SC acquits woman of bigamy, says void marriage may be raised as defense

The Supreme Court has acquitted a woman of bigamy after ruling that a marriage void from the beginning may be invoked as a defense even without a prior judicial declaration of nullity.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa dated 26 February 2026 and released on Monday, 17 August 2026, the Supreme Court’s Third Division overturned the conviction of Ma. Fe Imelda Lapira by the Regional Trial Court in Pampanga and the Court of Appeals.

Lapira was charged with bigamy after marrying Jimmy Fariscal while her marriage to Japanese national Takahiko Sato was supposedly still subsisting.

In her defense, Lapira argued that her first marriage was void from the beginning because no marriage ceremony was held and no marriage license was issued.

The local civil registrar confirmed that it had no record of an application for a marriage license for Lapira and Sato.

Citing Pulido v. People, the Supreme Court stressed that the existence of a valid prior marriage is an essential element of the crime of bigamy.

The high court found that the prosecution failed to establish the validity of Lapira’s first marriage. With an essential element of bigamy unproven, the Court found reasonable doubt and acquitted her.