PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW

A. Concepts

1. Obligations Erga Omnes

An obligation of every State towards the international community as a whole. All states have a legal interest in its compliance,
and thus all States are entitled to invoke responsibility for breach of such an obligation (Case Concerning The Barcelona
Traction, ICJ 1970).

NOTE: Such obligations derive, for example, in contemporary international law, from the outlawing of acts of aggression, and of
genocide, as also from the principles and rules concerning the basic rights of the human person, including protection from
slavery and racial discrimination. Some of the corresponding rights of protection have entered into the body of general
international law others are conferred by international instruments of universal or quasi-universal character (Romulo v.
Vinuya, G.R. No. 162230, April 29, 2010)

Examples of obligations erga omnes

1. Outlawing of acts of aggression

2. Outlawing of genocide
3. Basic human rights
4. Protection from slavery and racial discrimination

2. Jus Cogens

Also referred to as ‘peremptory norm of general international law’. Literally means “compelling law”. A norm accepted and
recognized by the international community of States as a whole as a norm from which no derogation is permitted and which
can be modified only by a subsequent norm of general international law having the same character (Vienna Convention on the
Law of Treaties, Art. 53).

Elements of Jus Cogens

1. A norm accepted and recognized by international community of states as a whole
2. No derogation is permitted
3. Which can only be modified by a subsequent norm having the same character

Norms Considered as Jus Cogens in Character

1. Laws on genocide
2. Principle of self-determination
3. Principle of racial non-discrimination
4. Crimes against humanity
5. Prohibition against slavery and slave trade
6. Piracy

Jus Cogens and Rules Creating Erga Omnes Obligations

Jus cogens rules represent the highest source in the (informal) hierarchy of sources of international law. The main difference
between a rule of jus cogens and a rule that creates an obligation erga omnes is that all jus cogens rules create erga omnes
obligations while only some rules creating erga omnes obligations are rules of jus cogens. Further, with regard to jus cogens
obligations the emphasis is on their recognition by the international community ‘as a whole’; whilst with regard to obligations
erga omnes the emphasis is on their nature. The latter mentioned embody moral values which are of universal validity. They
are binding because they express moral absolutes from which no State can claim an exemption whatever its political, economic
and social organization. The legal consequences of violations or rules creating erga omnes obligations differ from those of
breach of the rules of jus cogens in that in addition to the consequences deriving from a breach of erga omnes obligations
further consequences, specified in Article 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), follow from violations of
the rules of jus cogens.

NOTE: According to Article 53 of the VCLT, a treaty is void if, at the time of its conclusion, it conflicts with a peremptory norm of
general international law. For the purposes of the present Convention, a peremptory norm of general international law is a
norm accepted and recognized by the international community of States as a whole as a norm from which no derogation is
permitted and which can be modified only by a subsequent norm of general international law having the same character.
 3. Ex Aequo et Bono

The concept of ex aequo et bono literally means “according to the right and good” or “from equity and conscience”. A
judgment based on considerations of fairness, not on considerations of existing law, that is, to simply decide the case
based upon a balancing of the equities (Brownlie, 2003). Under Art. 38(2) of the Statute of the ICJ, means that a
decision may be made ex aequo et bono, i.e. the court should decide the case not on legal considerations but solely
on what is fair and reasonable in the circumstances of the case (equity contra legem). However, the parties
must expressly authorize the court to decide a case ex auquo et bono.

Art. 33 of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law’s Arbitration Rules (1976) provides that
the arbitrators shall consider only the applicable law, unless the arbitral agreement allows the arbitrators to consider ex
aequo et bono, or amiable compositeur.

B. Relationship between International and National law

Grand divisions of PIL

1. Laws of Peace–Govern normal relations between States in the absence of war.

2. Laws of War–Govern relations between hostile or belligerent states during wartime.
3. Laws of Neutrality–Govern relations between a non-participant State and a participant State during wartime or among non-
participating States.

Monism

Both international law and domestic law are part of a single legal order; international law is automatically incorporated
into each nation’s legal system and that international law is supreme over domestic law.

Dualism

Affirms that the international law and municipal law are distinct and separate; each is supreme in its own sphere and level of
operation.

