Turkish court grants Pinay child custody

A Filipino woman divorced from her Turkish husband won a legal battle for custody of her child before a Turkish family court. On Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Turkey's Second Denizli Family Court resolved the divorce and child custody case filed by Filipina Jeanette Manuel. "Ms. Manuel and her child are scheduled to arrive in Manila (Tuesday) via Qatar Airways, after the Court lifted the travel ban issued by the Turkish immigration on the child," the DFA said on its website. Philippine Ambassador to Ankara Pedro Chan said Judge Hulya Aktas, granted the divorce and awarded custody over a one-year-old infant to Manuel. Manuel met and discussed her case with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the President's visit to Turkey on Sept. 16, 2009. "Upon instructions of the President, government funds were utilized to pay for the legal services of her lawyer," the DFA said. It added Chan personally attended the court hearing last February 10 to impress upon the Court the keen interest of the Philippine Government in protecting the rights of its nationals. The Embassy also provided custody to the mother and her then four-month-old infant for eight months while the case was being resolved. "We have to thank President Arroyo, OWWA and the DFA for their unrelenting support for the resolution of the divorce and child custody case," Chan said. The Philippine Embassy will continue to coordinate with lawyer Cenk Ozen, Manuel's counsel, on the implications of the court decision on the father's visitation rights since the plaintiff and defendant will be living in different countries. The court decision requires the child to stay with her father, Mr. Oguzhan Dur, from the first day until the seventh day of winter break, and every year from July 1 to 20. — RSJ, GMANews.TV