The law in the Philippines regarding habeas corpus is in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. It is in Sections 13 and 15 of Article III, as well as in Section 18 of Article VII.
Below is the English and its partial translation into Filipino. A more complete translation will be added to this page later on.
ARTICLE III
Section 13.
All persons, except those charged with offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua when evidence of guilt is strong, shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties, or be released on recognizance as may be provided by law. The right to bail shall not be impaired even when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended. Excessive bail shall not be required.
Seksyon 13.
Ang lahat ng mga tao, maliban sa mga nahahabla sa mga paglabag na pinarurusahan ng reclusion perpetua kapag matibay ang ebidensya ng pagkakasala, bago mahatulan, ay dapat mapyansahan ng sapat ng pyador, o maaaring palayain sa bisa ng panagot ayon sa maaaring itadhana ng batas. Hindi dapat bawalan ang karapatan sa pyansa kahit na suspendido ang pribilehiyo ng writ of habeas corpus. Hindi dapat kailanganin ang malabis na pyansa.
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.
Seksyon 15.
Hindi dapat suspindihin ang pribilehiyo ng writ of habeas corpus, maliban kung may pananalakay o paghihimagsik, kapag kinakailangan ng kaligtasang pambayan.
ARTICLE VII
Section 18.
The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law. Within forty-eight hours from the proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, the President shall submit a report in person or in writing to the Congress. The Congress, voting jointly, by a vote of at least a majority of all its Members in regular or special session, may revoke such proclamation or suspension, which revocation shall not be set aside by the President. Upon the initiative of the President, the Congress may, in the same manner, extend such proclamation or suspension for a period to be determined by the Congress, if the invasion or rebellion shall persist and public safety requires it.
The Congress, if not in session, shall, within twenty-four hours following such proclamation or suspension, convene in accordance with its rules without need of a call.
The Supreme Court may review, in an appropriate proceeding filed by any citizen, the sufficiency of the factual basis of the proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or the extension thereof, and must promulgate its decision thereon within thirty days from its filing.
A state of martial law does not suspend the operation of the Constitution, nor supplant the functioning of the civil courts or legislative assemblies, nor authorize the conferment of jurisdiction on military courts and agencies over civilians where civil courts are able to function, nor automatically suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.
The suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall apply only to persons judicially charged for rebellion or offenses inherent in, or directly connected with, invasion.
During the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, any person thus arrested or detained shall be judicially charged within three days, otherwise he shall be released.
Ano ang habeas corpus?
Ito ay utos ng hukuman sa kinauukulan na dalhin sa korte ang isang tao upang ipaliwanag kung bakit ipinipiit ang isang tao.
Ang literal na ibig sabihin ng “habeas corpus” (wikang Latin) ay “ipakita ang katawan.”
Napakahalaga ng konseptong ito. Noong unang panahon, noong mga hari pa ang naghahari at wala pang demokrasya, ang mga awtoridad ay basta na lang dinadakip at kinukulong ang mga tao. Kahit walang makatuwirang rason. Tapos ang mga pamilya ng nakulong, hindi alam kung saan napadpad ang kanilang mahal sa buhay. Namatay ba? Walang may alam.
Sa kalaunan, nadelop itong sistema ng pagkakaroon ng mga alituntunin, batas, hukom, at hukuman… Hindi puwedeng basta-basta… Kailangan sundin ang mga naisabatas… Ang “writ of habeas corpus” ang nagbibigay karapatan sa mga tao na malaman kung bakit sila ikinulong — at itinatala ito sa hukuman. Kaya may transparency — malinaw sa lahat kung bakit inaresto ang isang tao.
Isipin nyo na lang kung wala itong konsepto ng habeas corpus, parang walang sistema ng batas. Wala kang karapatang malaman kung bakit ka inaresto. At hindi maipababatid sa iyong mahal sa buhay kung anong nangyari sa iyo.
Kaso nga lang may mga sitwasyon kung saan ang ganitong proseso ay hindi madaling sundin. Halimbawa, panahon ng digmaan. Kapag nadakip ang mga kalaban o naghihimagsik — may panahon pa bang iharap sa hukom para malaman ng publiko na may ganoong inaresto? Mabibigyan pa ba ng karapatan ang mga inaresto na malaman kung bakit sila kinulong? Kasi minsan, sa panahon ng gera, may sospetsa ang mga awtoridad ngunit wala silang patunay na maihaharap sa hukom.
May liham si Abraham Lincoln na ipinadala sa isa niyang heneral noong nagkakagera sa Estados Unidos. Sabi ni Lincoln, kung kailangan mong isuspinde ang habeas corpus, gawin mo. May mga nagsasabi na labag daw sa batas ang ginawang iyon ni Lincoln, kasi sa EU, ang Kongreso lang ang makapagsususpinde ng habeas corpus at hindi ang Presidente.
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