Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights
Rodiel IV
A. Concept of Bill of Rights
1. Privacy and autonomy
1. The Bill of Rights establishes the relationship of a person to the State,
and defines the rights of the individual by limiting the lawful powers of the
State. (People v Marti, 1991)
2. The Bill of Rights does not govern relationships between individuals; it
cannot be invoked against the acts of private individuals. (Remegio v
People, 2017)
1. However, the Court allowed the invocation of the right to privacy of
communication by the husband against the wife. Hence, the
documents gathered from the clinic without his consent shall be
inadmissible in evidence, as provided by Sec. 3(2), Art. III. (Zulueta v
CA, 1996)
2. In the case of Dela Cruz v. People, 779 SCRA 34 (2016), involving
civilian port personnel conducting security checks, the Supreme Court
(SC) thoroughly discussed that while the Bill of Rights under Article III
of the 1987 Constitution generally cannot be invoked against the acts
of private individuals, the same may nevertheless be applicable if such
individuals act under the color of a state-related function.
1. One of the arguments presented in the instant petition is that the
search and arrest made on petitioner were illegal and, thus, the
marijuana purportedly seized from him is inadmissible in evidence.
In this relation, it is worth noting that his arresting officers, i.e., BB
Bahoyo and BB Velasquez, are mere Bantay Bayan operatives of
Makati City. Strictly speaking, they are not government agents like
the Philippine National Police (PNP) or the National Bureau of
Investigation in charge of law enforcement; but rather, they are
civilian volunteers who act as “force multipliers” to assist the
aforesaid law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace and
security within their designated areas. Particularly, jurisprudence
described the nature of Bantay Bayan as “a group of male
residents living in [the] area organized for the purpose of keeping
peace in their community[, which is] an accredited auxiliary of the
x x x PNP.”
2. The Supreme Court (SC) is convinced that the acts of the Bantay
Bayan — or any barangay-based or other volunteer organizations
in the nature of watch groups — relating to the preservation of
peace and order in their respective areas have the color of a
state-related function. As such, they should be deemed as law
enforcement authorities for the purpose of applying the Bill of
Rights under Article III of the 1987 Constitution to them. Miguel
vs. People, 833 SCRA 440, G.R. No. 227038 July 31, 2017.
2. Relation to human rights
1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on
Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, suggests that the scope of human rights can be
understood to include those that relate to an individual’s social, economic,
cultural, political and civil relations. These broad concepts are equally
contemplated by the framers of the Constitution in adopting the Bill of
Rights and the creation of the Commission on Human Rights. (Simon v
CHR, 1994)
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B. Due process of law
1. Concept of right to life, liberty, and property
1. Life - this guarantees essentially the right to be alive - upon which the
enjoyment of all other rights is preconditioned. (Mamba v Bueno, 2017)
2. Liberty - the right to exist and the right to be free from arbitrary restraint
or servitude. It is not merely freedom from physical restraint but also the
right to enjoy his facilities, subject only to restraint that is necessary for
the common welfare. (City of Manila v Laguio, 2005)
3. Property - it means anything that can come under the right of ownership
and be the subject of contract.
2. Kinds of due process
1. Substantive
1. Substantive due process refers to the intrinsic validity of a law that
interferes with the person’s life, liberty, or property. Violation of
substantive due process makes the law unconstitutional.
2. Publication of laws is part of substantive due process. (Tañada v
Tuvera)
3. Requisites of substantive due process: (PRODUC - Public policy;
Regulate trade; Oppressive; Discriminatory; Unreasonable;
Contravene Constitution)
1. It must not contravene the Constitution or any statute;
2. it must be fair, not oppressive;
3. it must not be partial or discriminatory;
4. it must not prohibit but may regulate trade;
5. it must be general and consistent with public policy; and
6. it must not be unreasonable.
1. Hence, an invalid exercise of police power is unconstitutional
because it violates substantive due process. In the Bar, use
1.
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I. Eminent Domain
1. Concept
2. Just compensation
3. Abandonment of intended use and right of repurchase
1. The Court held that the expropriator has the obligation to reconvey
property expropriated but never used, on the condition that the
landowners would return the just compensation they received, plus
interest. (Heirs of Moreno v Mactan-Cebu International Airport, 2005;
Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority v Tudtud, 2008)
4. Expropriation by LGUs
1. Already discussed in inherent powers of the State
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J. Non-impairment of contracts
1. “No law”
1. “Law” covers municipal ordinances because these are local legislations.
(Ortigas & Co. v Feati Bank)
2. It also covers executive orders/administrative rules(quasi-legislative).
(Provincial Bus Operators Association v DOLE, 2018, Leonen)
3. However, the non-impairment clause is a limit on the exercise of legislative
power and NOT of judicial or quasi-judicial power. Hence, SEC's approval
of the Rehabilitation Plan did not impair BPI's right to contract. (China
3.
v Sandiganbayan)
8. Administrative proceedings -
1. In custodial investigation, the person is under investigation for the
commission of an offense.
2. The rights under custodial investigation are not available in
administrative proceedings. (People v. Judge Ayson)
1. Hence, the uncounselled admission of a person to be used in
an administrative proceeding shall be admissible.
1. An example is an administrative proceeding with the
Bureau of Immigration.
2. In other words, uncounselled admission is only inadmissible in
criminal proceedings.
