THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE PHILIPPINES; ARTICLE III BILL OF RIGHTS; SECTION 5 Section 5.

. No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights. (1987 Constitution of the Philippines, Art.3; Sec.5) The framers of the Constitution were God-fearing men making a sincere attempt to establish a new nation on biblical principles, including equity, justice, and liberty. One of the liberties they recognized as inalienable and sacred was the freedom of religion. Praise the Lord for such wisdom. (http://www.gotquestions.org/freedom-ofreligion.html#ixzz2nhSXjjai)

THE HOLY BIBLE, OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis 1:26 - Then God said, oLet us make man8 in our image, pafter our likeness. And qlet them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. The freedom of religion respects the image of God in man. Part of Gods likeness is mans volition, i.e., man has the ability to choose. (Freedom-of-religion website; 2013)

Joshua 24:15 - And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. God respects our choices in that He gives us freedom to make decisions regarding our future, even if we make the wrong decisions. Again, if God allows us to choose, we should allow others to choose. (Freedom-of-religion-website; 2013)

As stated in the landmark case of Estrada vs. Escritor, the Supreme Court of the Philippines established the doctrine of benevolent neutrality-accommodation. The former Chief Justice Puno explained such doctrine in the context of US Jurisprudence as follows: Under the benevolent-neutrality theory, the principle underlying the First Amendment is that freedom to carry out ones duties to a Supreme Being is an inalienable right, not one dependent on the grace of legislature. Religious freedom is seen as a substantive right and not merely a privilege against discriminatory legislation. With religion looked upon with benevolence and not hostility, benevolent neutrality allows accommodation of religion under certain circumstances. (Freedom of Religion in the Philippines, Wikipedia; 2013)

THE REVISED PENAL CODE BOOK TWO TITLE ELEVEN: CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY CHAPTER ONE: ADULTERY AND CONCUBINAGE

Art. 333 Who are guilty of adultery- Adultery is committed by any married woman who shall have sexual intercourse with a man not her husband and by the man who has carnal knowledge of her, knowing her to be married, even if the marriage be subsequently declared void. Adultery shall be punished by prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods. If the person guilty of adultery committed this offense while being abandoned without justification by the offended spouse, the penalty next lower in degree than that provided in the next preceding paragraph shall be imposed. Art. 334 Concubinage- Any husband who shall keep a mistress in the conjugal dwelling, or , shall have sexual intercourse, under scandalous circumstances, with a woman who is not his wife, or shall cohabit with her in any other place, shall be punished by prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods. The concubine shall suffer the penalty of destierro.