Church says no bar for Mikey Arroyo to marry second cousin

The Catholic Church yesterday said that Presidential Son Mikey Arroyo and his fiancé’s wedding will be allowed since there’s no prohibition by the Church not even by the civil law in the country for marriage between two second cousins.

This was expressed by a ranking official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday during a telephone interview with reporters.

Newspaper reports said that Mikey, also Pampanga vice governor and a movie celebrity, plans to marry his girlfriend Angela Montenegro next year.

Fr. Jaime Achacoso, member of the CBCP Episcopal Commission of the Canon Law and also the Canon Law Society said the Canon Law and the civil law in the Philippines prohibits only marriages between up to first cousins, or up to the fourth collateral line.

The second degree collateral line is between brother and sister; third degree collateral line is between uncle and niece or aunt and nephew; fourth degree collateral line is between first cousins.

"Mikey and Angela are already in the sixth degree collateral line," said Achacoso, also a professor of the University of Asia and the Pacific.

However, the first cousins could ask for dispensation from the bishop of their diocese through their parish priest.

With regards to Mikey and Angela, Achacoso said there’s no need to ask for dispensation as they are already in the sixth degree collateral line.

"It’s not even an impediment," said Achacoso. — Sandy Araneta