SC Jails Police Officer for Psychological Violence After Abandoning Pregnant Fiancée

SC Jails Police Officer for Psychological Violence After Abandoning Pregnant Fiancée

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | August 19, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – Broken promises and public humiliation have led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling, as a police officer faces years in prison for inflicting psychological violence on a pregnant teacher he promised to marry.

The nation’s highest court has delivered a powerful message against emotional manipulation and abandonment, convicting a police officer under Section 5(i) of RA 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act. This groundbreaking decision underscores the expansive reach of the law in protecting vulnerable women.

The case centers on a romantic relationship between a police officer and a public school teacher. Upon discovering her pregnancy in April 2020, the couple planned to marry, even setting a date to apply for their marriage license on June 1, 2020. However, the police officer failed to appear, citing a mission, which left the teacher publicly humiliated after she had informed her friends and family.

While the couple later applied for their marriage license, the officer’s actions took a darker turn. The teacher soon learned that the police officer had unilaterally withdrawn the application the following day, claiming disapproval from his family and friends. This betrayal, coupled with her pregnancy out of wedlock, plunged the teacher into a severe state of distress, manifesting as restlessness, suicidal ideation, and depressive symptoms.

The Supreme Court, in its unequivocal ruling, found the police officer’s actions to transcend mere heartbreak, escalating into “psychological violence.” The Court emphasized several critical points:

Arbitrary and Public Withdrawal Constitutes Psychological Violence

Given the teacher’s pregnancy and the public nature of the marriage application withdrawal at the Local Civil Registrar (LCR), the Court determined that the police officer’s “arbitrary” actions constituted psychological violence. The pre-existing sexual/dating relationship and the withdrawal after a public commitment were key factors in this assessment.

Broad Interpretation of RA 9262 Affirmed

The Court firmly rejected arguments of “improper expansion” of Republic Act No. 9262. It asserted that the law is a protective statute, and any act—even one involving marriage applications—used to inflict psychological trauma on a woman in a dating or sexual relationship must result in offender liability.

Penalizing Emotional Manipulation, Not Just Breach of Promise

The High Court clarified that the conviction was not for a simple breach of promise to marry. Instead, Section 5(i) of RA 9262 penalizes acts causing mental or emotional suffering. The police officer’s “willful” withdrawal of the marriage license, knowing the teacher was pregnant and had announced the union, was deemed a clear act of emotional manipulation and public humiliation fitting the definition of psychological violence.

As a consequence of his actions, the police officer has been sentenced to a minimum of 2 years, 4 months, and 1 day, with a maximum of 9 years and 4 months in prison.

This verdict sends a powerful message that emotional abuse and the violation of trust, particularly against pregnant women, will not be tolerated. It reinforces the legal framework designed to protect women from various forms of violence, even those that do not involve physical harm.

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