Constitutional Rights and Freedoms Quiz

Civil and Political Rights

• Civil rights are enjoyed by individuals in personal activities and transactions with others.
• These rights include life, privacy, property, education, and worship.
• Civil rights are enjoyed by both citizens and non-citizens.
• Political rights are enjoyed by citizens in government affairs.
• These rights include running for public office, voting, and accessing public services and information.

The Bill of Rights

• The Bill of Rights is a list of rights pertaining to individuals.
• These rights are recognized, guaranteed, and protected against infringement.
• The Bill of Rights is based on the belief in the intrinsic worth and dignity of human life, a concept taught by ethical teachers from Confucius to Christ and Kant.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution and the Bill of Rights

• The 1987 Philippine Constitution includes a Bill of Rights.
• Section 1: No person can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, and all people are entitled to equal protection under the law.
• Section 2: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures is inviolable. Warrants must meet specific criteria.

Additional Sections of The Bill of Rights

• Section 3: Privacy of communication and correspondence is inviolable, except under lawful court order or when public safety requires otherwise. Inadmissible evidence obtained improperly.
• Section 4: Freedom of speech, expression, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances are protected.
• Section 5: Freedom of religion is guaranteed, with no religious tests for civil or political rights.
• Section 6: The liberty of abode and of changing the same is protected, with limitation on right to travel.
• Section 7: The right to information on matters of public concern is recognized.
• Section 8: The right to form unions, associations, or societies is protected.
• Section 9: Private property cannot be taken for public use without just compensation.
• Section 10: The obligation of contracts cannot be impaired by law.
• Section 11: Access to courts and quasi-judicial bodies is guaranteed, including legal assistance for those in poverty.
• Section 12: Persons under investigation have the right to remain silent, have counsel, are protected from torture, and cannot have their rights waived without legal representation. Obtained evidence obtained from violations of this section will be inadmissible.
• Section 13: The right to bail is guaranteed, except in certain serious cases. Excessive bail is prohibited.
• Section 14: No person can be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process. The accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
• Section 15: The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is guaranteed, with limitations in cases of invasion or rebellion.
• Section 16: All persons have the right to a speedy disposition of their case in judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.
• Section 17: No person can be compelled to be a witness against themselves.
• Section 18: No one can be detained solely because of their political beliefs, and involuntary servitude is prohibited, except as punishment for a crime.
• Section 19: Excessive fines, cruel, degrading, or inhuman punishment are prohibited, with additional limitations on the death penalty. Use of physical, psychological, or degrading treatment is prohibited.
• Section 20: No person can be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of poll taxes.
• Section 21: No person can be put in jeopardy of punishment twice for the same offense.
• Section 22: No ex post facto laws or bills of attainder shall be enacted.

Duties

• Duty is an objective obligation to act or refrain from acting.
• Duty is a subjective moral obligation.
• Violations of duty can result in accountability.

Types of Duties

• Natural duties:
  • Care of health
  • Education
  • Worship of God
• Positive duties:
  • Paying taxes
  • Observing traffic rules
  • Voting
• Affirmative duties:
  • Loving parents
  • Paying debts
• Negative duties:
  • Not killing another person
  • Not carrying a deadly weapon

Exemption From Duties

• Exemption claims should not be arbitrary.
• Negative natural duties generally have no exemptions.
• Affirmative duties have possible exemptions when the duty is impossible or causes excessive hardship.
• Ordinary hardships do not excuse fulfilling duties.

Conflict of Duties

• Conflicts arise when several duties apply simultaneously.
• Duties towards God take precedence over duties towards people.
• Duties maintaining public order are more important than safeguarding individual rights.
• Duties to family over strangers.
• Higher precedence to higher laws.

Activity Questions

• How are rights limited?
• What do positive and negative duties entail?