1 Human Rights Course Outline Table
1 Human Rights Course Outline Table
1 Human Rights Course Outline Table
TOPICS
“The Old Struggle for Human Rights, New Problems Posed by Security” by Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno
Supreme Court
Terrorism led to the erosion of human rights. It was used to justify acts against human rights. US and
NATO - were forerunners of human rights, but they were also the first ones to violate these. They invaded
countries, sanction assassination of suspected terrorists and misplaced communities.
The state is supposed to be the guarantor of human rights but they were the first ones to violate these.
II. HUMAN RIGHTS, ITS ATTRIBUTES, ORIGIN AND THE THREE GENERATIONS
C. Due Process
1. Substantive versus Procedural
2. Standards of Review:
2.1 Clear and Present Danger Test
2.2 Dangerous Tendency Test
2.3 Balancing of Interest Test
3. Levels of Scrutiny
3.1 Rational Basis Test
3.2 Intermediate Scrutiny Test
3.3 Strict Scrutiny Test
4. Facial Challenge:
4.1 Overbreadth
4.2 Void-for-Vagueness Test
D. Three Generations
1. Civil and Political Rights
2. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
3. International Instruments
Readings:
- Art. II, Sec 5.; Art. III, Secs. 1 and 9, Philippine Constitution
- PBM Emp. Org. v. PBM Co., Inc. 51 SCRA 198 (1973)
- Why is the right to free speech more important than property rights? Because free speech pertains to the
dignity of the person. It cannot be bought by money.
- Simon v. CHR, G.R. No. 100150, 5 January 1994
- Baldoza v. Dimaano, 71 SCRA 152 (1976)
- David v. Arroyo, 489 SCRA 152 (2006)
- Southern Hemisphere Engagement Network, Inc. v. Anti-Terrorism Council 632 SCRA 146 (2010)
- Alberto T. Muyot, Philippine Law and Jurisprudence on Human Rights, The Institute of Human Rights,
University of the Philippines Law Center, U.P. Law Center Printery, pages 1-5
Rule of Law
State actors
Derivative State Responsibility – Can a State be held responsible of acts of another State?
CASE/WORDS/PHRASES
PART 1.1. What are the responsibilities of the state as the guarantor of rights
Velasquez – Rodriguez v. Honduras Inter-American Court of Human Rights, July 29, 1988 Series C, No.
(1988)
-the ones who kidnapped Velasquez were organs of the state. They were military men who brought
Velasquez in the camp in broad daylight. When they were kidnapping him, a policeman approached and
asked what their business was and never intervened.
-Sir also added that the responsibilities of the state as to protecting human rights are:
Preserve/protect and enhance
Investigate
Punish
Compensate
And in case the body cannot be found, to continue searching for the body
They can be held liable because they are acting as a state (de facto government).
The above case is embodied in Articles on State Responsibility in Article 4 which also covers de facto
governments
PART 1.2. Who are state actors - State actors are acting on behalf of the state. States act through their
agents, or state actors. Violations of human rights can only be committed by state actors. According to
Part 1, Chapter 2, Articles on State Responsibility - the general rule is that the only conduct attributed to
the State at the international level is that of its organs of government, or of others who have acted under
the direction, instigation or control of those organs, i.e. as agents of the State.
Term “international responsibility” in article 1 covers the relations which arise under international law from
the internationally wrongful act of a State, whether such relations are limited to the wrongdoing State and
one injured State or whether they extend also to other States or indeed to other subjects of international
law, and whether they are centred on obligations of restitution or compensation or also give the injured
State the possibility of responding by way of countermeasures.
The State is a real organized entity, a legal person with full authority to act under international law.
But to recognize this is not to deny the elementary fact that the State cannot act of itself. An “act of the
State” must involve some action or omission by a human being or group: “States can act only by and
through their agents and representatives.” The question is which persons should be considered as acting
on behalf of the State, i.e. what constitutes an “act of the State” for the purposes of State responsibility.
So in this case, it was asked what level of involvement should US have to make the acts of contras
attributable to them? They should have had active involvement, I.e. they should have “on the ground
presence”.
There is no exception to these two elements. The question remains, is damage a necessary element? Or
fault?
