Constitution of the Philippines
| Constitution of the Philippines | |
|---|---|
| Created | October 15, 1986 |
| Ratified | February 2, 1987 |
| Location | Legislative Archives of the House of Representatives, Quezon City |
| Author(s) | Constitutional Commission of 1986 |
| Signatories | 46 of the 50 commissioners |
| Purpose | National constitution to replace |
The Constitution of the Philippines (Filipino: Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas) is the constitution or supreme law of the Republic of the Philippines. Its final draft was completed by the Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986 and was ratified by a nationwide plebiscite on February 2, 1987.
Three other constitutions have effectively governed the country in its history: the 1935 Commonwealth Constitution, the 1973 Constitution, and the 1986 Freedom Constitution. The earliest constitution establishing a "Philippine Republic," the 1899 Malolos Constitution, was never fully implemented throughout the Philippines and did not establish a state that was internationally recognized, due in great part to the impending American occupation during its adoption.
Ruling by decree during the early part of her tenure and as a president installed via the People Power Revolution, President Corazon C. Aquino issued Proclamation No. 3 on March 25, 1986 which abrogated many of the provisions of the then 1973 Constitution adopted during the Marcos regime including the unicameral legislature (the Batasang Pambansa), the office of Prime Minister, and provisions which gave the President legislative powers. Often called the "Freedom Constitution," this constitution was only intended as a temporary constitution to ensure the freedom of the people and the return to democratic rule. A constitutional assembly was soon called to draft a new constitution for the country.
The Constitutional Commission was composed of fifty members appointed by Aquino from varied backgrounds including several former members of the House of Representatives, former justices of the Supreme Court, a Roman Catholic bishop, and political activists against the Marcos regime. The Commission elected Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, as its president. Several issues were of particular contention during the Commission's sessions, including the form of government to adopt, the abolition of the death penalty, the retention of the U.S. bases in Clark and Subic, and the integration of economic policies into the constitution. Lino Brocka, a film director and political activist who was member of the Commission, walked out before the constitution's completion, and two other delegates dissented from the final draft. The Commission finished the final draft on October 12, 1986 and presented it to Aquino on October 15. The constitution was ratified by a nationwide plebiscite on February 2, 1987.
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