1

PREAMBLE
WE, THE SOVEREIGN FILIPINO PEOPLE, IMPLORING THE AID OF
ALMIGHTY GOD, IN ORDER TO BUILD A JUST AND HUMANE SOCIETY
AND ESTABLISH A GOVERNMENT THAT SHALL EMBODY OUR IDEALS AND
ASPIRATIONS, PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD, CONSERVE AND DEVELOP
OUR PATRIMONY, AND SECURE TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY THE

BLESSINGS OF INDEPENDENCE AND DEMOCRACY UNDER THE RULE OF LAW

AND A REGIME OF TRUTH, JUSTICE, FREEDOM, LOVE, EQUALITY AND PEACE,
DO ORDAIN AND PROMULGATE THIS

CONSTITUTION.

Q.

What is the function of the Preamble in the Constitution?

A.

The Preamble is not a source of rights or of obligations. Jacobson

v. Massachussetts, 197 U.S. 11, 22 (1905). Because, however, it
sets down the origin, scope, and purpose of the Constitution, it
is useful as an aid in ascertaining the meaning of ambiguous
provisions in the body of the Constitution. It is thus a source of
light.

Q.

What is the origin, scope and purpose of the Constitution as set

out in the Preamble?

A.

Its origin, or authorship, is the will of the sovereign Filipino

people. Its scope and purpose is to build a just and humane
society and to establish a government that shall embody our
ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve
and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our
posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under
the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love,
equality and peace.

Q.

What is the significance of the use of the grammatical first

person We?

A.

The use of the first person stresses the active and sovereign
role of the Filipino people as author of the Constitution. The
language thus differs from that of the 1935 Constitution which
1

THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION:

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWER

used the third person The Filipino people, thereby suggesting

that another power was merely announcing that the Filipinos
were finally being allowed to promulgate a constitution.
Q.

Why does the Constitution now say Almighty God instead of

Divine Providence, as the 1935 and 1973 Constitutions did?

A.

The phrase Almighty God is more personal and more

consonant with personalist Filipino religiosity.

Q.

What is the meaning of common good and how does it differ

from the general welfare of the 1935 and 1973 Constitutions?

A.

The phrase common good projects the idea of a social order that
enables every citizen to attain his or her fullest development
economically, politically, culturally, and spiritually. The phrase
general welfare was avoided because it could be interpreted
as the greatest good for the greatest number even if what
the greater number wants does violence to human dignity,
as for instance when the greater majority might want the
extermination of those who are considered inferior.

Q.

What is the significance of the specification of equality?

A.

It emphasizes that a major problem in Philippine society is the

prevalence of gross economic and political inequalities.

Q.

What other significant addition to previous preambles does the

new version have?

A.

It adds the final phrase under the rule of law and a regime
of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality and peace. Love is
inserted as a monument to the love that prevented bloodshed
in the February Revolution. The mention of truth is a protest
against the deception which characterized the Marcos regime.
And peace is mentioned last as the fruit of the convergence of
truth, justice, freedom, and love.

Q.

What is the import of the rule of law?

A.

This expresses the concept that government officials have only

the authority given them by law and defined by law, and that
such authority continues only with the consent of the people.
The statement is: Ours is a rule of law and not of men.

RESOLUTION OF THE COURT EN BANC DATED OCTOBER 15, 1991

ARTICLE I

THE NATIONAL TERRITORY

SECTION 1. THE

NATIONAL TERRITORY COMPRISES THE

PHILIPPINE

ARCHIPELAGO, WITH ALL THE ISLANDS AND WATERS EMBRACED THEREIN, AND
ALL OTHER TERRITORIES OVER WHICH THE

PHILIPPINES HAS SOVEREIGNTY

OR JURISDICTION, CONSISTING OF ITS TERRESTRIAL, FLUVIAL, AND AERIAL

DOMAINS, INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIAL SEA, THE SEABED, THE SUBSOIL,
THE INSULAR SHELVES, AND OTHER SUBMARINE AREAS.

THE

WATERS

AROUND, BETWEEN, AND CONNECTING THE ISLANDS OF THE ARCHIPELAGO,

REGARDLESS OF THEIR BREADTH AND DIMENSIONS, FORM PART OF THE
INTERNAL WATERS OF THE

PHILIPPINES.

Q.

What is the force of the assertion of a territorial claim in a

constitution?

A.

It should be remembered that a constitution is municipal

law. As such, it binds only the nation promulgating it. Hence,
a definition of national territory in the constitution will bind
internationally only if it is supported by proof that can stand
in international law.

Q.

Why does the Constitution contain a definition of National

Territory?