In determining what constitutes an organ of a State for the purposes of responsibility, the internal law and
practice of each State are of prime importance. The structure of the State and the functions of its organs
are not, in general, governed by international law.
The State as a subject of international law is held responsible for the conduct of all the organs,
instrumentalities and officials which form part of its organization and act in that capacity, whether or not
they have separate legal personality under its internal law.
Hence in this case - that the two officers, even if they are deemed to have acted outside their competence
… and even if their superiors countermanded an order, have involved the responsibility of the State, since
they acted under cover of their status as officers and used means placed at their disposal on account of
that status.
In another case the acts should have been “carried out by persons cloaked with governmental authority”.
It was not proven that Albania was the one who planted the mines BUT it was proven that they knew that
there were mines in the Corfu Channel (part of their territory). Having known this they have the
responsibility to inform other states of the danger.
Arbitral Court did not find GB liable for the killings of the missionaries in Sierra Lione. It held:
It is a well-established principle of international law that no government can be held responsible for the
act of rebellious bodies of men committed in violation of its authority, where it is itself guilty of no breach
of good faith, or of no negligence in suppressing insurrection… Finally it is obvious that the Missionary
Society must have been aware of the difficulties and perils to which it exposes itself in its task of carrying
Christianity to so remote and barbarous a people (assumed all risks).
Chorzow Factory Case, Germany v. Poland PCIJ
The Court also decided on the question: did the act of Poland resulted to an obligation that entails
reparation? The Court held yes--International law does not prevent one State from granting to another
the right to have recourse to international tribunal in order to obtain direct awards to nationals of latter
state due to the injury made by the former state. But there is nothing in the Geneva Convention which
shows that the former state will incur liability outside its violations of the said Convention (parti. Arts. 6-
22). Here, Poland’s infractions were within those articles hence Germany has the right for compensation.
The Court said reparation is the indispensable complement of a failure to comply a Convention
and there is no need to state this in the Convention itself.
It is the principle of International law that the reparation of a wrong may be consist in indemnity
corresponding to the damage which the nationals of the injured State have suffered as a result of the act
which is contrary to international law. The rules of law governing the reparation are the rules of
international law in force between the two States concerned, and not the law governing relations between
the State which has committed a wrongful act and the individual who has suffered damage.
The subject matter here is the Calvo clause - they will have the same remedies as Mexicans but cannot
claim diplomatic assistance. They did not waive their American citizenship; you cannot contract out the
sovereignty of the state.
When the EO was executed by the President he was merely exercising rights of sovereignty. So that is
all right but as far as the EO provisions go against the Act’s provs, the latter shall prevail. So the rights of
old (and alien) importers (as per law) should be respected even though EO provides to allocate wheat
flour only to the Filipinos.
There was unreasonable search which made the evidence inadmissible and Chan Fook acquitted. The
Court held that the state ought to recognize the rights of aliens in its land. Exercise of sovereignty should
not contravene such rights
Consistent with police power (exercise of sovereignty) the state can impose laws which would regulate
conduct of foreigners. Hence the ordinance issued here requiring the issuance of receipt in Spanish and
in English is not unreasonable.
Whereas the international responsibility of a State is engaged by the action of the competent organs and
authorities acting in that State, whatever they may be; whereas the United States should take all
measures at its disposal to ensure that Walter LaGrand is not executed pending the final decision in these
proceedings; whereas, according to the information available to the Court, implementation of the
measures indicated in the present Order falls within the jurisdiction of the Governor of Arizona; whereas
the Government of the United States is consequently under the obligation to transmit the present
Order to the said Governor; whereas the Governor of Arizona is under the obligation to act in conformity
with the international undertakings of the United States.
Boffolo Claim, Italy v. Venezuela, 10 UN Rep Intl. Arb Awards 234 (1908)
Borovsky v. Com of Immigration, 90 Phil 107
In this case the court held that Borovksy is an undesirable agent, yes, but he must be released because
he had been in prison for 2 years already - undue delay (context: case of vagrancy only!). The state has
the obligation to find a suitable deportation destination
The state can create allowable class legislation for the protection and preservation of the state and its
sovereignty.
