Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 10655)
Republic Act No. 10655 is an act repealing the crime of premature marriage as defined under Article 351 of Act No. 3815, otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code.
It repeals Article 351 of Act No. 3815 (the Revised Penal Code), which punishes the crime of premature marriage committed by a woman.
No, the repeal of the crime of premature marriage under Article 351 is without prejudice to the provisions of the Family Code on paternity and filiation.
Prior to its repeal, Article 351 penalized a woman who, before the legal age, contracts marriage without the consent of her parents or guardians.
The act took effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation.
All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, and regulations inconsistent with Republic Act No. 10655 are repealed or modified accordingly.
The act was approved by President Benigno S. Aquino III on March 13, 2015.
The repeal removes criminal liability for women contracting premature marriage, indicating a shift towards respecting women's autonomy in marriage decisions subject to other legal provisions like the Family Code.
Yes, Senate Bill No. 1647, approved by the Senate on July 30, 2014, was adopted as an amendment to House Bill No. 5280 by the House of Representatives on December 17, 2014.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, Secretary General Marilyn B. Barua-Yap, Secretary of the Senate Oscar G. Yabes, and President Benigno S. Aquino III.