Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro yesterday showed a marriage certificate to prove that her Islamic marriage to Leodegreco “Greco” Sanchez is legally binding and valid.
“I’m the legal Muslim wife of Greco,” she told Cebu Daily News.
To prove her claim, Castro showed their Certificate of Marriage issued by the Office of the Civil Registrar in Cebu City.
Castro, 46, and Sanchez, 41, got married in an Islamic ceremony at Harold’s Hotel in Cebu City on Aug. 18 last year, a day after Greco was released from drug rehabilitation and treatment.
“Even the Imam, who presided over our wedding rites last year, can attest that it’s legal. You can ask him,” the prosecutor said.
Castro remained hopeful yesterday that she and Sanchez would settle their differences soon.
“Bisan mobalitok pa ang kalibutan, bana gihapon na nako siya (Even if the world turns upside down, Greco remains my husband),” she said.
Sanchez reportedly converted to Islam so he and Castro could marry.
Sanchez’s first civil marriage hasn’t been annulled yet. Castro’s first marriage, on the other hand, was annulled in 2014.
For dowry, Castro said Sanchez gave her a Rolex watch worth P1 million, and lot in Barangay Kalawisan in Lapu-Lapu City valued at P39 million. A dowry is paid by a man to his wife.
The Rolex watch, which Sanchez inherited from his late father former vice governor Greg Sanchez, went missing after the couple had a spat in October last year.
They also argued over who should have custody of a Ford Ranger bought by Castro but registered under their names. But Castro said she believed that the 60,200-square-meter property given as dowry to her by Sanchez is exclusively hers.
Castro was arrested and charged for harassing some policemen last March 7 inside the Regional Special Operations Task Group (RSOG) office at Camp Sergio
Osmena in Cebu City. Her six companions, four of whom forcibly opened the door to the room where Sanchez’s long time live-in partner Maricel Gregory was being held, were also arrested.
They are all out on bail.