Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC A. M. No.

08-1-16-SC January 22, 2008

THE RULE ON THE WR T O! HABEAS "ATA RESOLUT ON Acting on the recommendation of the Chairperson of the Committee on Revision of the Rules of Court submitting for this Courts consideration and approval the proposed Rule on the Writ of Habeas Data, the Court Resolved to APPRO ! the same" #his Resolution shall ta$e effect on %ebruar& ', '((), follo*ing its publication in three +,- ne*spapers of general circulation" .anuar& '', '(()" +/gd"RE#NATO Chief .ustice +/gd"LEONAR"O $U SUMB N% S. +/gd"A. CONSUELO #NARESPUNO

Associate .ustice

SANT A%O Associate .ustice +/gd"ANTON O CARP O .ustice +/gd"T. Associate

+/gd"AN%EL NA SAN"O&AL%UT ERRE' Associate .ustice +/gd"-

MA. AL C A RENATO C. AUSTR ACORONA MART NE' Associate Associate .ustice .ustice +/gd"+/gd"-

CONCH TA CARP O A"OL!O S. MORALES A'CUNA Associate .ustice Associate .ustice +/gd"+O0 2!A !O%%1C1A2

"ANTE O. T N%A Associate .ustice M N TA &. CH CONA'AR O Associate .ustice +/gd"+/gd"-

PRESB TERO J. ANTON O &ELASCO JR. E"UAR"O B. Associate .ustice NACHURA Associate .ustice +/gd"+/gd"-

RUBEN T. RE#ES LEONAR"O-"E TERES TA J. CASTRO Associate .ustice Associate .ustice

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THE RULE ON THE WR T O! HABEAS "ATA SECT ON 1. Ha()a* "a+a. #he *rit of habeas data is a remed& available to an& person *hose right to privac& in life, libert& or securit& is violated or threatened b& an unla*ful act or omission of a public official or emplo&ee, or of a private individual or entit& engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, famil&, home and correspondence of the aggrieved part&" SEC. 2. W,o May !-.). An& aggrieved part& ma& file a petition for the *rit of habeas data" Ho*ever, in cases of e4tralegal $illings and enforced disappearances, the petition ma& be filed b&5

+a- An& member of the immediate famil& of the aggrieved part&, namel&5 the spouse, children and parents6 or +b- An& ascendant, descendant or collateral relative of the aggrieved part& *ithin the fourth civil degree of consanguinit& or affinit&, in default of those mentioned in the preceding paragraph6 or SEC. /. W,)r) +o !-.). #he petition ma& be filed *ith the Regional #rial Court *here the petitioner or respondent resides, or that *hich has 7urisdiction over the place *here the data or information is gathered, collected or stored, at the option of the petitioner" #he petition ma& also be filed *ith the /upreme Court or the Court of Appeals or the /andiganba&an *hen the action concerns public data files of government offices" SEC. 0. W,)r) R)+urna(.)1 En2or3)a(.). When the *rit is issued b& a Regional #rial Court or an& 7udge thereof, it shall be returnable before such court or 7udge" When issued b& the Court of Appeals or the /andiganba&an or an& of its 7ustices, it ma& be returnable before such court or an& 7ustice thereof, or to an& Regional #rial Court of the place *here the petitioner or respondent resides, or that *hich has 7urisdiction over the place *here the data or information is gathered, collected or stored" When issued b& the /upreme Court or an& of its 7ustices, it ma& be returnable before such Court or an& 7ustice thereof, or before the Court of Appeals or the /andiganba&an or an& of its 7ustices, or to an&

