Bigamy raps vs lawyer with 3 wives

A Manila City prosecutor yesterday found probable cause to indict a lawyer on two counts of bigamy for allegedly marrying three women.

Manila Assistant City Prosecution Melinda Diaz-Salcedo also recommended a P24,000 bail bond against Bede Tabalingcos, whose registered address is in Barangay Pio del Pilar, Makati City.

Tabalingcos reportedly exchanged “I dos” with Pilar Lozano in Dasmariñas, Cavite on July 15, 1980. Some seven years later, he married Ma. Rowena Pinon in Manila on Sept. 28, 1987 and wed Mary Jane Paraiso on Sept. 7, 1989 in Manila.

Salcedo noted that “when the second and third marriages were contracted, Ms. Pilar Lozano-Tabalingcos has not been judicially declared presumably dead nor has there been any judicial declaration that the first marriage was void.”

Salcedo dropped the charges against Pinon and Paraiso since investigation showed that they had no knowledge of his first marriage at the time they married him.

“Hence, the charges against them cannot be sustained for lack of probable cause,” she said.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Manuel Villatuya, a financial consultant.

Tabalingcos said Villatuya has no “legal personality” to file the charges against him and that the financial consultant reportedly holds a grudge because he owes Villatuya P5.439 million for utilizing his professional services.

Salcedo ruled in the financial consultant’s favor, saying that “as pointed out by Villatuya, bigamy is a public crime which can be denounced not only by the person affected thereby but even by a spirited citizen who may come to know the same.”

Tabalingcos further argued that the crime of bigamy prescribes a 15-year period and since the offense was only discovered in July 2005 or 25 years ago, the time frame had already lapsed.

Salcedo, however, cited Article 91 of the Revised Penal Code, which states “the period of prescription shall commence to run from the day on which the crime is discovered by the offended party, the authorities or their agents.”