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CASEDIGEST|lapispapelatereyser

CASEDIGEST

ALEJANDROESTRADAvs.SOLEDADS.ESCRITOR
A.M.No.P021651.August4,2003.

FACTS:
Soledad S. Escritor, a court interpreter, admittedly while still married to another, cohabited to Luciano
Quilapio,Jr.since1980,whowashimselfmarriedtoanother.EscritorandQuilapiohadanineteenyearold
son. Alejandro Estrada, the private complainant herein, was not personally related to Escritor nor did he
personally know her. However, he wanted the Court to declare the relationship of Escritor with Quilapio as
immoral in consonance with the pertinent provision of the Administrative Code. In her defense, Escritor
contendedthatundertherulesoftheJehovah'sWitnesses,areligioussectofwhomsheisamember,the
actofsigningaDeclarationPledgingFaithfulness,issufficienttolegitimizeaunionwhichwouldotherwisebe
classifiedasadulterousandbigamous.EscritorandQuilapio'sdeclarationsarerecordedintheWatchTower
Centraloffice.TheywereexecutedintheusualandapprovedformprescribedbytheWatchTowerBibleand
TractSocietywhichwasliftedfromthearticle,"MaintainingMarriageinHonorBeforeGodandMen,"inthe
March 15, 1977 issue of the Watch Tower magazine, entitled The Watchtower. Escritor alleged that in
compliance with the foregoing rules, she and her partner signed the Declaration Pledging Faithfulness in
1991, and by virtue of such act, they are for all purposes, regarded as husband and wife by the religious
denominationofwhichtheyaredevoutadherents.Althoughin1998Escritorwaswidowed,therebyliftingthe
legal impediment to marry on her part, her mate is still not capacitated to remarry. Thus, their declarations
remain valid. Once all legal impediments for both are lifted, the couple can already register their marriage
withthecivilauthoritiesandthevalidityofthedeclarationsceases.Theeldersinthecongregationscanthen
solemnize their marriage as authorized by Philippine law. In sum, therefore, insofar as the congregation is
concerned,thereisnothingimmoralabouttheconjugalarrangementbetweenEscritorandQuilapioandthey
remainmembersingoodstandinginthecongregation.

ISSUE:
Whether or not respondent's right to religious freedom should carve out an exception from the prevailing
jurisprudenceonillicitrelationsforwhichgovernmentemployeesareheldadministrativelyliable.

HELD:
While Escritor's cohabitation with Quilapio conforms to the religious beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the
cohabitation violates Article 334 of the Revised Penal Code. The State cannot interfere with the religious
beliefsoftheJehovah'sWitnesses,inthesamewaythattheJehovah'sWitnessescannotinterferewiththe
State's prohibition on concubinage. The free exercise of religion protects practices based on religious
groundsprovidedsuchpracticesdonotviolateexistinglawsenactedinthereasonableexerciseoftheState's
policepower.UndertheRevisedAdministrativeCodeof1987,oneofthegroundsfordisciplinaryactionis
"conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service." The penalty for a first offense is suspension of six
months and one day to one year. A second offense is punishable with dismissal from the service. Escritor,
however,deservesthesamecompassionatetreatmentaccordedtoasimilarlysituatedcourtemployeeinDe
Diosv.AlejoifEscritorshouldendherunlawfulrelationshipwithQuilapio.InDeDios,theCourt,indeciding
not to dismiss an employee because he finally terminated his cohabitation with another woman Given the
circumstances,itwoulddeemundulyharshtopenalizeEscritorforcohabitingforthelast23yearswithaman
shebelievesisherhusbandandsheknowsisthefatherofherson.Nothirdpartyhasclaimedorsuffered
injury because of their cohabitation. On the contrary, suspending or even dismissing her for her continued
cohabitation would only work hardship on her family. Accordingly, respondent Soledad S. Escritor is
suspendedforsixmonthsandonedaywithoutpayforconductprejudicialtothebestinterestoftheservice.
However,thesuspensionshallbeliftedimmediatelyuponEscritor'smanifestationtothisCourtthatshehas
ceasedcohabitingwithLucianoD.Quilapio,Jr.Moreover,respondentEscritoriswarnedthathercontinued
cohabitationwithQuilapio,duringorafterhersuspensionandwhileQuilapio'smarriagewithhislegalwifestill
subsists,shallmeritthepenaltyofdismissalfromtheservice.
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9/22/2015

CASEDIGEST|lapispapelatereyser

Posted5thOctober2012bylapispapelatereyser
Labels:CaseDigest,PoliticalLaw
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