Decision 3 G.R. No. 224742 In his defense, Prudencio argued that his marriage with Arlene was void because the copy of their Marriage Contract, which was secured from the National Statistics Offibe, 14 did not bear the solemnizing officer's signature. 15 In its March 13,, 2012 Decision, the trial court did not give weight to Prudencio' s defense. It explained that such discrepancy was inadvertent, as it found that a copy of the same Marriage Contract in the Local Civil Registrar bore the solemnizing officer's signature. Moreover, marriage photos, along with Prudencio's own admission in his Counter-Affidavit, were enough evidence for the trial court to find that Prudencio and Arlene were married. 16 The trial court concluded that Prudencio could not unilaterally declare that his marriage with Arlene was void as only courts have the power to do so.11 The trial court ruled that the prosecution was able to show that all the elements of bigamy were present: (1) the marriage between the appellant and the private complainant is still existing; (2) the same has not been legally declared to be dissolved; (3) appellant contracted a subsequent marriage with a certain Jean Basan while his first marriage with the private complainant is still subsisting; and (4) the second marriage has all the essential requisites for its validity. 18 The trial court convicted Prudencio of bigamy. The dispositive portion of its Decision read: WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, judgment is hereby rendered finding the accused PRUDENCIO DE GUZMAN y JUMAQUIO GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of bigamy and is hereby sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of four (4) years, two (2) months and one (1) clay ofprision correccional, as minimum, to six (6) years and one (1) day of prision mayor, as maximum. SO ORDERED. 19 I Prudencio appealed before the Court of Appeals. During the pendency of his appeal, Arlene executed an Affidavit of Desistance praying that the case be dismissed after she had reconciled with Prudencio. 20 14 16 Under Republic Act No. 10625 or the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, the National Statistics Office has been merged with the National Statistical Coordination Board, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics to create the Philippine Statistics Authority. Rollo, p. 27. Id. i1 Id. 15 18 19 20 Id. Summarized in the CA Decision. Id. at 26-27. Id. at 28. j