International law vs. Municipal law

BASIS INTERNATIONAL LAW MUNICIPAL LAW

Enacting Authority Adopted by states as a common rule of action Issued by a political superior for observance

Purpose Regulates relation of state and other international Regulates relations of individuals among
persons themselves or with their own
states

Source(s) Derived principally from treaties, international Consists mainly of enactments from the law
customs and general principles of law making authority of each state

Remedy in case of Resolved thru state-to-state transactions Redressed thru local administrative and
violation judicial processes

Scope of Collective responsibility because it attaches directly Breach of which entails individual
Responsibility to the state and not to its nationals responsibility

Role in Subject to judicial notice before Not subject to judicial notice before
International international tribunals international tribunals (Vienna Convention
Tribunals on the Law of Treaties, Art. 27;
Permanent Court of International Justice,
1931, Polish Nationals in Danzig Case)

Doctrine of Incorporation

It means that the rules of international law form part of the law of the land and no further legislative action is
needed to make such rules applicable in the domestic sphere. The fact that international law has been made part of the
law of the land does not by any means imply the primacy of international law over national law in the municipal sphere. Under
the doctrine of incorporation as applied in most countries, rules of international law are given a standing equal, not superior,
to national legislative enactments.

NOTE: Under this doctrine, as accepted by the majority of states, such principles are deemed incorporated in the law of
every civilized state as a condition and consequence of its membership in the society of nations. Upon its
admission to such society, the state is automatically obligated to comply with these principles in its relations with
other states.

Examples of “generally accepted principles of International Law”

1. Pacta sunt servanda

2. Rebus sic stantibus (agreement is valid only if the same conditions prevailing at time of contracting continue to exist at the
time of performance)
3. Par in parem non habet imperium (State Immunity from Suit)
4. Right of states to self-defense
5. Right to self-determination of people

Doctrine of Transformation

It provides that the generally accepted rules of international law are not per se binding upon the state but must first
be embodied in legislation enacted by the lawmaking body and so transformed into municipal law.

Types of Transformation Theories

1. Hard Transformation Theory–Only legislation can transform International Law into domestic law. Courts may apply
International Law only when authorized by legislation.
2. Soft Transformation Theory–Either a judicial or legislative act of a state can transform International Law into domestic law.

Pacta Sunt Servanda

International agreements must be performed in good faith. A treaty engagement is not a mere moral obligation but creates a
legally binding obligation on the parties. A state which has contracted a valid international agreement is bound to
make in its legislation such modification as may be necessary to ensure fulfillment of the obligation undertaken.

Principle of Auto-Limitation

Any State may by its consent, express or implied, submit to a restriction of its sovereign rights. There may thus be a curtailment
of what otherwise is a plenary power (Reagan v. CIR, G.R. No. L-26379, Dec.27, 1969).
NOTE: While sovereignty has traditionally been deemed absolute and all-encompassing on the domestic level, it is however
subject to restrictions and limitations voluntarily agreed to by the Philippines, expressly or impliedly, as a member of the
family of nations. By the doctrine of incorporation, the country is bound by generally accepted principles of
international law, which are considered to be automatically part of our own laws.

The sovereignty of a state therefore cannot in fact and in reality be considered absolute. Certain restrictions enter into the
picture: (1) limitations imposed by the very nature of membership in the family of nations and (2) limitations imposed by treaty
stipulations (Tanada v. Angara, 272 SCRA 18).

Correlation of Reciprocity and the Principle of Auto-Limitation

When the Philippines enter into treaties, necessarily, these international agreements may contain limitations on Philippine
sovereignty. The consideration in this partial surrender of sovereignty is the reciprocal commitment of other contracting States
in granting the same privilege and immunities to the Philippines.

NOTE: For example, this kind of reciprocity in relation to the principle of auto-limitation characterizes the Philippine
commitments under WTO-GATT.

Sources of obligations in International Law

Article 38 of the Statute of International Court of Justice (SICJ) provides that the Court, whose function is to decide in
accordance with international law such disputes as are submitted to it, shall apply:

Primary Sources

1. International conventions, whether general or particular, establishing rules expressly recognized by the contesting state
2. International custom, as evidence of a general practice accepted as law; and
3. The general principles of law recognized by civilized nations

Subsidiary Sources

1. Decisions of international tribunals; and

2. Teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of various nations.

NOTE: This category is described as a “subsidiary means of finding law.” Judicial decisions and scholarly writings are, in essence,
research aids for the Court, used for example to support or refute the existence of a customary norm, to clarify the
bounds of general principles of customary rule, or to demonstrate practice under a treaty.

