JESUSC.GARCIA,petitioner,vs.THEHONORABLERAYALANT.

DRILON,PresidingJudge,Regional
TrialCourtBranch41,BacolodCity,andROSALIEJAYPEGARCIA,forherselfandinbehalfofminor
children,namely:JOANN,JOSEPHEDUARD,JESSEANTHONE,allsurnamedGARCIA,respondents.
G.R.No.179267,June25,2013
LEONARDODECASTRO,J.:
FACTS:
PetitionerJesusGarcia(husband)appearstohaveinflictedviolenceagainstprivaterespondent(wifeanddaughter).
Petitioneradmittedhavinganaffairwithabankmanager.Hecallouslyboastedabouttheirsexualrelationstothe
householdhelp.Hisinfidelityemotionallywoundedprivaterespondent.Theirquarrelsleftherwithbruisesand
hematoma.Petitioneralsounconscionablybeatuptheirdaughter,Joann,whomheblamedforsquealingonhim.
AllthesedroverespondentRosalieGarcia(wife)todespaircausinghertoattemptsuicideonDecember17,2005by
slittingherwrist.Insteadoftakinghertothehospital,petitionerleftthehouse.Henevervisitedherwhenshewas
confinedforseven(7)days.Heeventoldhismotherinlawthatrespondentshouldjustaccepthisextramaritalaffair
sinceheisnotcohabitingwithhisparamourandhasnotsiredachildwithher.
Theprivaterespondentwasdeterminedtoseparatefrompetitioner.Butshewasafraidhewouldtakeawaytheir
childrenanddepriveheroffinancialsupport.Hewarnedherthatifshepursuedlegalbattle,shewouldnotgetasingle
centavofromhim.Aftersheconfrontedhimofhisaffair,heforbadehertoholdoffice.Thisdeprivedherofaccessto
fullinformationabouttheirbusinesses.
RTCRULING
TheRTCfoundreasonablegroundtobelievetherewasimminentdangerofviolenceagainstrespondentandher
children.TheRTCissuedaseriesofTemporaryProtectionOrders(TPO)orderingpetitioner,RespondentJesusChua
Garciawasorderedtovacatethefamilyhome.Hewastoldbythecourthewasnotpermittedwithin1,000metersof
hiswife,children,andmembersofhishousehold.Hewasnolongertobepermittedtoenterthesubdivisiongates,and
tosurrenderhisfirearm.
TheTPOwasextendedseveraltimes.JesusGarciafiledapetitionwiththeRTCseekingtostoptherenewalofthe
TPO.Itwasdenied.
PetitionerchallengestheconstitutionalityofRA9262for
1.makingagenderbasedclassification,thus,providingremediesonlytowives/womenandnottohusbands/men.
2.Heclaimsthateventhetitleofthelaw,"AnActDefiningViolenceAgainstWomenandTheirChildren"is
alreadysexdiscriminatorybecauseitmeansviolencebymenagainstwomen.
3.Thelawalsodoesnotincludeviolencecommittedbywomenagainstchildrenandotherwomen.
4.Headdsthatgenderaloneisnotenoughbasistodeprivethehusband/fatheroftheremediesunderitbecauseits
avowedpurposeistocurbandpunishspousalviolence.Thesaidremediesarediscriminatoryagainstthehusband/male
gender.
5.Therebeingnoreasonabledifferencebetweenanabusedhusbandandanabusedwife,theequalprotection
guaranteeisviolated.
GarciaarguesthatRA9262isviolativeoftheequalprotectionclausebecauseofgenderinequality
ImportantandEssentialGovernmentalObjectives:
1.SafeguardHumanRights,
2.EnsureGenderEqualityand
3.EmpowerWomen
InternationalLaws
Byconstitutionalmandate,thePhilippinesiscommittedtoensurethathumanrightsandfundamentalfreedomsare
fullyenjoyedbyeveryone.
1.ItwasoneofthecountriesthatvotedinfavoroftheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights(UDHR).In
addition,thePhilippinesisasignatorytomanyUnitedNationshumanrightstreatiessuchasthe
2.ConventionontheEliminationofAllFormsofRacialDiscrimination,
3.theInternationalCovenantonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights,theInternationalCovenantonCiviland
PoliticalRights,the

