(Late last year, 30 priests from Pangasinan decided not to renew their license to kill, er.. to solemnize marriages. Things have changed, after the NSO decided to withdraw its order telling the priests to undergo a training on marriage laws. Where will all those wanted to marry go? The Catholic ones I mean? There are judges and mayors…but some of course think that being married by a priest is more romantic. And Godly?)
DAGUPAN CITY — Now the priests here whose license to marry has expired will solemnize marriages again.
The National Statistics Office has revoked its administrative order requiring priests, religious ministers and other solemnizing officers to attend a full-course orientation seminars before they will be issued a certificates of registration and authority to solemize the sacrament of matrimony.
NSO Administrator and Civil Registrar General Camelita Ericta issued memorandum circular 2008-001 revoking Administrative Order (AO) No. 1 series of 2007 which called for the solemnizing officers to undergo orientation-seminars which sought to ensure that they are "knowlegeable about marriage laws and other related laws, marriage registration procedures and the registration procedures of (their) authority to solemnize marriage."
Ericta told NSO regional directors and provincial statistics officers that the the "requirement of the proof of attendance in the orientation-seminars has been revoked (and) all schedules for (seminars) shall be cancelled effective immediately."
She also said the guidelines for the seminars and other related instructions are likewise rendered ineffective.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz gave a copy of the revocation order dated January 9, 2008 to the Inquirer but refused to comment on it. Cruz has earlier questioned the legality of the conduct of the orientation-seminars and his office did not renew the expired licenses of 23 priests from the archdiocese. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines also asked the NSO to cancel the program.
A staff of the archdiocese said papers for the renewal of the licenses are already being prepared for submission to the NSO.
Cruz ealier asked lawyer Romulo Macalintal about his opinion regarding the NSO's AO which he described as "causing unnecessary friction between the CBCP and the Civil Registrar General who acted beyond her executive competence."
Macalintal said the order "constitutes an amendment or expansion of the law which defines the qualifications of persons authorized to solemnize marriage in the Philippines. The NSO has no power to amend the law, its function not being legislative."
He explained that the only requirement to be complied with by solemnizing officers is that they are "duly authorized by (their) church or religious sect and registered with the civil registrar general."
"There is nothing in the (Family Code) requiring (them) to attend a two-day orientation-seminar or refresher course or marraige laws and other related laws and/or marriage registration procedures," he added.
Macalintal also questioned the NSO why it did not require judges, ship captains, airplane chiefs, military commanders and consul-generals, consuls, vice consuls and mayors who are also authorized to solemnize marriages, to undergo the orientation-seminars.
The AO "discriminates against the bishops, priests, etc, because they are the only ones covered. It is unconstitutional because the persons authorized to solemnize marriage are not similarly treated," he said.
Macalintal pointed out that there was no consulation with the church leaders before issuing the order.
The problem sought to be solved by the AO can be addressed by a simple memorandum by the NSO to the heads of churches or ministries to be more careful or accurate in the preparation of documents required for the registration of marriages, he said.
"I do not believe that marriage laws and other related laws can be learned in two-days time," he added.