C. Subjects

Subject

An entity with the capacity of possessing international rights and duties and of bringing international claims. The status of the
State as subject of law or an international person is conferred by customary or general international law. It possesses
erga omnes or objective personality not merely by virtue of recognition on the part of particular states.

NOTE: An entity is a subject of international law if it has “international legal personality”. In other words, subjects must have
rights, powers and duties under international law and they should be able to exercise those rights, powers and duties.
The subjects of international law:

1. Direct subjects

a. States;
b. Colonies and dependencies;
c. mandates and trust territories (2003 Bar); belligerent communities;
d. The Vatican;
e. The United Nations; international administrative bodies; and
f. To a certain extent, individuals.

2. Indirect subjects

a. International organizations;
b. Individuals; and
c. Corporations.

3. Incomplete subjects

a. Protectorates;
b. Federal states;
c. Mandated and trust territories.

Object

A person or thing in respect of which rights are held and obligations assumed by the subject.

NOTE: Under the traditional concept, only states are considered subjects of international law. However, under the
contemporary concept, individuals and international organizations are also subjects because they have rights and duties under
international law.

STATE

It is a community of persons, more or less numerous, permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, independent of
external control, and possessing an organized government to which the great body of inhabitants render habitual
obedience.

Elements of a State

1. Permanent population (people)–An aggregate of individuals of both sexes, who live together as a community despite racial or
cultural differences;
2. Defined territory –Fixed portion of the earth’s surface which the inhabitants occupy;
3. Government –The agency through which the will of the state is formulated, expressed and realized; and
4. Capacity to enter into relations with other states (independence/sovereignty)–The power of a state to manage its external
affairs without direction or interference from another state (Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, Art.
1).

Recognition not an element

The political existence of the state is independent of recognition by the other states. Even before recognition, the
state has the right to defend its integrity and independence to provide for its conservation and prosperity,
and consequently to organize itself as it sees fit, to legislate upon its interests, administer its services, and to define the
jurisdiction and competence of its courts. The exercise of these rights has no other limitation than the exercise of
the rights of other states according to international law (Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, Art. 3).

Nation vs. State

Nation is defined as a body of people more or less of the same race, language, religion and historical traditions.

Doctrine of Equality of States

All states are equal in international law despite of their obvious factual inequalities as to size, population, wealth, strength, or
degree of civilization.

Principle of State Continuity

From the moment of its creation, the state continues as a juristic being notwithstanding changes in its circumstances
provided only that they do not result in loss of any of its essential elements (Sapphire Case, 11 Wall. 164 in Cruz, 2003).

State sovereignty as defined in international law

It is the right to exercise in a definite portion of the globe the functions of a State to the exclusion of another State. Sovereignty
in the relations between States signifies independence. Independence in regard to a portion of the globe is the right to exercise
therein to the exclusion of any other State, the functions of a State (Island of Palmas case: USA v. the Netherlands).

Fundamental rights of a State

1. Existence and self-preservation

2. Sovereignty and independence
3. Equality
4. Property and jurisdiction
5. Diplomatic intercourse

Extinguishment of a State

The radical impairment of actual loss of one or more of the essential elements of the state will result in its extinction.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Bodies created by sovereign states and whose functioning is regulated by international law, not the law of any given country.
They have functional personality which is limited to what is necessary to carry out their functions as found in the instruments of
the organization.

It is set up by treaty among two or more states. It enjoys immunity which is based on the need for effective exercise of its
functions and is derived from the treaty creating it.

INDIVIDUALS

The modern trend in public international law is the primacy placed on the worth of the individual person and the sanctity
of human rights. Slowly, the recognition that the individual person may properly be a subject of international law is now
taking root. The vulnerable doctrine that the subjects of international law are limited only to states was dramatically eroded
towards the second half of the past century. For one, the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials after World War II resulted in the
unprecedented spectacle of individual defendants for acts characterized as violations of the laws of war, crimes against
peace, and crimes against humanity. Recently, under the Nuremberg principle, Serbian leaders have been persecuted for
war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the former Yugoslavia. These significant events show that the
individual person is now a valid subject of international law (Gov’t of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region v. Hon. Olalia,
G.R. No. 153675, April 19, 2007).

D. Jurisdiction of states

In Public International Law, it is the right of a State to exercise authority over persons and things within its boundaries subject
to certain exceptions.

