HUMAN
RIGHTS
What is
“Human Rights?”
• Human rights are rights inherent to
all human beings, whatever our
nationality, place of residence, sex,
national or ethnic origin, color,
religion, language, or any other
status.
Human Rights under the
UDHR
•Article 1 Right to Equality
•Article 2 Freedom from Discrimination
•Article 3 Right to Life, Liberty, Personal
Security
•Article 4 Freedom from Slavery
•Article 5 Freedom from Torture and
Human Rights under the
UDHR
•Article 6 Right to Recognition as a Person
before the Law
•Article 7 Right to Equality before the Law
•Article 8 Right to Remedy by Competent
Tribunal
•Article 9 Freedom from Arbitrary Arrest
Human Rights under the
UDHR
•Article 11 Right to be Considered Innocent until
Proven Guilty
•Article 12 Freedom from Interference with Privacy,
Family, Home and Correspondence
•Article 13 Right to Free Movement in and out of the
Country
•Article 14 Right to Asylum in other Countries from
Persecution
Human Rights under the
UDHR
•Article 16 Right to Marriage and Family
•Article 17 Right to Own Property
•Article 18 Freedom of Belief and Religion
•Article 19 Freedom of Opinion and
Information
•Article 20 Right of Peaceful Assembly and
Human Rights under the
UDHR
•Article 21 Right to Participate in Government
and in Free Elections
•Article 22 Right to Social Security
•Article 23 Right to Desirable Work and to Join
Trade Unions
•Article 24 Right to Rest and Leisure
•Article 25 Right to Adequate Living Standard
Human Rights under the
UDHR
•Article 26 Right to Education
•Article 27 Right to Participate in the Cultural Life of
Community
•Article 28 Right to a Social Order that Articulates this
Document
•Article 29 Community Duties Essential to Free and Full
Development
1987 Philippine SECTION 2. The
Philippines renounces war
Constitution as an instrument of
national policy, adopts
ARTICLE II. Declaration of the generally accepted
Principles and State Policies principles of international
Principles law as part of the law of
the land and adheres to
the policy of peace,
equality, justice, freedom,
cooperation, and amity
with all nations.
1987 Philippine
SECTION 11. The State
Constitution values the dignity of every
human person and
guarantees full respect for
ARTICLE II. Declaration of
human rights.
Principles and State
Policies Principles
It establishes the relationship of the
individual to the State and defines
the rights of the individual by
limiting the lawful powers of the
State.
•SECTION 1. No person
shall be deprived of life,
liberty, or property without
due process of law, nor
shall any person be denied
the equal protection of the
laws.
•SECTION 2. The right of the people to be
secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects against unreasonable searches
and seizures of whatever nature and for
any purpose shall be inviolable, and no
search warrant or warrant of arrest shall
issue except upon probable cause to be
determined personally by the judge after
examination under oath or affirmation of
the complainant and the witnesses he may
produce, and particularly describing the
place to be searched and the persons or
things to be seized.
•SECTION 3. (1) The privacy
of communication and
correspondence shall be
inviolable except upon
lawful order of the court, or
when public safety or order
requires otherwise as
prescribed by law.
SECTION 4. No law shall be
passed abridging the freedom of
speech, of expression, or of the
press, or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble and
petition the government for
redress of grievances.
•SECTION 5. No law shall be
made respecting an
establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise
thereof. The free exercise and
enjoyment of religious
profession and worship,
without discrimination or
preference, shall forever be
allowed. No religious test shall
be required for the exercise of
•SECTION 6. The liberty of abode
and of changing the same within
the limits prescribed by law shall
not be impaired except upon lawful
order of the court. Neither shall the
right to travel be impaired except
in the interest of national security,
public safety, or public health, as
may be provided by law.
SECTION 7. The right of the people to
information on matters of public
concern shall be recognized. Access
to official records, and to documents,
and papers pertaining to official acts,
transactions, or decisions, as well as
to government research data used as
basis for policy development, shall be
afforded the citizen, subject to such
limitations as may be provided by
law.
SECTION 8. The right of the
people, including those
employed in the public and
private sectors, to form
unions, associations, or
societies for purposes not
contrary to law shall not be
abridged.
SECTION 9. Private property
shall not be taken for public use
without just compensation.
SECTION 10. No law
impairing the obligation of
contracts shall be passed.
•SECTION 11. Free access to
the courts and quasi-judicial
bodies and adequate legal
assistance shall not be denied
to any person by reason of
poverty.
Rights of the
Accused
SECTION 12. (1) Any person under
investigation for the commission of an
offense shall have the right to be
informed of his right to remain silent and
to have competent and independent
counsel preferably of his own choice. If
the person cannot afford the services of
counsel, he must be provided with one.
These rights cannot be waived except in
writing and in the presence of counsel.
(2) No torture, force, violence,
threat, intimidation, or any other
means which vitiate the free will
shall be used against him. Secret
detention places, solitary,
incommunicado, or other similar
forms of detention are prohibited.
(3) Any confession or admission
obtained in violation of this or Section
17 hereof shall be inadmissible in
evidence against him.
(4) The law shall provide for penal
and civil sanctions for violations of
this section as well as
compensation to and rehabilitation
of victims of torture or similar
practices, and their families.
Section 13. Right to
Bail
SECTION 14. (1) No person shall be
held to answer for a criminal
offense without due process of law.
•SECTION 15. The privilege of the
writ of habeas corpus shall not be
suspended except in cases of
invasion or rebellion when the public
safety requires it.
•SECTION 16. All persons shall have
the right to a speedy disposition of
their cases before all judicial, quasi-
judicial, or administrative bodies.
•SECTION 17. No person shall be
compelled to be a witness against
himself.
•SECTION 18. (1) No
person shall be
detained solely by
reason of his political
beliefs and
aspirations.
•(2) No involuntary servitude
in any form shall exist except
as a punishment for a crime
whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted.
•SECTION 19. (1) Excessive fines shall
not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or
inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither
shall death penalty be imposed, unless,
for compelling reasons involving heinous
crimes, the Congress hereafter provides
for it. Any death penalty already
imposed shall be reduced to reclusion
perpetua.
•SECTION 20. No person
shall be imprisoned for
debt or non-payment of a
poll tax.
•SECTION 21. No person shall be twice put in
jeopardy of punishment for the same offense.
If an act is punished by a law and an
ordinance, conviction or acquittal under
either shall constitute a bar to another
prosecution for the same act.
•SECTION 22. No ex post
facto law or bill of attainder
shall be enacted.
WHAT ARE THE REMEDIES IN
CASES OF HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS?
Most human rights
violations are prosecuted
as criminal offenses under
the Revised Penal Code or
special laws
At the international level, an individual may
File a complaint or communication for human
rights violation against a government under
three (3) international human rights treaties,
namely: Optional Protocol to the ICCPR,
International Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Racial Discrimination and
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment.