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