Manila: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday announced its decision to overturn a bigamy conviction against a Filipina, identified as "Fe," who had married a Filipino while allegedly still married to a Japanese national.

According to Philippines News Agency, the SC sided with Fe's defense, which argued that her first marriage to Takahiko Sato was void from the outset due to the absence of a marriage license. The court emphasized that a valid marriage license is a crucial formal requirement for marriage, and its absence renders a marriage void ab initio.

The SC highlighted that for a marriage to be considered void because of a lack of a marriage license, the absence must be evident on the marriage contract or supported by a certification from the local civil registrar. In this case, Fe presented such a certification, confirming that no marriage license was ever issued for her and Sato.

The SC Third Division's ruling reversed the 2017 decision of the Court of Appeals, which upheld the Guagua, Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 51's decision that found Fe guilty of bigamy. The charge had been brought by her second husband, "J," whom she married in 2001 and left in 2004 to work in Japan.

Fe testified that her marriage to Sato was a sham, orchestrated merely to facilitate her legal entry into Japan. She claimed that she was made to sign a blank sheet of paper without Sato or the supposed solemnizing officer being present. Her sister, husband, J, and a certain Jo, who helped with her travel documents, accompanied her during the signing.

While residing in Japan, Fe lived with her sister and maintained that she never cohabited with Sato.