A.

Like the 1935 and 1973 Constitutions, the new Constitution

defines the national territory of the Philippines. But the
1935 Constitution had a very special reason for defining the
National Territory. To be effective, the 1935 Constitution had
to be accepted by the President of the United States. Since at
the time of the adoption of the 1935 Constitution there was still
some fear that the United States government might dismember
Philippine territory, the delegates to the 1935 Constitution
believed that such dismemberment could be forestalled by
3

CONTENTS
Preamble.......................................................................................

ARTICLE I THE NATIONAL TERRITORY

Section 1 .......................................................................................

ARTICLE II DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES

AND STATE POLICIES
Principles
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................

8
13
14
15
15
15

State Policies
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................
Section 19 .....................................................................................
Section 20 .....................................................................................
Section 21 .....................................................................................
Section 22 .....................................................................................
iii

15
16
17
17
17
17
18
19
20
20
20
21
21
21
21
21

Section 23 .....................................................................................
Section 24 .....................................................................................
Section 25 .....................................................................................
Section 26 .....................................................................................
Section 27 .....................................................................................
Section 28 .....................................................................................

22
22
22
22
22
22

ARTICLE III BILL OF RIGHTS

Section 1 ......................................................................................

23

Police Power.........................................................................
Protected rights; life ............................................................
Right to property .................................................................
Right to liberty ....................................................................
Two kinds of due process ....................................................
Procedural due process in courts in non-criminal cases ...
Procedural due process in administrative cases ................
Substantive due process......................................................
Equal protection ..................................................................

24
25
26
28
28
29
30
32
35

Section 2 .......................................................................................

39

Probable cause .....................................................................

Personal examination .........................................................
Particularity of description .................................................
Exclusionary rule ................................................................
Allowable warrantless searches .........................................
Warrantless arrests.............................................................

41
44
46
49
50
56

Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................

59
62

No prior restraint ................................................................

Commercial speech ..............................................................
Subsequent punishment .....................................................
Symbolic speech ...................................................................
Unprotected speech .............................................................
Libel .....................................................................................
Libel of public ofcials and public gures ..........................
Obscenity and indecency .....................................................
Assembly and petition .........................................................

63
68
69
73
74
74
76
77
79

Section 5 .......................................................................................

82

Non-establishment of religion ............................................

83

iv

Free exercise ........................................................................

87

Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................

92
93
95
98

Taking .................................................................................. 98
Public use ............................................................................. 100
Just compensation ............................................................... 100
Judicial review..................................................................... 102
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 104
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 106
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 107
General matters...................................................................
When and in what circumstances the rights
are available ................................................................
Circumstances not covered .................................................
Right to be informed of his rights .......................................
Right to competent and independent counsel ....................
Waiver of rights ...................................................................
Admissible and inadmissible evidence ...............................
Confessions and admissions ...............................................
Termination of Section 12(1) rights....................................

107
109
111
112
113
117
117
118
119

Section 12(1) .................................................................................

Section 12(2) .................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................

119
120
120
127

Due process in criminal cases .............................................

Military tribunals ................................................................
Presumption of innocence ...................................................
Right to be heard .................................................................
Right to counsel ...................................................................
Right to be informed............................................................
Right to speedy trial ............................................................
Right to an impartial trial ..................................................
Right to a public trial ..........................................................
Right to meet witness face to face ......................................
Compulsory process .............................................................
Waiver of rights ...................................................................

127
128
129
131
133
135
138
140
141
142
144
145

Section 15 ..................................................................................... 145

v

Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................
Section 19 .....................................................................................
Section 20 .....................................................................................
Section 21 .....................................................................................

147
148
152
153
159
161

Attachment of double jeopardy ...........................................

Termination of jeopardy ......................................................
Waiver or estoppel ...............................................................
Same offense ........................................................................
Appeals .................................................................................

161
163
168
169
174

Section 22 ..................................................................................... 176

ARTICLE IV CITIZENSHIP
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................

182
189
190
199
199

ARTICLE V SUFFRAGE
Section 1 ....................................................................................... 203
Section 2 ....................................................................................... 207
ARTICLE VI THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................

210
218
218
218
218

Party-list system ................................................................. 220

Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
vi

226
228
229
229
230
231

Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................
Section 19 .....................................................................................
Section 20 .....................................................................................
Section 21 .....................................................................................
Section 22 .....................................................................................
Section 23 .....................................................................................
Section 24 .....................................................................................
Section 25 .....................................................................................
Section 26 .....................................................................................
Section 27 .....................................................................................
Section 28 .....................................................................................
Section 29 .....................................................................................
Section 30 .....................................................................................
Section 31 .....................................................................................
Section 32 .....................................................................................