Regional #rial Court of the place *here the petitioner or respondent resides, or that *hich has 7urisdiction over the place *here the data or information is gathered, collected or stored" #he *rit of habeas data shall be enforceable an&*here in the Philippines" S)3. 4. "o35)+ !))*. 0o doc$et and other la*ful fees shall be re8uired from an indigent petitioner" #he petition of the indigent shall be doc$ed and acted upon immediatel&, *ithout pre7udice to subse8uent submission of proof of indigenc& not later than fifteen +9:- da&s from the filing of the petition" SEC. 6. P)+-+-on. A verified *ritten petition for a *rit of habeas data should contain5 +a- #he personal circumstances of the petitioner and the respondent6 +b- #he manner the right to privac& is violated or threatened and ho* it affects the right to life, libert& or securit& of the aggrieved part&6 +c- #he actions and recourses ta$en b& the petitioner to secure the data or information6 +d- #he location of the files, registers or databases, the government office, and the person in charge, in possession or in control of the data or information, if $no*n6 +e- #he reliefs pra&ed for, *hich ma& include the updating,

rectification, suppression or destruction of the database or information or files $ept b& the respondent" 1n case of threats, the relief ma& include a pra&er for an order en7oining the act complained of6 and +f- /uch other relevant reliefs as are 7ust and e8uitable" SEC. 6. **uan3) o2 +,) Wr-+. ;pon the filing of the petition, the court, 7ustice or 7udge shall immediatel& order the issuance of the *rit if on its face it ought to issue" #he cler$ of court shall issue the *rit under the seal of the court and cause it to be served *ithin three +,da&s from the issuance6 or, in case of urgent necessit&, the 7ustice or 7udge ma& issue the *rit under his or her o*n hand, and ma& deputi<e an& officer or person serve it" #he *rit shall also set the date and time for summar& hearing of the petition *hich shall not be later than ten +9(- *or$ da&s from the date of its issuance" SEC. 8. P)na.+y 2or R)2u*-n7 +o **u) or S)r8) +,) Wr-+. A cler$ of court *ho refuses to issue the *rit after its allo*ance, or a deputi<ed person *ho refuses to serve the same, shall be punished b& the court, 7ustice or 7udge for contempt *ithout pre7udice to other disciplinar& actions" SEC. 9. Ho: +,) Wr-+ -* S)r8);. #he *rit shall be served upon the respondent b& a 7udicial officer or b& a person deputi<ed b& the court, 7ustice or 7udge *ho shall retain a cop& on *hich to ma$e a return of service" 1n case the *rit cannot be served personall& on the respondent, the rules on substituted service shall appl&"

SEC. 10. R)+urn1 Con+)n+*. #he respondent shall file a verified *ritten return together *ith supporting affidavits *ithin five +:*or$ing da&s from service of the *rit, *hich period ma& be reasonabl& e4tended b& the Court for 7ustifiable reasons" #he return shall, among other things, contain the follo*ing5 +a- #he la*ful defenses such as national securit&, state secrets, privileged communications, confidentialit& of the source of information of media and others6 +b- 1n case of respondent in charge, in possession or in control of the data or information sub7ect of the petition6 +i- a disclosure of the data or information about the petitioner, the nature of such data or information, and the purpose for its collection6 +ii- the steps or actions ta$en b& the respondent to ensure the securit& and confidentialit& of the data or information6 and, +iii- the currenc& and accurac& of the data or information held6 and, +c- Other allegations relevant to the resolution of the proceeding" A general denial of the allegations in the petition shall not be allo*ed" SEC. 11. Con+)<=+. #he court, 7ustice or 7udge ma& punish *ith imprisonment or fine a respondent *ho commits contempt b& ma$ing a false return, or refusing to ma$e a return6 or an& person *ho

other*ise disobe&s or resist a la*ful process or order of the court" SEC. 12. W,)n ")2)n*)* May () H)ar; -n C,a<()r*. A hearing in chambers ma& be conducted *here the respondent invo$es the defense that the release of the data or information in 8uestion shall compromise national securit& or state secrets, or *hen the data or information cannot be divulged to the public due to its nature or privileged character" /ec" 9," Prohibited Pleadings and Motions" #he follo*ing pleadings and motions are prohibited5 +a- Motion to dismiss6 +b- Motion for e4tension of time to file return, opposition, affidavit, position paper and other pleadings6 +c- Dilator& motion for postponement6 +d- Motion for a bill of particulars6 +e- Counterclaim or cross3claim6 +f- #hird3part& complaint6 +g- Repl&6 +h- Motion to declare respondent in default6 +i- 1ntervention6

