Bangsamoro religious authority rules against forced marriage for rape survivorsMANILA, Philippines — The Bangsamoro Darul Ifta (BDI) has officially declared that forcing a rape survivor to marry her perpetrator is strictly prohibited under Shari'ah law. "Rape has established rulings in Islamic Shari'ah that vary according to the nature of the act and how it occurred. With the recently issued fatwa, it will now differ from what the Revised Penal Code says about marrying one's abuser. It should be noted that a fatwa is an authoritative legal opinion by a religious authority in Bangsamoro. Crimes against chastity under Article 344 of the Revised Penal Code refer to crimes of "adultery, concubinage, seduction, abduction, rape and acts of lasciviousness."

Source: Philippine Star April 01, 2026 06:48 UTC