4.ConventionAgainstTorture,andthe
5.ConventionontheRightsoftheChild,amongothers.
UDHR(UniversalDeclarationofHumanRights)
AsasignatorytotheUDHR,thePhilippinespledgeditselftoachievethepromotionofuniversalrespectforand
observanceofhumanrightsandfundamentalfreedoms,keepinginmindthestandardsundertheDeclaration.Among
thestandardsundertheUDHRarethefollowing:
Article1.Allhumanbeingsarebornfreeandequalindignityandrights.Theyareendowedwithreasonand
conscienceandshouldacttowardsoneanotherinaspiritofbrotherhood.
xxxx
Article7.Allareequalbeforethelawandareentitledwithoutanydiscriminationtoequalprotectionofthelaw.
AllareentitledtoequalprotectionagainstanydiscriminationinviolationofthisDeclarationandagainstany
incitementtosuchdiscrimination.
Article8.Everyonehastherighttoaneffectiveremedybythecompetentnationaltribunalsforactsviolatingthe
fundamentalrightsgrantedhimbytheconstitutionorbylaw.
DeclarationofPolicyinRA9262
enunciatesthepurposeofthesaidlaw,whichistofulfillthegovernmentsobligationtosafeguardthedignity
andhumanrightsofwomenandchildrenbyprovidingeffectiveremediesagainstdomesticviolenceorphysical,
psychological,andotherformsofabuseperpetuatedbythehusband,partner,orfatherofthevictim.
Thesaidlawisalsoviewedwithinthecontextoftheconstitutionalmandatetoensuregenderequality,whichis
quotedasfollows:
Section14.TheStaterecognizestheroleofwomeninnationbuilding,andshallensurethefundamentalequality
beforethelawofwomenandmen.
ISSUE:WONR.A.NO.9262ISDISCRIMINATORY,UNJUST,ANDVIOLATIVEOFTHEEQUAL
PROTECTIONCLAUSE.
HELD:
RA9262isNOTUNCONSITUTIONAL.
1.RA9262compliancewiththeCEDAW
Ithasbeenacknowledgedthat"genderbasedviolenceisaformofdiscriminationthatseriouslyinhibitswomen's
abilitytoenjoyrightsandfreedomsonabasisofequalitywithmen."RA9262canbeviewedthereforeasthe
PhilippinescompliancewiththeCEDAW(ConventionontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationagainst
Women(CEDAW),),whichiscommittedtocondemndiscriminationagainstwomenanddirectsitsmembersto
undertake,withoutdelay,allappropriatemeanstoeliminatediscriminationagainstwomeninallformsbothinlawand
inpractice.
CEDAW(ConventionontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationagainstWomen(CEDAW)
KnownastheInternationalBillofRightsofWomen,theCEDAWisthecentralandmostcomprehensivedocumentfor
theadvancementofthewelfareofwomen.TheCEDAW,initspreamble,explicitlyacknowledgestheexistenceof
extensivediscriminationagainstwomen,andemphasizedthatsuchisaviolationoftheprinciplesofequalityofrights
andrespectforhumandignity.
2.PhilippinesobligationasstatepartytoCEDAW
ThePhilippinesisunderlegalobligationtoensuretheirdevelopmentandadvancementfortheimprovementoftheir
positionfromoneofdejureaswellasdefactoequalitywithmen.TheCEDAW,goingbeyondtheconceptof
discriminationusedinmanylegalstandardsandnorms,focusesondiscriminationagainstwomen,withtheemphasis
thatwomenhavesufferedandarecontinuingtosufferfromvariousformsofdiscriminationonaccountoftheir
biologicalsex.

