Man revoked promised wedding to girlfriend, arrested

Authorities arrested a young man who allegedly revoked his promised wedding to his girlfriend in Laguna, Wednesday morning.

P / Capt. Joseph Jonathan Binayug, the Luna Police Chief, arrested Neal Harvey Manuel, 20, resident of Brgy. Centro 3, Luna, Isabela.

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According to reports, Manuel initially promised a wedding to his fiance Abigail Tacdoran but eventually revoked it, which caused emotional stress to the bride to be.

As a result, Tacdoran filed a case against her boyfriend for violating Republic Act 9262 or “Violence Against Women and Children.”

Authorities responded, and with a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Raul Babaran of RTC Branch 19 of Cauayan City, they arrested the accused at his home around 8 am.

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The court recommended a P24,000.00 bail to Tacdoran’s ex-boyfriend for his temporary release.

As a general rule, “a breach of promise to marry per se is not an actionable wrong” (Baksh v. Court of Appeals; G. R. No. 9733 6). Article 21 of the Civil Code of the Philippines, however, also provides that “any person who willfully causes loss or injury to another in a manner that is contrary to morals, good customs, or public policy shall compensate the latter for the damage.”

When a man’s promise to marry is the reason for the acceptance of his love by a woman and his representation to fulfill that promise thereafter becomes the proximate cause of the giving of herself unto him in a sexual congress. When in fact, in reality, he had no intention of marrying her, then his acts could justify an award for damages.

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In short, when the promise to marry was only a subtle scheme or deceptive device to entice or inveigle her to accept him and to obtain her consent to the sexual act, it could justify the award of damages pursuant to Article 21 not because of such promise to marry but because of the fraud and deceit behind it and the willful injury to her honor and reputation which followed thereafter. It is essential, however, that such injury should have been committed in a manner contrary to morals, good customs, or public policy.

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