PART 5 (for the purpose of this outline) - Article 10. Conduct of an insurrectional or other movement
1. The conduct of an insurrectional movement which becomes the new Government of a State shall
be considered an act of that State under international law.
2. The conduct of a movement, insurrectional or other, which succeeds in establishing a new State in
part of the territory of a pre-existing State or in a territory under its administration shall be considered an
act of the new State under international law.
3. This article is without prejudice to the attribution to a State of any conduct, however related to that
of the movement concerned, which is to be considered an act of that State by virtue of articles 4 to 9.
Where the insurrectional or other movement succeeds in establishing a new State, either in part of the
territory of the pre-existing State or in a territory which was previously under its administration, the
attribution to the new State of the conduct of the insurrectional or other movement is again justified by
virtue of the continuity between the organization of the movement and the organization of the State to
which it has given rise. Effectively the same entity which previously had the characteristics of an
insurrectional or other movement has become the Government of the State it was struggling to establish.
The predecessor State will not be responsible for those acts. The only possibility is that the new State be
required to assume responsibility for conduct committed with a view to its own establishment, and this
represents the accepted rule.
Par. 1 - However, the rule in paragraph 1 should not be pressed too far in the case of Governments of
national reconciliation, formed following an agreement between the existing authorities and the leaders
of an insurrectional movement
U.S. v. Guatemala, Shufeldt Claim, 1930, 5 Hackworth, p 485 2 UN Rep Arb Awards 1079 - invocation
of municipal law not allowed
Sambiaggo Case, (Italy v. Venezuela) Venezuela Arbitration of 1903,, p 666
Bolivar Railway Co v. Ralston, Venezuela Arb, of 1903 p 388 when the rebels lose - state cannot be held
liable. What if it is a three way type? And the state becomes two? - exam
U.S. v. Great Britain, US – GB Claims Arb 1920 (Nielsen Report)
Rosa Gelbtrunk Claim, US v. El Salvadsor, Arb Tribunal 1902 - claims disallowed. When the soldiers
looted Gelbtrunk’s property they were protecting the state at that time from revolutionaries. The state has
the obligation to protect and the corresponding obligation is for the citizen to help the State.
French Co. of Venezuela Railroad Case 10 UN Rep Intl Arb Awards 285 - same with Bolivar.
Kummerov Case 10 UN Rep Intl arb Award 361 - liability of the government even if not incurred by law
can be incurred through agreement.
Dix Case 9 UN Rep Intl Arb awards 119
Ambatielos Case Greece v. UK ICJ Rep 28, 952 - case on UK’s obligation to arbitrate. Yung right
rin ni Ambatielos under UK law for redress
CASE/WORDS/PHRASES
North Sea Continental Shelf Case (West Germany vs. Denmark and West Germany vs. Netherland, ICJ
Feb. 20 1969)
Barcelona Traction Light and Power Company, (Belgium v. Spain)
Kuroda v. Jalandoni, GR No. L-2662 March 26, 1949
Pacta sunt servanda
State’s consent to be bound
Customary law – objective and subjective elements
Opinio Juris (Opino juris sivi necessitates)
Doctrine of Customary Law
Peremtory norms (jus cogens)
Obligatio erga omnes
Universal Jurisdiction
Actio popularis
General principles of law
Yogyakarta Principles
Incorporation Clause in 1987 Constitution
International Criminal Court
Ad hoc criminal tribunals
Martens Clause
CASE/WORDS/PHRASES
States
-Court Action
-Diplomatic means
-Retorsion
-Countermeasures
-Military intervention
Derogation
Conditions allowing derogation of human rights
CASE/WORDS/PHRASES
Charter Based
1503 Procedures
1235 Procedures
Treaty Based
Human Rights Committee
Monitoring bodies
CASE/WORDS/PHRASES
Purposes
Organs
Offices, Agencies, Programmes, Subsidiary
Bodies
Torture – define
Non-refoulement
Enforced disappearance
2 components
Persons responsibility
Four Principles
The Crimes
Organs
Command
Rome Statue
Definition
2 Components
Application
Origin
Geneva Convention
Hague Conventions
Fundamental Rules of IHL
IHL v. IHRL
Protected Persons
ICRC
Current Issues