Thegovernmentalobjectivesofprotectinghumanrightsandfundamentalfreedoms,whichincludespromotinggender
equalityandempoweringwomen,asmandatednotonlybyourConstitution,butalsobycommitmentswehavemade
intheinternationalsphere,areundeniablyimportantandessential.
RA9262providesthewidestrangeofreliefsforwomenandchildrenwhoarevictimsofviolence,whichareoften
reportedtohavebeencommittednotbystrangers,butbyafatherorahusbandorapersonwithwhomthevictimhasor
hadasexualordatingrelationship.
3.TheGenderBasedClassificationinRA9262isSubstantiallyRelatedtotheAchievementofGovernmental
Objectives
HistoricalPerspective:
Aforeignhistoryprofessornotedthat:"fromtheearliestcivilizationson,thesubjugationofwomen,intheform
ofviolence,werefactsoflife,
JudeoChristianreligiousideas;Greekphilosophy;andtheCommonLawLegalCode:all"assumedpatriarchy
asnatural;thatis,maledominationstemmingfromtheviewofmalesuperiority."
18thcenturylegalexpertWilliamBlackstone,reflectedthetheologicalassumptionthat:husbandandwifewere
onebodybeforeGod;thus"theywereonepersonunderthelaw,andthatonepersonwasthehusband,"aconcept
thatevidentlyfounditswayinsomeofourCivilCodeprovisionspriortotheenactmentoftheFamilyCode.
Societyandtraditiondictatethatthecultureofpatriarchycontinues.Menareexpectedtotakeonthedominant
rolesbothinthecommunityandinthefamily.Thisperceptionnaturallyleadstomengainingmorepoweroverwomen
power,whichmustnecessarilybecontrolledandmaintained.Violenceagainstwomenisoneofthewaysmencontrol
womentoretainsuchpower.
Inancientwesternsocieties,womenwhetherslave,concubineorwife,wereundertheauthorityofmen.Inlaw,
theyweretreatedasproperty.
TheRomanconceptofpatriapotestasallowedthehusbandtobeat,orevenkill,hiswifeifsheendangeredhis
propertyrightoverher.
Judaism,Christianityandotherreligionsorientedtowardsthepatriarchalfamilystrengthenedthemale
dominatedstructureofsociety.
Englishfeudallawreinforcedthetraditionofmalecontroloverwomen.
However,inthelate1500sandthroughtheentire1600s,Englishcommonlawbegantolimittherightof
husbandstochastisetheirwives.Thus,commonlawdevelopedtheruleofthumb,whichallowedhusbandstobeattheir
wiveswitharodorsticknothickerthantheirthumb.
Statistics:
TheenactmentofRA9262wasinresponsetotheundeniablenumerouscasesinvolvingviolencecommittedagainst
womeninthePhilippines.
In2012,thePhilippineNationalPolice(PNP)reportedthat65%or11,531outof15,969casesinvolving
violenceagainstwomenwerefiledunderRA9262.
From2004to2012,violationsofRA.9262rankedfirstamongthedifferentcategoriesofviolencecommitted
againstwomen.Thenumberofreportedcasesshowedanincreasingtrendfrom2004to2012,
Thelawrecognizes,withvalidfactualsupportbasedonstatisticsthatwomenandchildrenarethemost
vulnerablevictimsofviolence,andthereforeneedlegalintervention.Ontheotherhand,thereisadearthof
empiricalbasistoanchoraconclusionthatmenneedlegalprotectionfromviolenceperpetuatedbywomen.
4.Differenttreatmentofwomenandmenbasedonbiological,social,andculturaldifferences
Thepersistentandexistingbiological,social,andculturaldifferencesbetweenwomenandmenprescribethattheybe
treateddifferentlyunderparticularconditionsinordertoachievesubstantiveequalityforwomen.Thus,the
disadvantagedpositionofawomanascomparedtoamanrequiresthespecialprotectionofthelaw,asgleanedfrom
thefollowingrecommendationsoftheCEDAW

Committee:
TheConventionrequiresthatwomenbegivenanequalstartandthattheybeempoweredbyanenabling
environmenttoachieveequalityofresults.Itisnotenoughtoguaranteewomentreatmentthatisidenticaltothatof
men.Rather,biologicalaswellassociallyandculturallyconstructeddifferencesbetweenwomenandmenmustbe
takenintoaccount.Undercertaincircumstances,nonidenticaltreatmentofwomenandmenwillberequiredinorder