+7- Memorandum6 +$- Motion for reconsideration of interlocutor& orders or interim relief orders6 and +l- Petition for certiorari, mandamus or prohibition against an& interlocutor& order" SEC. 10. R)+urn1 !-.-n7. 1n case the respondent fails to file a return, the court, 7ustice or 7udge shall proceed to hear the petition e4 parte, granting the petitioner such relief as the petition ma& *arrant unless the court in its discretion re8uires the petitioner to submit evidence" SEC. 14. Su<<ary H)ar-n7. #he hearing on the petition shall be summar&" Ho*ever, the court, 7ustice or 7udge ma& call for a preliminar& conference to simplif& the issues and determine the possibilit& of obtaining stipulations and admissions from the parties" SEC. 16. Ju;7<)n+. 3 #he court shall render 7udgment *ithin ten +9(- da&s from the time the petition is submitted for decision" 1f the allegations in the petition are proven b& substantial evidence, the court shall en7oin the act complained of, or order the deletion, destruction, or rectification of the erroneous data or information and grant other relevant reliefs as ma& be 7ust and e8uitable6 other*ise, the privilege of the *rit shall be denied" ;pon its finalit&, the 7udgment shall be enforced b& the sheriff or an& la*ful officers as ma& be designated b& the court, 7ustice or 7udge *ithin five +:- *or$ing da&s"

SEC. 16. R)+urn o2 S)r8-3). #he officer *ho e4ecuted the final 7udgment shall, *ithin three +,- da&s from its enforcement, ma$e a verified return to the court" #he return shall contain a full statement of the proceedings under the *rit and a complete inventor& of the database or information, or documents and articles inspected, updated, rectified, or deleted, *ith copies served on the petitioner and the respondent" #he officer shall state in the return ho* the 7udgment *as enforced and complied *ith b& the respondent, as *ell as all ob7ections of the parties regarding the manner and regularit& of the service of the *rit" SEC. 18. H)ar-n7 on O22-3)r>* R)+urn. #he court shall set the return for hearing *ith due notice to the parties and act accordingl&" SEC. 19. A==)a.. An& part& ma& appeal from the final 7udgment or order to the /upreme Court under Rule =:" #he appeal ma& raise 8uestions of fact or la* or both" #he period of appeal shall be five +:- *or$ing da&s from the date of notice of the 7udgment or final order" #he appeal shall be given the same priorit& as in habeas corpus and amparo cases" SEC. 20. n*+-+u+-on o2 S)=ara+) A3+-on*. #he filing of a petition for the *rit of habeas data shall not preclude the filing of separate criminal, civil or administrative actions" SEC. 21. Con*o.-;a+-on. When a criminal action is filed subse8uent to the filing of a petition for the *rit, the latter shall be

consolidated *ith the criminal action" When a criminal action and a separate civil action are filed subse8uent to a petition for a *rit of habeas data, the petition shall be consolidated *ith the criminal action" After consolidation, the procedure under this Rule shall continue to govern the disposition of the reliefs in the petition" SEC. 22. E22)3+ o2 !-.-n7 o2 a Cr-<-na. A3+-on. When a criminal action has been commenced, no separate petition for the *rit shall be filed" #he relief under the *rit shall be available to an aggrieved part& b& motion in the criminal case" #he procedure under this Rule shall govern the disposition of the reliefs available under the *rit of habeas data" SEC. 2/. Su(*+an+-8) R-7,+*. 3 #his Rule shall not diminish, increase or modif& substantive rights" SEC. 20. Su==.)+ory A==.-3a+-on o2 +,) Ru.)* o2 Cour+. #he Rules of Court shall appl& suppletoril& insofar as it is not inconsistent *ith this Rule" SEC. 24. E22)3+-8-+y. #his Rule shall ta$e effect on %ebruar& ', '((), follo*ing its publication in three +,- ne*spapers of general circulation" ?PUBL SHE" N THE MAN LA BULLET N, THE PH L PP NE STAR AN" THE PH L PP NE "A L# N$U RER ON 24 JANUAR# 2008@