't matter .... if it is as my buddy Jake says and the girl is pregnant than it is the fault of the guy for making her that way and he should have taken steps to make sure that didn't happen .... if that is the case ..... sorry dude own up to your obligations and raise your family ..... IMHO

Your WAY off base but I appreciate your comments.

NO where did it say in the OP that some girl got pregnant!!

Have a great day

[Steve & Myrlita]

But to answer your question ...... no they won't go after you but you will never be free to remarry unless of course you lie about it but you better look at the penlites for bigamy before you do that ....... and an annulment here in the Phils can be VERY expensive and time consuming

I do believe that as divorce is available in the op's country then he can still divorce his Filipina wife if he does it in his own country, he will be free to marry but she will not unless she is able to get an annulment.

Close Tom. Exception is if the foreigner obtains a divorce by themselves in their home country, the Filipino(a) can submit this to the family court and the judge will declare the Filipino(a) free to remarry thus submitting this judgement to the NSO. It will not happen overnight (Nothing does in the RP) but it will. This is spelled out in the Family Code. This is the only exception to the no divorce law.

[dalidali]

Suzie runs away to the jungle

What the hell dude, you marrying an orang utang?

If your going to slam me dude.....learn to spell ok?..

Thanks for your comments

Edited July 17, 2012 by dalidali

[dalidali]

Sorry guys.....I did not intend to create a firestorm of insults and disrespect.

The whole senario is hypothetical and nowhere am I directly involved with any of this.

I was just curious about the scenario.

My apologies if anyone takes offense.....

Edited July 17, 2012 by dalidali

[Steve & Myrlita]

Sorry guys.....I did not intend to create a firestorm of insults and disrespect.

The whole senario is hypothetical and nowhere am I directly involved with any of this.

I was just curious about the scenario.

My apologies if anyone takes offense.....

No offense taken sir.

[nor cal mike]

My apologies if anyone takes offense.

No offense taken and I am glad to hear that this is only conjectural. I also hope you were not offended by my response.