Raquel G. Kho v. Republic

Summary

This Supreme Court case involved a petition for declaration of nullity of marriage filed by Raquel Kho against his wife Veronica, claiming their 1972 marriage was void due to absence of the required marriage license. The RTC granted the petition based on certification from the Municipal Civil Registrar showing no marriage license was issued. The Court of Appeals reversed, applying presumptions favoring marriage validity. The Supreme Court reinstated the RTC decision, holding that the civil registrar's certification adequately proved the non-issuance of the marriage license, overcoming any presumption of validity. The Court emphasized that under the Civil Code, a marriage license is an essential requisite, and its absence renders the marriage void ab initio, regardless of the petitioner's motives for seeking annulment.