ni PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | August 16, 2026
Sa ating Saligang Batas, isa sa mga Katipunan ng Karapatan ay ang karapatang mabigyan ng kalayaan sa paninirahan at sa pagbabago ng tirahan. Ito ay nakasaad sa Seksyon 6 Artikulo III ng Saligang Batas:
“SEKSYON 6. Hindi dapat bawalan ang kalayaan sa paninirahan at ang pagbabago ng tirahan sa saklaw ng mga katakdaang itinatadhana ng batas maliban sa legal na utos ng hukuman. Ni hindi dapat bawalan ang karapatan sa paglalakbay maliban kung para sa kapakanan ng kapanatagan ng bansa, kaligtasang pambayan, o kalusugang pambayan ayon sa maaaring itadhana ng batas.”
Kung ating babalangkasin ang nabanggit na probisyon, kasama sa kalayaang mamili ng lugar kung saan mananahan o titira ay ang karapatang malayang makapaglakbay. Ang mga karapatang ito ay maaari lamang limitahan kung ipinag-uutos ng hukuman, para sa kapanatagan ng bansa, kaligtasan ng bayan o ng kaligtasan ng kalusugan.
Ang bahay ay maituturing na isang pribadong aspeto ng buhay ng isang tao. Siya ay mayroong karapatang mamili ng tirahan at kung saan mananahan. Ang kanyang desisyon ukol dito ay kikilalanin sapagkat hindi maaaring mawala sa isang tao ang kanyang pagiging pribado anumang uri ng antas ng kanyang pamumuhay. Sa kasong Gamboa vs. PSupt Chan, G.R. No. 193636, July 24, 2012, na isinulat ni Honorable Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, binigyang-diin ng ating Korte Suprema ang karapatan ng bawat isa na magkaroon ng pribadong buhay at sa taglay na konsepto ng kalayaan na matagal nang kinikilala bilang isang karapatan sa ilalim ng Konstitusyon. Sa nasabing kaso, sinabi ng Korte Suprema na:
“The right to privacy, as an inherent concept of liberty, has long been recognized as a constitutional right. This Court, in Morfe v. Mutuc thus enunciated:
The due process question touching on an alleged deprivation of liberty as thus resolved goes a long way in disposing of the objections raised by plaintiff that the provision on the periodical submission of a sworn statement of assets and liabilities is violative of the constitutional right to privacy. There is much to be said for this view of Justice Douglas: "Liberty in the constitutional sense must mean more than freedom from unlawful governmental restraint; it must include privacy as well, if it is to be a repository of freedom. The right to be let alone is indeed the beginning of all freedom." As a matter of fact, this right to be let alone is, to quote from Mr. Justice Brandeis "the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men."
The concept of liberty would be emasculated if it does not likewise compel respect for his personality as a unique individual whose claim to privacy and interference demands respect.”
Sa kasong Ople vs.Torres, G.R. No. 127685, July 23, 1998, na isinulat ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamang Mahistrado Ricardo C. Puno, sinabi ng Korte Suprema na kabilang ang karapatang mabigyan ng kalayaan sa paninirahan at sa pagbabago ng tirahan sa karapatang maging pribado ng isang mamamayan na kinikilala at pinoprotektahan ng ating Saligang Batas. Sa nasabing kaso sinabi ng Korte Suprema ang mga sumusunod:
“Zones of privacy are likewise recognized and protected in our laws. The Civil Code provides that "[e]very person shall respect the dignity, personality, privacy and peace of mind of his neighbors and other persons" and punishes as actionable torts several acts by a person of meddling and prying into the privacy of another. It also holds a public officer or employee or any private individual liable for damages for any violation of the rights and liberties of another person, and recognizes the privacy of letters and other private communications. The Revised Penal Code makes a crime the violation of secrets by an officer, the revelation of trade and industrial secrets, and trespass to dwelling. Invasion of privacy is an offense in special laws like the Anti-Wiretapping Law, the Secrecy of Bank Deposit Act and the Intellectual Property Code. The Rules of Court on privileged communication likewise recognize the privacy of certain information.”
