Married couples who are no longer happy with their marriage deserve a fresh start, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito said Thursday.

In a press conference at the Senate, Ejercito explained why he voted in favor of Committee Report No. 124, which recommended the approval of Senate Bill No. 2443, or the proposed "Dissolution of Marriage Act".

"There are relationships that are already irreparable. We don't want people to be miserable," he said.

"The bottom line is people don't deserve to be miserable. If it's irreparable, we have to give them a second chance," he added.

He, however, clarified that he purposely signed the committee report to allow the bill to be discussed more thoroughly in the plenary.

"But of course, we are a Christian nation. That's why it is difficult to have an annulment. We'll just hear it. Anyway, I signed it because I want more discussion about it on the floor," he said.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, a staunch critic of the Divorce bill, remained firm in his opposition to the bill.

"Divorce is a big no for me! Yes to making annulment accessible to the poor," Villanueva said in a separate statement.

The lawmaker, the son of Jesus is Lord Church founder and CIBAC Representative Eddie Villanueva, clarified that the approval of the proposed measure is only at the committee level.

"The approval of the Divorce bill or any other bills at the committee level is part of the legislative process. Every member of the Senate is free to conduct hearings that are referred to their respective committees," he said.

"But I just want to clarify that the nine senators who signed the committee report do not represent the majority of the Senate. Most of our colleagues signed it so that it can be discussed in the plenary," he added.

Committee Report No. 124 was prepared by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality headed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Villanueva acknowledged that some relationships, particularly those involving violence, should end despite his firm opposition to the proposed measure.

"This is where the annulment and declaration of nullity of marriage come in. We should instead hasten the process and make it more accessible for everyone, regardless of their status in life," he said.

Committee Report No. 124 is the consolidated version of the measure authored by the panel's chair Hontiveros, and Senators Raffy Tulfo, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos and Pia Cayetano.

It was signed by Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito and Senator Grace Poe.

Under the proposed measure, absolute divorce is defined as "the legal termination of a marriage by a court in a legal proceeding, requiring a petition or complaint for divorce by one or both party/ies, which will have the effect of returning both parties to the status of single for all legal intents and purposes, including the right to contract a subsequent marriage."

One of the grounds for filing an absolute divorce is the commission of the crime of rape by the respondent-spouse against the petitioner-spouse, whether before or after the celebration of their marriage.