Book Review: A proposed form of civil marriage (for Catholics and other religious denominations in the Philippines)

Title

Language

English

Year

1964

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Editorial Comments Other Tarucs, Other Lavas The capture of Jesus Lava at a time of renewed Huk terrorism in Pampanga is a severe blow to the communist movement in the Philippines. A Marxist intellectual, Lava provided the brains of the indigenous communist revolution. He is even reported to have authored some of the “Political Transmissions” which dictate the policies and lines of action for the entire movement in the country, to follow. With Lava’s capture, communism in the country may be said to have lost its brain. But it would be naive, to suppose that the end of Lava necessarily spells the end of the communist rebellion in the Philippines. The continuing infiltration of the schools, labor unions, the press and certain key government offices show a penetration more fearsome than actual armed rebellion. While armed rebels may be met equally with armed forces, the silent infiltration of key men’s minds cannot easily be suppressed, especially when it goes on under the mantle of freedom and in the free air of Philippine democracy. This is the reason why it is so senseless to think of a new policy of amnesty at a time when the Huk armed forces are falling to pieces, force by force. There should be no amnesty, no quarter for the enemy of the people and of mankind. On the contrary, renewed efforts should be exerted to finish the course that has been started and pursued with such success. The Tarucs and the Lavas may fall, but like Christianity which for its noble aims, draws from men the intensest loyalties, Communism, for its nefarious causes, is also capable of producing other Tarucs, other Lavas. There should be no letup in the continuing struggle for men’s minds, for men’s souls. (From The Sentinel, May 31, 1964) AMNESTY FOR HUKS? Because Jesus Lava, the No. 1 Communist of the Philippines, has been arrested at very long last, some people are talking about amnesty to the Huks. This, undoubtedly, will be the grossest possible mistake our government can ever make at this stage of our struggle against Communism. We tried amnesty in 1948—with disastrous results. If, as reported, this possible amnesty will be extended to the Huks because some candidates for public office are courting the voters of Central Luzon, we should for the more reason fight its grant, for the security and welfare of the nation should never be sacrificed in favor of political expediency or convenience. Incidentally, is not our government giving too much glamorized publicity to Dr. Jesus Lava? And in doing so, are we not playing into the hands of the Communists by giving the Communists several million pesos’ worth of free propaganda? Let us not lose our sense of balance and equity. Lava is neither contrite nor humbled by his long and bitter fight with the law. Why all the publicity? Communism must be fought tooth and nail and we should never be instruments of its propaganda. (Reprint from FJLIPINAS, May 30, 1964) BOOK REVIEW A Proposed Form of Civil Marriage For Catholics And Other Religious Denominations In The Philippines By REV. EMILIO STA. RITA. JR., M.A., J.C.D. Novel Publishing Co., Espana, Manila — 210 pages. The present opus is Father Sta. Rita’s second book in marriage laws. It is of particular interest to lawmakers, professors and laymen interested in better laws for the country. The current work studies a problem which revolves around the double standard of validity on the form of marriage authorized by the civil and ecclesiastical forums. A marriage valid before the ecclesiastical forum may be invalid before the civil law and vice versa. This could thicken and complicate alliances, a kind of legalized concubinage (or bigamy?) that carries with it the stigma of either a civil or an ecclesiastical crime. The mid-portion of the book determines what ecclesiastical or civil crime is incurred by couples caught in such a mess and it reviews all the emergency solutions in use. Then the reader is given a cursory glance of the form of marriage extant in Spain and how it ,(the form) has completely eliminated problematical marriages occasioned by double standard of validity on the marriage form. Finally it proposes amendments to two marriage provisions of the Civil courts. While it may be presumptuous to claim that the solution envisaged is the final and complete answer, there could be no better one that could afford relief while satisfying both civil and church law. THE CAROLINIAN Page 48 SUMMER ISSUE 1964

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