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D<!E1 L1l1lCnL8S-ALLLLL : 8ommel !aclnLo uanLes Sllverlo
CCSl1C8-ALLLAn1: 8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes

Cn november 26, 2002, peLlLloner 8ommel !aclnLo uanLes Sllverlo flled a peLlLlon
for Lhe change of hls flrsL name and sex ln hls blrLh cerLlflcaLe ln Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal
CourL of Manlla, 8ranch 8, wlLh Lhe clvll reglsLrar of Manlla as respondenL.

Pe was born ln Lhe ClLy of Manlla Lo Lhe spouses Meleclo eLlnes Sllverlo and AnlLa
Aqulno uanLes on Aprll 4, 1962. Pls name was reglsLered as "8ommel !aclnLo
uanLes Sllverlo" ln hls cerLlflcaLe of llve blrLh (blrLh cerLlflcaLe). Pls sex was
reglsLered as "male."

Pe furLher alleged LhaL he ls a male Lranssexual, LhaL ls, "anaLomlcally male buL
feels, Lhlnks and acLs as a female" and LhaL he had always ldenLlfled hlmself wlLh
glrls slnce chlldhood.

leellng Lrapped ln a man's body, he consulLed several docLors
ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes. Pe underwenL psychologlcal examlnaLlon, hormone LreaLmenL
and breasL augmenLaLlon. Pls aLLempLs Lo Lransform hlmself Lo a "woman"
culmlnaLed on !anuary 27, 2001 when he underwenL sex reasslgnmenL surgery ln
8angkok, 1halland. Pe was LhereafLer examlned by ur. Marcellno 8eyslo-Cruz, !r., a
plasLlc and reconsLrucLlon surgeon ln Lhe hlllpplnes, who lssued a medlcal
cerLlflcaLe aLLesLlng LhaL he (peLlLloner) had ln facL undergone Lhe procedure.
lrom Lhen on, peLlLloner llved as a female and was ln facL engaged Lo be marrled.
Pe Lhen soughL Lo have hls name ln hls blrLh cerLlflcaLe changed from "8ommel
!aclnLo" Lo "Mely," and hls sex from "male" Lo "female."
1he Lrlal courL rendered a declslon

ln favor of peLlLloner. 1hey concurred LhaL:

CranLlng Lhe peLlLlon would be more ln consonance wlLh Lhe prlnclples of [usLlce
and equlLy

no harm, ln[ury [or] pre[udlce wlll be caused Lo anybody or Lhe communlLy ln
granLlng Lhe peLlLlon.

no evldence was presenLed Lo show any cause or ground Lo deny Lhe presenL
peLlLlon desplLe due noLlce and publlcaLlon

1he 8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes (8epubllc), Lhru Lhe CSC, flled a peLlLlon for
cerLlorarl ln Lhe CourL of Appeals.

lL alleged LhaL Lhere ls no law allowlng Lhe change
of enLrles ln Lhe blrLh cerLlflcaLe by reason of sex alLeraLlon.

1he CourL of Appeals

rendered a declslon

ln favor of Lhe 8epubllc. lL ruled LhaL Lhe
Lrlal courL's declslon lacked legal basls. 1here ls no law allowlng Lhe change of elLher
name or sex ln Lhe cerLlflcaLe of blrLh on Lhe ground of sex reasslgnmenL Lhrough
surgery. 1hus, Lhe CourL of Appeals granLed Lhe 8epubllc's peLlLlon, seL aslde Lhe
declslon of Lhe Lrlal courL and ordered Lhe dlsmlssal of S Case. 1he eLlLloner
moved for reconslderaLlon and was denled, Lhus Lhls peLlLlon.

