THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC Section 6.
The liberty of abode and of
OF THE PHILIPPINES – ARTICLE III changing the same within the limits
prescribed by law shall not be impaired
ARTICLE III
except upon lawful order of the court. Neither
BILL OF RIGHTS
shall the right to travel be impaired except in
the interest of national security, public safety,
Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, or public health, as may be provided by law.
liberty, or property without due process of
Section 7. The right of the people to
law, nor shall any person be denied the equal
information on matters of public concern shall
protection of the laws.
be recognized. Access to official records, and
Section 2. The right of the people to be secure to documents and papers pertaining to official
in their persons, houses, papers, and effects acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to
against unreasonable searches and seizures of government research data used as basis for
whatever nature and for any purpose shall be policy development, shall be afforded the
inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant citizen, subject to such limitations as may be
of arrest shall issue except upon probable provided by law.
cause to be determined personally by the
Section 8. The right of the people, including
judge after examination under oath or
those employed in the public and private
affirmation of the complainant and the
sectors, to form unions, associations, or
witnesses he may produce, and particularly
societies for purposes not contrary to law
describing the place to be searched and the
shall not be abridged.
persons or things to be seized.
Section 9. Private property shall not be taken
Section 3. (1) The privacy of communication
for public use without just compensation.
and correspondence shall be inviolable except
upon lawful order of the court, or when public Section 10. No law impairing the obligation of
safety or order requires otherwise, as contracts shall be passed.
prescribed by law.
Section 11. Free access to the courts and
(2) Any evidence obtained in violation of this quasi-judicial bodies and adequate legal
or the preceding section shall be inadmissible assistance shall not be denied to any person
for any purpose in any proceeding. by reason of poverty.
Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging Section 12. (1) Any person under investigation
the freedom of speech, of expression, or of for the commission of an offense shall have
the press, or the right of the people peaceably the right to be informed of his right to remain
to assemble and petition the government for silent and to have competent and
redress of grievances. independent counsel preferably of his own
choice. If the person cannot afford the
Section 5. No law shall be made respecting an
services of counsel, he must be provided with
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
one. These rights cannot be waived except in
free exercise thereof. The free exercise and
writing and in the presence of counsel.
enjoyment of religious profession and
worship, without discrimination or (2) No torture, force, violence, threat,
preference, shall forever be allowed. No intimidation, or any other means which vitiate
religious test shall be required for the exercise the free will shall be used against him. Secret
of civil or political rights. detention places, solitary, incommunicado, or
other similar forms of detention are judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative
prohibited. bodies.s
(3) Any confession or admission obtained in Section 17. No person shall be compelled to
violation of this or Section 17 hereof shall be be a witness against himself.
inadmissible in evidence against him.
Section 18. (1) No person shall be detained
(4) The law shall provide for penal and civil solely by reason of his political beliefs and
sanctions for violations of this section as well aspirations.
as compensation to and rehabilitation of
(2) No involuntary servitude in any form shall
victims of torture or similar practices, and
exist except as a punishment for a crime
their families.
whereof the party shall have been duly
Section 13. All persons, except those charged convicted.
with offenses punishable by reclusion
Section 19. (1) Excessive fines shall not be
perpetua when evidence of guilt is strong,
imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman
shall, before conviction, be bailable by
punishment inflicted. Neither shall the death
sufficient sureties, or be released on
penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling
recognizance as may be provided by law. The
reasons involving heinous crimes, the
right to bail shall not be impaired even when
Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death
the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is
penalty already imposed shall be reduced to
suspended. Excessive bail shall not be
reclusion perpetua.
required.
(2) The employment of physical,
Section 14. (1) No person shall be held to
psychological, or degrading punishment
answer for a criminal offense without due
against any prisoner or detainee or the use of
process of law.
substandard or inadequate penal facilities
(2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused under subhuman conditions shall be dealt
shall be presumed innocent until the contrary with by law.
is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be
Section 20. No person shall be imprisoned for
heard by himself and counsel, to be informed
debt or non-payment of a poll tax.
of the nature and cause of the accusation
against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and Section 21. No person shall be twice put in
public trial, to meet the witnesses face to jeopardy of punishment for the same offense.
face, and to have compulsory process to If an act is punished by a law and an
secure the attendance of witnesses and the ordinance, conviction or acquittal under
production of evidence in his behalf. either shall constitute a bar to another
However, after arraignment, trial may prosecution for the same act.
proceed notwithstanding the absence of the
accused provided that he has been duly Section 22. No ex post facto law or bill of
notified and his failure to appear is attainder shall be enacted.
unjustifiable.
Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus shall not be suspended except in cases
of invasion or rebellion when the public safety
requires it.
Section 16. All persons shall have the right to a
speedy disposition of their cases before all
