Freddie Aguilar, teen girlfriend need prayers, help – CBCP

MANILA, Philippines - Folk singer Freddie Aguilar and his 16-year-old girlfriend would need a lot of help and prayers if they want their relationship to last, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said yesterday.

“They cannot afford not to pray about this matter because this is not something ordinary. Knowing really that the age difference carries also a maturity difference and consequently a lot of special help is needed here,” CBCP National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal (NAMT) judicial vicar Oscar Cruz said.

Cruz, who retired as archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, clarified that he is not supporting Aguilar’s relationship with a minor. “I am just accepting reality, neither am I objecting. These are just my thoughts based on my experience in the NAMT,” he said.

Cruz pointed out that under civil and church laws, the minimum age required for marriage is 18 and Aguilar should wait until his girlfriend is of legal age before getting married.

He said that under civil law, they should also gain permission from the girl’s parents.

Cruz also said that a “May-December” love does not guarantee that the relationship will fail.

“Frankly, if they would go into the union there is no reason why they won’t succeed provided that really, they open their persons to one another, they become patient with each other and ultimately become really two in one, that will mean success for them,” Cruz said.

He explained that there are people who are old but behave like children and there are those who are young but behave like adults.

“I do not remember any case that the marriage did not work simply because one of them was young…Love is never objective because it is personal. For those involved it is not that easy because there’s a lot of emotional ingredients which is personal, (and) not really objective,” Cruz said.