2. Requisites
1. What are the rights under Sec. 12, Art. III?
1. Right to be informed of the following rights
2. Right to remain silent
3. Right to independent and competent counsel, preferably of his own
choice
4. Right to be provided with counsel, if he cannot afford the services of
one
5. Not to be subjected to force, violence, threat or intimidation which
vitiates free will;
6. Confessions or admissions obtained in violation of these rights are
inadmissible in evidence.
2. Right to be informed of these rights
1. “The right to be informed contemplates the transmission of a
meaningful information rather than just the ceremonial and
perfunctory recitation of an abstract constitutional principle. As a
rule, therefore, it would not be sufficient for a police officer just to
repeat to the person under investigation the provisions of the
Constitution. He is duty -bound to tell the person his rights and
explain their effects in practical terms. (People v. Pinlac)
2. Hence, he shall be informed of his rights, in a language known to and
understood by him. (RA 7438)
3. Waiver of the right to be informed; not allowed
1. Only the right to remain silent and the right to counsel may be waived,
but not the right to be informed of these rights. (People v. Fabro)
4. Extrajudicial confession while under custodial investigation; when is it valid
1. Any extrajudicial confession made by a person under custodial
investigation shall be:
1. in writing and signed by such person; and
2. a) in the presence of his counsel or
b) in the latter's absence,
1. Upon a valid waiver, and
2. In the presence of ANY of the parents, elder brothers and
sisters, his spouse, the municipal mayor, the municipal judge,
district school supervisor, OR priest or minister of the gospel
as CHOSEN by him; (PES-MJSP)
3. Waiver
1. When is there a valid waiver?
1. The waiver shall be in writing and signed by such person in the
presence of his counsel; otherwise the waiver shall be null and void
and of no effect. (Sec. 2(d), RA 7438)
2. Valid extrajudicial confession (in sum)
1. Writing + Presence of counsel
2. Writing + Absence of counsel + Valid waiver + Presence of any of
PES-MJSP
1. NOTE: Since a valid waiver requires the presence of counsel, this
latter part is unimportant.
3. Valid waiver
1. Writing + Presence of counsel also
4. Burden of proving a valid waiver; Prosecution
1. The burden of proving that there was valid waiver rests on the
prosecution. The presumption that official duty has been regularly
performed cannot prevail over the presumption of innocence. (People
v Mamaril)
4. Exclusionary Rule or Fruit of the Poisonous Tree
1. Any confession or admission obtained in violation of this or Section 17
hereof shall be inadmissible in evidence against him. (Sec. 12(c), Art. III)
2. It is not only the uncounseled confession (poisonous tree/primary) that is
condemned as inadmissible, but also evidence derived therefrom (fruit/
secondary).
1. In the case of People v. Alicando, the pillow and the T-shirt with the
alleged bloodstains were evidence derived from the uncounselled
confession illegally extracted by the police from the appellant. Such
pillow and T-shirt are also inadmissible in evidence.
5. X’s motorcycle was stolen. He reported the incident to the police. X provided
the police of Official Receipt (OR) of registration and the Certificate of
Registration (CR) and other proof of ownership. The following day, the police
officers received a report that there was a suspicious person with something
tucked in his waist at the public market. The report eventually resulted in the
arrest of Y for the illegal possession of firearm. He was, thereafter, subjected
to a search of his body and of the bag allegedly found in his possession. Inside
the bag, the arresting officer found an assortment of documents, including
photocopies of the OR and CR of X's stolen motorcycle. At the Police Station,
Marvin was asked regarding the documents discovered in his bag. Marvin
responded voluntarily, informing the police that the motorcycle was in the
possession of Z. At the time, V, the mother of X, was also at the police station
and she asked Y about the registration of the subject motorcycle found in his
possession, to which Y replied by confessing his guilt. In convicting Y, the RTC
relied on Y’s voluntary admission to the police and to V, the mother of X. Is the
RTC correct?
1. No. Y was already under custodial investigation, having been placed in the
custody of the police, or deprived of his freedom of action in a significant
manner. Thus, when the police officers asked Y regarding the discovery of
the motorcycle's registration documents in his possession, Y's right to
counsel automatically attached. Furthermore, his answer constitutes an
implied admission of guilt, which should have been done in writing, with
the assistance of his counsel, or after a valid waiver of these rights.
2. The confession to V, a private party, is not within the scope of the
constitutional and statutory limitations on extrajudicial confessions. This
notwithstanding, the Court should still inquire upon the voluntariness of
the confession. The prosecution must establish that the accused spoke
freely, without inducement of any kind, and fully aware of the
consequences of the confession. In the present case, the Court cannot
determine the voluntariness of Y's supposed confession to V because it
was not reduced into writing or recorded in another manner. The Court
can only rely on the testimony of V as to the substance of Y's confession.
Aside from her testimony, there is no independent evidence that
establishes the voluntariness and substance of Y's alleged extrajudicial
confession (Porteria v. People, G.R. No. 233777, March 20, 2019).
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N. Rights of the accused
1. Criminal due process
1. Jurisprudence acknowledges that due process in criminal proceedings, in
particular, require: (JPHH)
1. That the court or tribunal trying the case is properly clothed with
Judicial power to hear and determine the matter before it;
2. That jurisdiction is lawfully acquired by it over the Person of the
accused;
3. That the accused is given an opportunity to be Heard; and
4. That judgment is rendered only upon lawful Hearing.
2. Bail
1. When is bail a matter of right?
1. All persons in custody shall be admitted to bail as a matter of right,
with sufficient sureties, or released on recognize as prescribed by law
or this Rule (a) before or after conviction by the Metropolitan Trial
1.