go v.ph http://www.gov.ph/the-philippine-constitutions/the-jones-law-of-1916/ The Jones Law of 1916 August 29, 1916 [Public, No. 240] TITLE AN ACT TO DECLARE THE PURPOSE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AS TO THE FUTURE POLITICAL STATUS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND TO PROVIDE A MORE AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT FOR THOSE ISLANDS. PREAMBLE Whereas it was never the intention of the people of United States in the incipiency of the war withSpainto make it a war of conquest or f or territorial aggrandizement; and Whereas it is, as it has always been, the purpose of the people of the United States to withdraw their sovereignty over Philippine Islands and to recognize their independence as soon as a stable government can be established therein; and Whereas f or the speedy accomplishment of such purpose it is desirable to place in the hands of the people of the Philippines as large a control of their domestic af f airs as can be given them without, in the meantime, impairing the exercise of the rights of sovereignty by the people of the United States, in order that, by the use and exercise of popular f ranchise and governmental powers, they may be the better prepared to f ully assume the responsibilities and enjoy all the privileges of complete independence: Theref ore Section 1.―The Philippines Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the provisions of this Act and the name “The Philippines” as used in this Act shall apply to and include the Philippine Islands ceded to the United States Government by the treaty of peace concluded between the United States and Spain on the eleventh day of April, eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, the boundaries of which are set f orth in Article III of said treaty, together with those islands embraced in the treaty between Spain and the United States concluded at Washington on the seventh day of November, nineteen hundred. Section 2.―Philippine Citizenship and Naturalization That all inhabitants of the Philippine Islands who were Spanish subjects on the eleventh day of April, eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, and then resided in said Islands, and their children born subsequent thereto, shall be deemed and held to be citizens of the Philippine Islands, except such as shall have elected to preserve their allegiance to the Crown of Spain in accordance with the provisions of the treaty of peace between the United States and Spain, signed at Paris December tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, and except such others as have since become citizens of some other country:Provided, That the Philippine Legislature, herein provided f or, is hereby authorized to provide by law f or the acquisition of Philippine citizenship by those natives of the Philippine Islands who do not come within the f oregoing provisions, the natives of the insular possessions of the United States, and such other persons residing in the Philippine Islands who are citizens of the United States, or who could become citizens of the United States under the laws of the United States if residing therein. Section 3.―Bill of Rights (a) Due process and eminent domain.―That no law shall be enacted in said Islands which shall deprive any person of lif e, liberty, or property without due process of law, or deny to any person therein the equal protection of the laws. Private property shall not be taken f or public use without just compensation. (b) Rights of persons accused of crime.―That in all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy and public trial, to meet the witnesses f ace to f ace, and to have compulsory process to compel the attendance of witnesses in his behalf . That no person shall be held to answer f or a criminal of f ense without due process of law; and no person f or the same of f ense shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself . That all persons shall bef ore conviction be bailable by suf f icient sureties, except f or capital of f enses. (c) Obligation of contracts.―That no law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be enacted. (d) Imprisonment for debt.―That no person shall be imprisoned f or debt. ( e ) Suspension of habeas corpus.―That the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion, insurrection, or invasion the public saf ety may require it, in either of which event the same may be suspended by the President, or by the Governor-General, wherever during such period the necessity f or such suspension shall exist. (f ) Ex post facto laws, primogeniture, titles of nobility.―That no ex post f acto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted nor shall the law of primogeniture ever be in f orce in the Philippines. That no law granting a title of nobility shall be enacted, and no person holding any of f ice of prof it or trust in said Islands shall, without the consent of the Congress of the United States, accept any present, emolument, of f ice, or title of any kind whatever f rom any king, queen, prince, or f oreign state (g) Bail and punishment.―That excessive bail shall not required, nor excessive f ines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inf licted. (h) Unreasonable searches.―That the right to be secured against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated. (i) Slavery.―That slavery shall not exist in saidIslands; nor shall involuntary servitude exist therein except as a punishment f or crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. (j) Freedom of speech.―That no law shall be passed abridging the f reedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the Government f or redress grievances. (k) Freedom of religion.―That no law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the f ree exercise thereof , and that the f ree exercise and enjoyment of religious prof ession and worship, without discrimination or pref erence, shall f orever be allowed; and no religious test shall be required f or the exercise of civil or political rights. No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, or used, directly or indirectly, f or the use, benef it, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of religion, or f or the use, benef it, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary as such. (l) Poligamy.―Contracting of polygamous or plural marriages hereaf ter is prohibited. That no law shall be construed to permit polygamous or plural marriages. (m) How public funds to be spent.―That no money shall be paid out of the treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation by law. (n) Uniform tax.―That the rule of taxation in saidIslands shall be unif orm. (o) Subject and title of bills.―That no bill which may be enacted into law shall embrace more than one subject, and that subject shall be expressed in the title of the bill. (p) Warrants of arrest.―That no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or af f irmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the person or things to be seized (q) Special funds.―That all money collected on any tax levied or assessed f or a special purpose shall be treated as a special f und in the treasury and paid out f or such purpose only. Section 4.―Expenses of Government That all expenses that may be incurred on account of the Government of the Philippines f or salaries of of f icials and the conduct of their of f ices and departments, and all expenses and obligations contracted f or the internal improvement or development of the Islands, not, however, including def enses, barracks, and other works undertaken by the United States, shall except as otherwise specif ically provided by the Congress, be paid by the Government of the Philippines. Section 5.―Inapplicability of American Statutes That the statutory laws of the United States hereaf ter enacted shall not apply to the Philippine Islands, except when specif ically so provided, or it is so provided in this Act. Section 6.―Continuance of Philippine Laws That the laws now in the Philippines shall continue in f orce and ef f ect, except as altered, amended, or modif ied herein, until altered, amended, or repealed by the legislative authority herein provided or by act of Congress of the United States. Section 7.―Legislative Power to Change Laws That the legislative authority herein provided shall have power, when not inconsistent with this act, by due enactment to amend, alter, modif y, or repeal any law, civil or criminal continued in f orce by this Act as it may f rom time to time see f it. This power shall specif ically extend with the limitation herein provided as to the tarif f to all laws relating to revenue and taxation in ef f ect in the Philippines. Section 8.―General Legislative Power That general legislative power, except as otherwise herein provided, is hereby granted to the Philippine legislature, authorized by this Act.