F11GHI1 W/n Lhe peLlLlon of change of name and sex appearlng ln Lhe blrLh cerLlflcaLe be
granLed Lo reflecL Lhe resulL of sex reasslgnmenL surgery.
J<K1 ArLlcle 2 (lamlly Code): no marrlage shallbe valld, unless Lhese essenLlal requlslLes
are presenL:

@4 J$L"* !"5",-/M (N /O$ ,(./3",/-.L 5"3/-$# PO( )6#/ 7$ " )"*$ ".Q "
N$)"*$R ".Q
2. ConsenL freely glven ln Lhe presence of Lhe solemnlzlng offlcer. (33a)

A81. 376 (Clvll Code): no person can change hls name or surname wlLhouL [udlclal
auLhorlLy.
1hese Clvll Code provlslons were amended by 8A 9048 (Clerlcal Lrror Law). ln
parLlcular, SecLlon 1 of 8A 9048 provldes:
SLC1lCn 1. AuLhorlLy Lo CorrecL Clerlcal or 1ypographlcal Lrror and Change of llrsL
name or nlckname. - S( $./3M -. " ,-2-* 3$L-#/$3 #O"** 7$ ,O".L$Q (3 ,(33$,/$Q
P-/O(6/ " T6Q-,-"* (3Q$3, excepL for clerlcal or Lypographlcal errors and change of
flrsL name or nlckname whlch can be correcLed or changed by Lhe concerned clLy or
munlclpal clvll reglsLrar or consul general ln accordance wlLh Lhe provlslons of Lhls
AcL and lLs lmplemenLlng rules and regulaLlons.

A81. 412 (Clvll Code): :no enLry ln Lhe clvll reglsLer shall be changed or correcLed
wlLhouL a [udlclal order.

SecLlon 2(c) of 8A 9048 deflnes whaL a "clerlcal or Lypographlcal error" ls:
SLC1lCn 2. !"#$%$&$'% '# )"*+,. - As used ln Lhls AcL, Lhe followlng Lerms shall
mean:
xxx xxx xxx
(3) "Clerlcal or Lypographlcal error" refers Lo a mlsLake commlLLed ln Lhe
performance of clerlcal work ln wrlLlng, copylng, Lranscrlblng or Lyplng an enLry ln
Lhe clvll reglsLer LhaL ls harmless and lnnocuous, such as mlsspelled name or
mlsspelled place of blrLh or Lhe llke, whlch ls vlslble Lo Lhe eyes or obvlous Lo Lhe
undersLandlng, and can be correcLed or changed only by reference Lo oLher exlsLlng
record or records: -*'.$/"/0 1'2"."*0 1haL no ,(33$,/-(. )6#/ -.2(*2$ /O$ ,O".L$
(N naLlonallLy, age, sLaLus or #$U of Lhe peLlLloner. (emphasls supplled)
A81. 407 (Clvll Code): AcLs, evenLs and [udlclal decrees concernlng Lhe clvll sLaLus of
persons shall be recorded ln Lhe clvll reglsLer.
A81. 408 (Clvll Code):1he followlng shall be enLered ln Lhe clvll reglsLer:
(1) 8lrLhs, (2) marrlages, (3) deaLhs, (4) legal separaLlons, (3) annulmenLs of
marrlage, (6) [udgmenLs declarlng marrlages vold from Lhe beglnnlng, (7)
leglLlmaLlons, (8) adopLlons, (9) acknowledgmenLs of naLural chlldren, (10)
naLurallzaLlon, (11) loss, or (12) recovery of clLlzenshlp, (13) clvll lnLerdlcLlon, (14)
[udlclal deLermlnaLlon of flllaLlon, (13) volunLary emanclpaLlon of a mlnor, and (16)
changes of name.
A81. 413 (Clvll Code): All oLher maLLers perLalnlng Lo Lhe reglsLraLlon of clvll sLaLus
shall be governed by speclal laws.

