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
2 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 3

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....................................................................................... 1

ARTICLE I – THE NATIONAL TERRITORY

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 3

ARTICLE II – DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES

AND STATE POLICIES

Principles
Section 1 ....................................................................................... 8
Section 2 ....................................................................................... 13
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 14
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 15
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 15
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 15

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

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Section 23 ..................................................................................... 22
Section 24 ..................................................................................... 22
Section 25 ..................................................................................... 22
Section 26 ..................................................................................... 22
Section 27 ..................................................................................... 22
Section 28 ..................................................................................... 22

ARTICLE III – BILL OF RIGHTS

Section 1 ...................................................................................... 23
Police Power......................................................................... 24
Protected rights; life ............................................................ 25
Right to property ................................................................. 26
Right to liberty .................................................................... 28
Two kinds of due process .................................................... 28
Procedural due process in courts in non-criminal cases ... 29
Procedural due process in administrative cases ................ 30
Substantive due process...................................................... 32
Equal protection .................................................................. 35

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 39
Probable cause ..................................................................... 41
Personal examination ......................................................... 44
Particularity of description ................................................. 46
Exclusionary rule ................................................................ 49
Allowable warrantless searches ......................................... 50
Warrantless arrests............................................................. 56

Section 3 ....................................................................................... 59
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 62
No prior restraint ................................................................ 63
Commercial speech .............................................................. 68
Subsequent punishment ..................................................... 69
Symbolic speech ................................................................... 73
Unprotected speech ............................................................. 74
Libel ..................................................................................... 74
Libel of public officials and public figures .......................... 76
Obscenity and indecency ..................................................... 77
Assembly and petition ......................................................... 79

Section 5 ....................................................................................... 82
Non-establishment of religion ............................................ 83

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 Free exercise ........................................................................ 87

Section 6 ....................................................................................... 92
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 93
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 95
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 98
Taking .................................................................................. 98
Public use ............................................................................. 100
Just compensation ............................................................... 100
Judicial review..................................................................... 102

Section 10 ..................................................................................... 104

Section 11 ..................................................................................... 106
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 107
General matters................................................................... 107
When and in what circumstances the rights
are available ................................................................ 109
Circumstances not covered ................................................. 111
Right to be informed of his rights ....................................... 112
Right to competent and independent counsel .................... 113
Waiver of rights ................................................................... 117
Admissible and inadmissible evidence ............................... 117
Confessions and admissions ............................................... 118
Termination of Section 12(1) rights.................................... 119

Section 12(1) ................................................................................. 119

Section 12(2) ................................................................................. 120
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 120
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 127
Due process in criminal cases ............................................. 127
Military tribunals ................................................................ 128
Presumption of innocence ................................................... 129
Right to be heard ................................................................. 131
Right to counsel ................................................................... 133
Right to be informed............................................................ 135
Right to speedy trial ............................................................ 138
Right to an impartial trial .................................................. 140
Right to a public trial .......................................................... 141
Right to meet witness face to face ...................................... 142
Compulsory process ............................................................. 144
Waiver of rights ................................................................... 145

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

v
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 147
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 148
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 152
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 153
Section 20 ..................................................................................... 159
Section 21 ..................................................................................... 161

Attachment of double jeopardy ........................................... 161

Termination of jeopardy ...................................................... 163
Waiver or estoppel ............................................................... 168
Same offense ........................................................................ 169
Appeals ................................................................................. 174

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

ARTICLE IV – CITIZENSHIP

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 182

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 189
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 190
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 199
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 199

ARTICLE V – SUFFRAGE

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 203

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 207

ARTICLE VI – THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 210

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 218
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 218
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 218
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 218
Party-list system ................................................................. 220

Section 6 ....................................................................................... 226

Section 7 ....................................................................................... 228
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 229
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 229
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 230
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 231

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Section 12 ..................................................................................... 234
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 234
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 235
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 236
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 236
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 240
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 245
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 248
Section 20 ..................................................................................... 248
Section 21 ..................................................................................... 248
Section 22 ..................................................................................... 253
Section 23 ..................................................................................... 253
Section 24 ..................................................................................... 255
Section 25 ..................................................................................... 256
Section 26 ..................................................................................... 258
Section 27 ..................................................................................... 261
Section 28 ..................................................................................... 266
Section 29 ..................................................................................... 272
Section 30 ..................................................................................... 275
Section 31 ..................................................................................... 275
Section 32 ..................................................................................... 275

ARTICLE VII – THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 277

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 277
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 284
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 284
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 288
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 288
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 288
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 289
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 291
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 292
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 292
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 293
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 294
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 295
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 296
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 296
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 302
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 307
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 314

