Bishop Joel Baylon of Legazpi has announced the establishment of a diocesan tribunal to handle marriage nullity cases and other canonical matters.
He said that the “Ecclesiastical Tribunal” aims to provide “a more accessible and efficient process for those who seek clarity regarding the validity of their marriages.”
For years, cases from the diocese were processed through the Inter-Diocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Caceres.
“With this constitution, our own tribunal will now exercise jurisdiction over these cases, responding more effectively to the needs of our people while remaining in full communion with the wider judicial system of the Church,” Baylon said.
The bishop also appointed Fr. Paul Rene Ocfemia as the tribunal’s judicial vicar, tasked with ensuring a faster, more accessible, and just process for the faithful.
The tribunal will be inaugurated with a Mass to be presided over by Baylon at the Saint Padre Pio Diocesan Shrine and Parish in Rawis, Legazpi City, on March 19.
The bishop said the new tribunal aligns with Church law, which encourages dioceses to establish their own tribunals to better serve the faithful.
There are currently around 50 tribunals across dioceses and archdioceses in the country.
This year also marks the 10th year of Pope Francis’ two motu proprios Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus and Mitis et Misericors Iesus, which reformed Church law on the declaration of the nullity of marriage.
The reforms, aimed at simplifying and shortening the process, focused on making it more pastoral, with “the concern for the salvation of souls” as the primary guide, the pope said.