SecLlon 3 of AcL 3733 (Lhe Clvll 8eglsLer Law) provldes:
SLC. 3. 3"4$,&*5&$'% 5%/ 6"*&$#$65&$'% '# 7$*&1,8 - 1he declaraLlon of Lhe physlclan or
mldwlfe ln aLLendance aL Lhe blrLh or, ln defaulL Lhereof, Lhe declaraLlon of elLher
parenL of Lhe newborn chlld, shall be sufflclenL for Lhe reglsLraLlon of a blrLh ln Lhe
clvll reglsLer. Such declaraLlon shall be exempL from documenLary sLamp Lax and
shall be senL Lo Lhe local clvll reglsLrar noL laLer Lhan LhlrLy days afLer Lhe blrLh, by
Lhe physlclan or mldwlfe ln aLLendance aL Lhe blrLh or by elLher parenL of Lhe
newborn chlld.
ln such declaraLlon, Lhe person above menLloned shall cerLlfy Lo Lhe followlng facLs:
(a) daLe and hour of blrLh, (b) #$U and naLlonallLy (N -.N"./, (c) names, clLlzenshlp
and rellglon of parenLs or, ln case Lhe faLher ls noL known, of Lhe moLher alone, (d)
clvll sLaLus of parenLs, (e) place where Lhe lnfanL was born, and (f) such oLher daLa
as may be requlred ln Lhe regulaLlons Lo be lssued.
V?J0FSW1 no.

S( J"P <**(P# EO$ !O".L$ (N H./3M F. EO$ X-3/O !$3/-N-,"/$ <# E( 1$U ?. /O$
W3(6.Q (N 1$U '$"##-L.)$./

A person's sex ls an essenLlal facLor ln marrlage and famlly relaLlons. lL ls a parL of a
person's legal capaclLy and clvll sLaLus LhaL ls belng Lackled ln ArLlcle 2 of Lhe Lhe
lamlly Code. ln Lhls connecLlon, ArLlcle 413 of Lhe Clvll Code provldes LhaL all oLher
maLLers perLalnlng Lo Lhe reglsLraLlon of clvll sLaLus shall be governed by speclal
laws. 8uL Lhere ls no such speclal law ln Lhe hlllpplnes governlng sex reasslgnmenL
and lLs effecLs. 1hls ls faLal Lo peLlLloner's cause.

Also, under 8A 9048, a correcLlon ln Lhe clvll reglsLry lnvolvlng Lhe change of sex ls
noL a mere clerlcal or Lypographlcal error. lL ls a subsLanLlal change for whlch Lhe
appllcable procedure ls 8ule 108 of Lhe 8ules of CourL.

Sex reasslgnmenL ls noL among Lhose acLs or evenLs menLloned ln ArLlcle 407.
nelLher ls lL recognlzed nor even menLloned by any law, expressly or lmplledly.

Moreover, under Lhe Clvll 8eglsLer Law, a blrLh cerLlflcaLe ls a hlsLorlcal record of
Lhe facLs as Lhey exlsLed aL Lhe Llme of blrLh. 1hus, Lhe sex of a person ls
deLermlned aL blrLh, vlsually done by Lhe blrLh aLLendanL (Lhe physlclan or mldwlfe)
by examlnlng Lhe genlLals of Lhe lnfanL. Conslderlng LhaL Lhere ls no law legally
recognlzlng sex reasslgnmenL, Lhe deLermlnaLlon of a person's sex made aL Lhe Llme
of hls or her blrLh, lf noL aLLended by error, ls lmmuLable.


When words are noL deflned ln a sLaLuLe Lhey are Lo be glven Lhelr common and
ordlnary meanlng ln Lhe absence of a conLrary leglslaLlve lnLenL. 1he words "sex,"
"male" and "female" as used ln Lhe Clvll 8eglsLer Law and laws concernlng Lhe clvll
reglsLry (and even all oLher laws) should Lherefore be undersLood ln Lhelr common
and ordlnary usage, Lhere belng no leglslaLlve lnLenL Lo Lhe conLrary. ln Lhls
connecLlon, sex ls deflned as "Lhe sum of pecullarlLles of sLrucLure and funcLlon LhaL
dlsLlngulsh a male from a female"

or "Lhe dlsLlncLlon beLween male and female."

lemale ls "Lhe sex LhaL produces ova or bears young"

and male ls "Lhe sex LhaL has
organs Lo produce spermaLozoa for ferLlllzlng ova."