234
234
235
236
236
240
245
248
248
248
253
253
255
256
258
261
266
272
275
275
275

ARTICLE VII THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................
Section 19 .....................................................................................
vii

277
277
284
284
288
288
288
289
291
292
292
293
294
295
296
296
302
307
314

Section 20 .....................................................................................
Section 21 .....................................................................................
Section 22 .....................................................................................
Section 23 .....................................................................................

320
321
324
325

ARTICLE VIII THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT

Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................

326
331
332
332
335
336

Specic powers of the court.................................................

Judicial review.....................................................................
Standing ...............................................................................
Taxpayer suit .......................................................................
Political questions ...............................................................
Court review of capital sentences .......................................
Auxiliary powers..................................................................
Rule making.........................................................................

337
337
339
341
343
346
346
347

Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................

353
355
356
356
357
359
360
361
363
364

ARTICLE IX CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSIONS

A. Common Provisions
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
viii

365
365
365
365
366
366

Section 7 ....................................................................................... 367

Section 8 ....................................................................................... 370
B. The Civil Service Commission
Section 1 ....................................................................................... 370
Section 2 ....................................................................................... 371
Scope of the system .............................................................
Appointments in the Civil Service......................................
Security of tenure ................................................................
Abolition of tenure ...............................................................
Partisan political activity....................................................
Right to organize .................................................................

372
373
377
380
383
383

Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................

384
385
385
385
386
387

C. The Commission on Elections

Section 1 ......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................

389
391
402
403
405
405
406
406
407
407
408

D. The Commission on Audit

Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................

ix

408
408
412
412

ARTICLE X LOCAL GOVERNMENT

General Provisions
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................

414
415
417
418
420
423
425
426
429
429
431
434
434
435

Autonomous Regions
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................
Section 19 .....................................................................................
Section 20 .....................................................................................
Section 21 .....................................................................................

435
436
436
437
439
440
441

ARTICLE XI ACCOUNTABILITY
OF PUBLIC OFFICERS
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
x

442
442
443
445
447
447
448
450
450
450
450
450

Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................

451
455
455
455
455
456

ARTICLE XII NATIONAL ECONOMY

AND PATRIMONY
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................
Section 19 .....................................................................................
Section 20 .....................................................................................
Section 21 .....................................................................................
Section 22 .....................................................................................

457
458
467
471
471
473
473
473
479
479
481
484
485
485
485
485
486
486
487
489
490
490

ARTICLE XIII SOCIAL JUSTICE

AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 1 ....................................................................................... 491
Section 2 ....................................................................................... 491
Labor
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 492

xi

Agrarian and Natural Resources Reform

Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................

494
499
500
500
500

Urban Land Reform and Housing

Section 9 ....................................................................................... 501
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 502
Health
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 503
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 504
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 504
Women
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 504
Role and Rights Peoples Organizations
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 504
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 504
Human Rights
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 505
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 505
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 507
ARTICLE XIV EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY, ARTS, CULTURE, AND SPORTS
Education
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................

508
511
512
513
516

Language
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 521
xii

Section 7 ....................................................................................... 521

Section 8 ....................................................................................... 523
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 523
Science and Technology
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................

523
523
523
523

Arts and Culture

Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................

524
524
524
524
524

Sports
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 524
ARTICLE XV THE FAMILY
Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................

525
525
526
527

ARTICLE XVI GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................

xiii

528
528
528
536
536
537
537
538
538
538
538
539

ARTICLE XVII AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS

Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................

540
540
540
540

ARTICLE XVIII TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Section 1 .......................................................................................
Section 2 .......................................................................................
Section 3 .......................................................................................
Section 4 .......................................................................................
Section 5 .......................................................................................
Section 6 .......................................................................................
Section 7 .......................................................................................
Section 8 .......................................................................................
Section 9 .......................................................................................
Section 10 .....................................................................................
Section 11 .....................................................................................
Section 12 .....................................................................................
Section 13 .....................................................................................
Section 14 .....................................................................................
Section 15 .....................................................................................
Section 16 .....................................................................................
Section 17 .....................................................................................
Section 18 .....................................................................................
Section 19 .....................................................................................
Section 20 .....................................................................................
Section 21 .....................................................................................
Section 22 .....................................................................................
Section 23 .....................................................................................
Section 24 .....................................................................................
Section 25 .....................................................................................
Section 26 .....................................................................................
Section 27 .....................................................................................

xiv

552
552
553
553
553
553
553
553
553
554
554
554
554
554
555
555
556
556
556
556
556
556
557
557
557
558
562