Jodi Sta. Maria announced on Instagram that her marriage to Panfilo “Pampi” Lacson Jr. has been annulled, concluding a 13-year legal process she described as a “test of faith and trust.”
“Finally, after 13 years of waiting, my petition for nullity of marriage has been granted by the Supreme Court,” Sta. Maria shared in her post on Sunday, June 9.
Sta. Maria and Lacson married in 2005 and separated in 2011. They share a son, Thirdy, born the same year they wed. Reflecting on her journey, the actress emphasized that her faith sustained her through the arduous process.
“The time I spent in His waiting room was never easy nor was it comfortable. It was frustrating, discouraging, and even heartbreaking. I cried, prayed, questioned, and complained,” Sta. Maria confessed. “I made ‘tampo,’ asked for forgiveness, prayed some more. I wanted to give up, but He never let go of me.”
Sta. Maria also advised others facing similar situations to trust in God’s plan. “He is never too late. Never too early. Believe He is able to do something about your situation,” she encouraged.
In her post, she thanked her prayer warriors and the Calleja Law Office for their support and patience. “Now I can finally say… case closed.”
While Lacson has not commented on the annulment, his current partner, actress Iwa Moto, expressed her support. “Let’s celebrate. Love you amor,” Moto commented. Lacson and Moto have been together since 2012 and have two children, Hiromi Eve and Caleb Jiro.
Sta. Maria and Moto have publicly acknowledged their amicable relationship as a blended family. “The relationship we have with each other as a blended family was made possible by [God’s] love and mercy,” Sta. Maria noted in a December 2023 post.
Other celebrities, including Gabbi Garcia, Janine Gutierrez, Iza Calzado, Coney Reyes, and Donita Rose, congratulated Sta. Maria. Rose shared her own reflections on the process, stating, “It’s never an easy thing to go through a broken marriage and then to suffer through the long wait.”
Many netizens echoed Rose’s sentiments, pointing out the lengthy and costly nature of annulments in the Philippines and advocating for legalized divorce.
“13 years is a long time. For people who don’t have the time nor the money to spend on such a lengthy proceeding, it’s unfair,” one comment read.
In May, the House of Representatives approved an absolute divorce bill on its third and final reading, signaling a potential shift in the country’s legal landscape.