Case Digest (G.R. No. 247576)
Facts:
Rosario D. Ado-an-Morimoto v. Yoshio Morimoto and the Republic of the Philippines, G.R. No. 247576, March 15, 2021, Supreme Court Third Division, Leonen, J., writing for the Court. Petitioner Rosario D. Ado-an-Morimoto sought a declaration that her registered marriage to respondent Yoshio Morimoto was null and void ab initio; the Regional Trial Court (Quezon City, Branch 107) denied her petition by Decision dated January 7, 2016, and the Court of Appeals (Special Ninth Division) affirmed in an October 10, 2018 Decision and denied reconsideration in an April 25, 2019 Resolution. Petitioner filed this Rule 45 petition for review on certiorari.Before litigation, petitioner related that a friend introduced her to Yoshio as someone who could help "simulate" a marriage to facilitate her acquisition of a Japanese visa. On December 5, 2007, petitioner and Yoshio met at Manila City Hall and signed a blank marriage certificate after being assured by the solemnizing officer that the certificate would not be registered; petitioner last saw Yoshio that day. Later, when petitioner applied for a Certificate of No Marriage from the civil registry, she discovered a registered Certificate of Marriage showing a marriage to Yoshio on December 5, 2007 in San Juan City, allegedly solemnized by a Reverend Roberto Espiritu and based on Marriage License No. 6120159.
Petitioner filed a Petition for Declaration of Nullity of Marriage in the Quezon City RTC on October 5, 2009, insisting no marriage ceremony occurred and no marriage license had been issued. Prior to trial, on September 21, 2011, an Assistant City Prosecutor reported there was no collusion between petitioner and Yoshio to obtain a favorable ruling. At trial petitioner introduced (1) the allegedly registered Certificate of Marriage; (2) a June 17, 2008 certification by the Office of the Civil Registrar, National Statistics Office, indicating the office mistakenly certified a marriage; (3) a June 4, 2009 certification from the Civil Registrar of San Juan that no record existed for Marriage License No. 6120159; an...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Should the registered marriage between Rosario D. Ado-an-Morimoto and Yoshio Morimoto be declared null and void ab in...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
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Ratio:
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Doctrine:
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