Article lil BILL OF RIGHTS Concept of a bill of rights. of righty may be defined as 8 declaration and enumeration of @ or Senne ‘rights and privileges which the Constitution is designed to protect agamst violations by the government, or by an individual or groups of individuals, It is a charter of liberties for the individual and & limitation upon the power of the State,’ . Its basis is the social importance accorded to the individual in a demo- cratic or republican state, the belief that every human being bas intrinsic dignity end worth which must be respected and safeguarded ‘The new Constitution incorporates in Article IM all the basic rights in the former Charter. It also awards new rights to the individual, (see Sees. 8,11, 12, 13, 18f1}, 19.) Classes of rights. The rights that a citizen of a democratie stateenjoys may be classified inte: (2) Natural rights. — ‘They are those rights possessed by every citizen without being ranted by the State for they are given to man by God as a human being created to His image so that he may live 2 happy life, Examples are the right to life and the right to love; (2) Constitutional rights. — They are those rights which ave conferred and protected by the Coristitution. Since they are part of the fundamental law, they cannot be modified or taken away by the law-making body; and (8) Statutory rights — They are those rights which ure provided by laws promulgated by te law-making body and. consequently, may be abolished by the same body. Examples are the right ta receive @ minimum wage and the right to adopt a child by un unrelated person. "See 1 Cooley 594-595; 9 Black, Com sional Law, 3d ed, pp. 9-10, *™ ‘TEXTBOOK ON THE PHILIPPA Classification of constitutional rights. The human rights secured by the Constitution include social and eco- nomic rights not just politieal and civil rights. They are as follows: () Political rights. — They are such rights of the citizens which give them the power to participate, directly or indirectly, in the establishment, or administration of the government.’ Among these rights are the right of citizenship (Art. IV), the right of suffrage (Art. V.), and the right to information on matters of public concern (See. 7.); (2) Civit rights. — They are those rights which the law will enforee at the instance of private individuals for the purpose of securing to them the enjoyment of their means of happiness." They inclade the rights to due process and equal protection of the laws (Sec, 1.); the rights against invol- untary servitude (Sec. 18(21.) and imprisonment for non-payment of debt or a poll tax (Sec, 20.); the constitutional rights of the aceused 'Sees, 11 to 22): the social and economic rights (infra. religious freedom «Sec. 5 liberty of abode and of changing the same (Sec, 6.): and the right against impairment of obligation of a contract. (Sec. 10.) Freedom of specch, of expression, or of the press, the right of assembly and petition, and the right to form associations (Secs. 4, 8.) are likewise civil rights. However, they partake of the nature of political rights when they are utilized as a means to participate in the government; (8) Social and economic rights. — They include those rights which are intended to insure the well-being and economic security of the individual. ‘The right to property (Sec. 1.) and the right to just compensation for private property taken for publie use (See. 9.) belong more appropriately under this third category of rights. They are also provided in the articles dealing with the promotion of social justice (Art. XIII), the conservation and utilization of natural resoarees (Art. XII, See. 2.), and the promotion of edneation (Art. XIV, Secs. 1, 2, 514, 5|.), science and technology (Ibid... Sees. 10-13.), and arts and culture. (Ibid., Sees. 17. 18.) Political and civil rights can have meaning only if conerete measures are taken to breathe life and substance to soeial and economie rights which include cultural rights;* and (A) Rights of the accused. — They are the (civil) rights intended for the protection of a person accused of any crime, like the right against unrea- "Vera ve. Avelino, 77 Phil, 228 "Malcolm & Lawrel, op. cit, p. 278. ‘The concept af human righta dose not merely involve political concerns but alse encom: passes sneial and economie iberties or what advoeates call “positive liberties” such as the ight to health care, edueation, skelter, and food, and other basie social services which require concrete action ad measures on the part of the government eapecially amid the high Incidence of poverty in our country, (see Art. [], Sees. 911. They are as important, and in some eases, even more erucial than the other rights as their ong atanding non-abservance ‘ay bring about soil unrest and yoltcl sath, inet lene adatom o revoltio ary conditions