toaddresssuchdifferences.Pursuitofthegoalofsubstantiveequalityalsocallsforaneffectivestrategyaimedat
overcomingunderrepresentationofwomenandaredistributionofresourcesandpowerbetweenmenandwomen.
Equalityofresultsisthelogicalcorollaryofdefactoorsubstantiveequality.Theseresultsmaybequantitative
and/orqualitativeinnature;thatis,womenenjoyingtheirrightsinvariousfieldsinfairlyequalnumberswithmen,
enjoyingthesameincomelevels,equalityindecisionmakingandpoliticalinfluence,andwomenenjoyingfreedom
fromviolence.
Thegovernmentscommitmenttoensurethatthestatusofawomaninallspheresofherlifeareparalleltothatofa
man,requirestheadoptionandimplementationofameliorativemeasures,suchasRA9262.Unlessthewomanis
guaranteedthattheviolencethatsheenduresinherprivateaffairswillnotbeignoredbythegovernment,whichis
committedtouplifthertoherrightfulplaceasahumanbeing,thenshecanneitherachievesubstantiveequalitynorbe
empowered.
5.RA9262justifiedundertheConstitution
TheConstitutionabundantlyauthorizeCongressorthegovernmenttoactivelyundertakeameliorativeactionthat
wouldremedyexistinginequalitiesandinequitiesexperiencedbywomenandchildrenbroughtaboutbyyearsof
discrimination.Theequalprotectionclausewhenjuxtaposedtothisprovisionprovidesastrongermandateforthe
governmenttocombatsuchdiscrimination.Indeed,theseprovisionsorderCongressto"givehighestprioritytothe
enactmentofmeasuresthatprotectandenhancetherightofallthepeopletohumandignity,reducesocial,economic,
andpoliticalinequalitiesandremoveculturalinequities."
RA9262isTHEameliorativeaction
InenactingR.A.9262,Congresshastakenanameliorativeactionthatwouldaddresstheevileffectsofthesocial
modelofpatriarchy,apatternthatisdeeplyembeddedinthesocietyssubconscious,onFilipinowomenandchildren
andelevatetheirstatusashumanbeingsonthesamelevelasthefatherorthehusband.
R.A.9262aimstoputastoptothecycleofmaleabusesborneofdiscriminationagainstwomen.Itisan
ameliorativemeasure,notaformof"reversediscrimination"against.Ameliorativeaction"isnotanexceptionto
equality,butanexpressionandattainmentofdefactoequality,thegenuineandsubstantiveequalitywhichtheFilipino
peoplethemselvesenshrinedasagoalofthe1987Constitution."Ameliorativemeasuresarenecessaryasa
redistributivemechanisminanunequalsocietytoachievesubstantiveequality.
Ameliorativemeasurestoachievesubstantiveequality
Inthecontextofwomensrights,substantiveequalityhasbeendefinedbytheConventionontheEliminationofall
formsofDiscriminationAgainstWomen(CEDAW)asequalitywhichrequiresthatwomenbegivenanequalstartand
thattheybeempoweredbyanenablingenvironmenttoachieveequalityofresults.Itisnotenoughtoguaranteewomen
treatmentthatisidenticaltothatofmen.Rather,biologicalaswellassociallyandculturallyconstructeddifferences
betweenwomenandmenmustbetakenintoaccount.Undercertaincircumstances,nonidenticaltreatment

ofwomen
andmenwillberequiredinordertoaddresssuchdifferences.
Womensstruggleforequalitywithmenhasevolvedunderthreemodels:
1.Formalequalitywomenandmenaretoberegardedandtreatedasthesame.Butthismodeldoesnottakeinto
accountbiologicalandsociallyconstructeddifferencesbetweenwomenandmen.Byfailingtotakeintoaccountthese
differences,aformalequalityapproachmayinfactperpetuatediscriminationanddisadvantage.
2.Protectionistmodelthisrecognizesdifferencesbetweenwomenandmenbutconsiderswomensweaknessasthe
rationalefordifferenttreatment.Thisapproachreinforcestheinferiorstatusofwomenanddoesnotaddresstheissueof
discriminationofwomenonaccountoftheirgender.
3.Substantiveequalitymodelthisassumesthatwomenare"notvulnerablebynature,butsufferfromimposed
disadvantage"andthat"iftheseimposeddisadvantageswereeliminated,therewasnofurtherneedforprotection."
Thus,thesubstantiveequalitymodelgivesprimeimportancetowomenscontexts,realities,andexperiences,andthe
outcomesorresultsofactsandmeasuresdirected,atoraffectingthem,withaviewtoeliminatingthedisadvantages
theyexperienceaswomen.
6.ThegenderbasedclassificationofRA9262doesnotviolatetheEqualProtectionClause(applicationofthe
substantiveequalitymodel)
TheequalprotectionclauseinourConstitutiondoesnotguaranteeanabsoluteprohibitionagainstclassification.The
nonidenticaltreatmentofwomenandmenunderRA9262isjustifiedtoputthemonequalfootingandtogive

substancetothepolicyandaimofthestatetoensuretheequalityofwomenandmeninlightofthebiological,
historical,social,andculturallyendoweddifferencesbetweenmenandwomen.
RA9262,byaffordingspecialandexclusiveprotectiontowomenandchildren,whoarevulnerablevictimsofdomestic
violence,undoubtedlyservestheimportantgovernmentalobjectivesofprotectinghumanrights,insuringgender
equality,andempoweringwomen.Thegenderbasedclassificationandthespecialremediesprescribedbysaidlawin
favorofwomenandchildrenaresubstantiallyrelated,infactessentiallynecessary,toachievesuchobjectives.Hence,
saidActsurvivestheintermediatereviewormiddletierjudicialscrutiny.Thegenderbasedclassificationthereinis
thereforenotviolativeoftheequalprotectionclauseembodiedinthe1987Constitution.