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Article 3 - Bill of Rights
Article 3 - Bill of Rights
Section 4. No law shall be passed Section 11. Free access to the courts and
abridging the freedom of speech, of quasi-judicial bodies and adequate legal
expression, or of the press, or the right of assistance shall not be denied to any
the people peaceably to assemble and person by reason of poverty.
petition the government for redress of
grievances. Section 12. (1) Any person under
investigation for the commission of an
Section 5. No law shall be made offense shall have the right to be informed
respecting an establishment of religion, or of his right to remain silent and to have
prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The competent and independent counsel
free exercise and enjoyment of religious preferably of his own choice. If the person
profession and worship, without cannot afford the services of counsel, he
discrimination or preference, shall forever must be provided with one. These rights
be allowed. No religious test shall be cannot be waived except in writing and in
required for the exercise of civil or political the presence of counsel.
rights.
(2) No torture, force, violence, threat,
Section 6. The liberty of abode and of intimidation, or any other means which
changing the same within the limits vitiate the free will shall be used against
prescribed by law shall not be impaired
him. Secret detention places, solitary, before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or
incommunicado, or other similar forms of administrative bodies.
detention are prohibited.
Section 17. No person shall be compelled
(3) Any confession or admission obtained to be a witness against himself.
in violation of this or Section 17 hereof
shall be inadmissible in evidence against Section 18. (1) No person shall be
him. detained solely by reason of his political
beliefs and aspirations.
(4) The law shall provide for penal and
civil sanctions for violations of this section (2) No involuntary servitude in any form
as well as compensation to and shall exist except as a punishment for a
rehabilitation of victims of torture or crime whereof the party shall have been
similar practices, and their families. duly convicted.
Section 13. All persons, except those Section 19. (1) Excessive fines shall not
charged with offenses punishable by be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or
reclusion perpetua when evidence of guilt inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither
is strong, shall, before conviction, be shall the death penalty be imposed,
bailable by sufficient sureties, or be unless, for compelling reasons involving
released on recognizance as may be heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter
provided by law. The right to bail shall not provides for it. Any death penalty already
be impaired even when the privilege of imposed shall be reduced to reclusion
the writ of habeas corpus is suspended. perpetua.
Excessive bail shall not be required.
(2) The employment of physical,
Section 14. (1) No person shall be held to psychological, or degrading punishment
answer for a criminal offense without due against any prisoner or detainee or the
process of law. use of substandard or inadequate penal
facilities under subhuman conditions shall
(2) In all criminal prosecutions, the be dealt with by law.
accused shall be presumed innocent until
the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the Section 20. No person shall be
right to be heard by himself and counsel, imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a
to be informed of the nature and cause of poll tax.
the accusation against him, to have a
speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet Section 21. No person shall be twice put
the witnesses face to face, and to have in jeopardy of punishment for the same
compulsory process to secure the offense. If an act is punished by a law and
attendance of witnesses and the an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under
production of evidence in his behalf. either shall constitute a bar to another
However, after arraignment, trial may prosecution for the same act.
proceed notwithstanding the absence of
the accused provided that he has been
duly notified and his failure to appear is Section 22. No ex post facto law or bill of
unjustifiable. attainder shall be enacted.