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Section 20 ..................................................................................... 320
Section 21 ..................................................................................... 321
Section 22 ..................................................................................... 324
Section 23 ..................................................................................... 325

ARTICLE VIII – THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 326

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 331
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 332
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 332
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 335
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 336
Specific powers of the court................................................. 337
Judicial review..................................................................... 337
Standing ............................................................................... 339
Taxpayer suit ....................................................................... 341
Political questions ............................................................... 343
Court review of capital sentences ....................................... 346
Auxiliary powers.................................................................. 346
Rule making......................................................................... 347

Section 7 ....................................................................................... 353

Section 8 ....................................................................................... 355
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 356
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 356
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 357
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 359
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 360
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 361
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 363
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 364

ARTICLE IX – CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSIONS

A. Common Provisions

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 365

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 365
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 365
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 365
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 366
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 366

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Section 7 ....................................................................................... 367
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 370

B. The Civil Service Commission

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 370

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 371
Scope of the system ............................................................. 372
Appointments in the Civil Service...................................... 373
Security of tenure ................................................................ 377
Abolition of tenure ............................................................... 380
Partisan political activity.................................................... 383
Right to organize ................................................................. 383

Section 3 ....................................................................................... 384

Section 4 ....................................................................................... 385
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 385
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 385
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 386
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 387

C. The Commission on Elections

Section 1 ...................................................................................... 389

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 391
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 402
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 403
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 405
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 405
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 406
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 406
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 407
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 407
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 408

D. The Commission on Audit

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 408

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 408
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 412
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 412

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 ARTICLE X – LOCAL GOVERNMENT

General Provisions

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 414

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 415
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 417
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 418
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 420
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 423
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 425
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 426
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 429
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 429
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 431
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 434
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 434
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 435

Autonomous Regions

Section 15 ..................................................................................... 435

Section 16 ..................................................................................... 436
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 436
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 437
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 439
Section 20 ..................................................................................... 440
Section 21 ..................................................................................... 441

ARTICLE XI – ACCOUNTABILITY
OF PUBLIC OFFICERS

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 442

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 442
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 443
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 445
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 447
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 447
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 448
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 450
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 450
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 450
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 450
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 450

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Section 13 ..................................................................................... 451
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 455
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 455
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 455
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 455
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 456

ARTICLE XII – NATIONAL ECONOMY

AND PATRIMONY

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 457

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 458
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 467
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 471
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 471
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 473
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 473
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 473
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 479
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 479
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 481
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 484
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 485
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 485
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 485
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 485
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 486
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 486
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 487
Section 20 ..................................................................................... 489
Section 21 ..................................................................................... 490
Section 22 ..................................................................................... 490

ARTICLE XIII – SOCIAL JUSTICE

AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 491

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 491

Labor

Section 3 ....................................................................................... 492

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Agrarian and Natural Resources Reform
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 494
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 499
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 500
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 500
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 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 People’s 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 ....................................................................................... 508
Section 2 ....................................................................................... 511
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 512
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 513
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 516

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

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Section 7 ....................................................................................... 521
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 523
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 523

Science and Technology

Section 10 ..................................................................................... 523
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 523
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 523
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 523

Arts and Culture

Section 14 ..................................................................................... 524
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 524
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 524
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 524
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 524

Sports
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 524

ARTICLE XV – THE FAMILY

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 525

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 525
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 526
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 527

ARTICLE XVI – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 528

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 528
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 528
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 536
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 536
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 537
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 537
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 538
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 538
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 538
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 538
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 539

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 ARTICLE XVII – AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 540

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 540
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 540
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 540

ARTICLE XVIII – TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Section 1 ....................................................................................... 552

Section 2 ....................................................................................... 552
Section 3 ....................................................................................... 553
Section 4 ....................................................................................... 553
Section 5 ....................................................................................... 553
Section 6 ....................................................................................... 553
Section 7 ....................................................................................... 553
Section 8 ....................................................................................... 553
Section 9 ....................................................................................... 553
Section 10 ..................................................................................... 554
Section 11 ..................................................................................... 554
Section 12 ..................................................................................... 554
Section 13 ..................................................................................... 554
Section 14 ..................................................................................... 554
Section 15 ..................................................................................... 555
Section 16 ..................................................................................... 555
Section 17 ..................................................................................... 556
Section 18 ..................................................................................... 556
Section 19 ..................................................................................... 556
Section 20 ..................................................................................... 556
Section 21 ..................................................................................... 556
Section 22 ..................................................................................... 556
Section 23 ..................................................................................... 557
Section 24 ..................................................................................... 557
Section 25 ..................................................................................... 557
Section 26 ..................................................................................... 558
Section 27 ..................................................................................... 562

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