PEOPLE VS. SANTIAGO No.

27972 October 31, 1927

FACTS:

On November 23, 1926, herein appellant Felipe Santiago raped Felicita Masilang, his
wife’s niece, in an uninhabited place across a river in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. After the
deed, he took her to the house of his brother, Agaton Satiago, who in turn fetched a
protestant minister who there and then officiated the ceremony of their marriage. After
having given money by Felipe, Felicita proceeded home to her father and told what
had just occurred.

ISSUE: Whether or not the marriage executed by the protestant minister is of legal
effect.

HELD: The marriage ceremony was a mere ruse by which the appellant hoped to
escape from the criminal consequence of his act. It shows that he had no bona fide
intention of making her his wife and the ceremony cannot be considered binding on
her because of duress. The marriage was therefore void for lack of essential consent,
and it supplies no impediment to the prosecution of the wrongdoer.