Abalos: Marriages by dismissed Mayor Guo may still be valid if citizenship dispute resolved

Marriages solemnized by dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo may not necessarily be void if her Filipino citizenship is proven invalid, according to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos.

Abalos cited the Family Code's provision that marriages performed in good faith by someone believed to have legal authority are exceptions to void marriages.

The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Guo from service in August for grave misconduct amid questions about her Filipino citizenship and involvement with illegal offshore gaming operators, while the Solicitor General filed a quo warranto petition against her earlier in July.

Philippine Statistics Authority officials are considering canceling Guo's birth certificate if found invalid, which could affect the validity of weddings she officiated as mayor.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and Department of Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty both mentioned the 'operative fact' doctrine, suggesting that legal effects may still apply even if Guo was ineligible to perform marriages.

If the court grants the petition to oust Guo on grounds of ineligibility, her acts as mayor would be technically invalid; however, couples married by her need not take any action unless the issue is raised before a court.