1hus, Lhe words "male" and
"female" ln everyday undersLandlng do noL lnclude persons who have undergone
sex reasslgnmenL. lurLhermore, "words LhaL are employed ln a sLaLuLe whlch had aL
Lhe Llme a well-known meanlng are presumed Lo have been used ln LhaL sense
unless Lhe conLexL compels Lo Lhe conLrary."

Slnce Lhe sLaLuLory language of Lhe
Clvll 8eglsLer Law was enacLed ln Lhe early 1900s and remalns unchanged, lL cannoL
be argued LhaL Lhe Lerm "sex" as used Lhen ls someLhlng alLerable Lhrough surgery
or someLhlng LhaL allows a posL-operaLlve male-Lo-female Lranssexual Lo be
lncluded ln Lhe caLegory "female."
Whlle peLlLloner may have succeeded ln alLerlng hls body and appearance Lhrough
Lhe lnLervenLlon of modern surgery, no law auLhorlzes Lhe change of enLry as Lo sex
ln Lhe clvll reglsLry for LhaL reason. 1hus, Lhere ls no legal basls for hls peLlLlon for
Lhe correcLlon or change of Lhe enLrles ln hls blrLh cerLlflcaLe.

S$-/O$3 Y"M H./3-$# -. /O$ X-3/O !$3/-N-,"/$ <# /( D-3#/ S")$ (3 1$U X$ !O".L$Q (.
/O$ W3(6.Q (N HZ6-/M

Marrlage, one of Lhe mosL sacred soclal lnsLlLuLlons, ls a speclal conLracL of
permanenL unlon beLween a man and a woman.

Cne of lLs essenLlal requlslLes ls Lhe
*$L"* ,"5",-/M (N /O$ ,(./3",/-.L 5"3/-$# PO( )6#/ 7$ " )"*$ ".Q " N$)"*$.

1o
granL Lhe changes soughL by peLlLloner wlll subsLanLlally reconflgure and greaLly
alLer Lhe laws on marrlage and famlly relaLlons. lL wlll allow Lhe unlon of a man wlLh
anoLher man who has undergone sex reasslgnmenL (a male-Lo-female posL-
operaLlve Lranssexual). Second, Lhere are varlous laws whlch apply parLlcularly Lo
women such as Lhe provlslons of Lhe Labor Code on employmenL of women,

cerLaln
felonles under Lhe 8evlsed enal Code

and Lhe presumpLlon of survlvorshlp ln case
of calamlLles under 8ule 131 of Lhe 8ules of CourL,

among oLhers. 1hese laws
underscore Lhe publlc pollcy ln relaLlon Lo women whlch could be subsLanLlally
affecLed lf peLlLloner's peLlLlon were Lo be granLed.

ln our sysLem of governmenL, lL ls for Lhe leglslaLure, should lL choose Lo do so, Lo
deLermlne whaL guldellnes should govern Lhe recognlLlon of Lhe effecLs of sex

reasslgnmenL. 1he need for leglslaLlve guldellnes becomes parLlcularly lmporLanL ln
Lhls case where Lhe clalms asserLed are sLaLuLe-based.

1he CourL cannoL enacL a law where no law exlsLs. lL can only apply or lnLerpreL Lhe
wrlLLen word of lLs co-equal branch of governmenL, Congress. 1he remedles
peLlLloner seeks lnvolve quesLlons of publlc pollcy Lo be addressed solely by Lhe
leglslaLure, noL by Lhe courLs.

eLlLlon was denled.