1. Basis of jurisdiction

a. Territoriality principle

A state has absolute, but not necessarily exclusive, power to prescribe, adjudicate and enforce rules of conduct that occurs
within its territory. (2005, 2009 Bar)

NOTE: An aspect of this principle is the “Effects Doctrine” –which provides that a state has jurisdiction over acts occurring
outside its territory but having effects within it.

Extra-territoriality

The exemption of foreign persons from the jurisdiction of the State of residence and it arises from treaty provisions.

b. Nationality principle and statelessness

Nationality Doctrine

A State may exercise jurisdiction over its nationals, with respect to their conduct, whether within or outside its territory.(For
more extensive discussion on Nationality and Statelessness, please refer to the previous discussion devoted solely on that
matter)

c. Protective principle

Any State has the right to punish acts even if committed outside its territory, when such acts constitute attacks against its
security, as long as that conduct is generally recognized as criminal by states in the international community. (2009 Bar)

Examples are plots to overthrow the government, forging its currency, and plot to break its immigration regulations.

d. Universality principle

Certain offenses are so heinous and so widely condemned that any state that captures an offender may prosecute and
punish that person on behalf of the international community regardless of the nationality of the offender or victim or
where the crime was committed. (2005 Bar)

e. Passive personality principle

It authorizes states to assert jurisdiction over offenses committed against their citizens abroad. It recognizes that each state has
a legitimate interest in protecting the safety of its citizens when they journey outside national boundaries.
 2. Exemptions from jurisdiction

a. Act of State doctrine

A State should not inquire into the legal validity of the public acts of another State done within the territory of the
latter.

b. International organizations and its officers

E. General principles of Treaty Law

Treaty

A treaty is generally defined as agreements between and among States, by which parties obligate themselves to act, or refrain
from acting, according to the terms of the treaty. However, under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), a
treaty has been defined as “an international agreement concluded between States in written form and governed by
international law, whether embodied in a single instrument or in two or more related instruments and whatever its
particular designation.”

Essential Characteristics of Treaties

1. It becomes binding on the parties to it by virtue of their consent.

2.While treaties will, in most cases, be written instruments concluded between States, the term applies equally to
unwritten agreements and to agreements between States and international organizations and between international
organizations.

Many treaties, particularly those of a multilateral nature designed to establish general rules of common application, exhibit
a mixture of ‘legislative’ characteristics. A provision of a treaty may;

 Purport to codify existing rules of customary law, e.g. Art. 55 of the1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea
which provides for the recognition of the EEZ;
 Crystallize a developing rule of law, firmly establishing a legal footing a situation which has previously been
part of the practice of a limited number of States;
 Generate rules of law independently of the previous practice of State, e.g. prohibition on the threat or use
of force in international relations.

Two kinds of a treaty

1. Law-making treaties (normative treaties)

2. Treaty contracts

Law-making treaties or Normative Treaties

Treaties which are concluded by a large number of States for purposes of:

1. Declaring, confirming, or defining there understanding of what the law is on a particular subject.
2. Stipulating or laying down new general rules for future international conduct; and
3. Creating new international institutions. It lays down rules of general or universal application and are intended for future and
continuing observance.
Treaty Contracts

Resemble contracts in that they are concluded to perform contractual rather than normative functions. It usually concerns
the regulation of a narrow area of practice between two States (e.g. trade agreements).

Such treaties may lead to the formation of general international law through the operation of the principles governing the
development of customary rules in the following ways:

1. A series of treaties each of which lay down similar rule may produce a rule of customary international law to the same effect.

2. A rule contained in a treaty originally concluded between a limited number of parties may subsequently be accepted
or imitated as a general rule.

3. A treaty may have evidential value as to the existence of a rule which has crystallized into law by an independent process
of development.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE LAW OF TREATIES

1. The principle of free consent –A state cannot be bound by treaty to which it has not consented. Free consent is
vital for initial adoption and subsequent development of a particular treaty as it ensures that a State remains in
control of the commitments it has made under the relevant treaty.

2. The principle of pacta sunt servanda –Literally means agreements must be kept. Embodied in Art. 26 VCLT, which
states that; ‘Every treaty in force is binding upon the parties to it and must be performed by them in good faith. Therefore, a
contracting party will be held responsible for breach of a treaty.’ Applies only to treaties which are in force, not to
invalid, suspended or terminated treaties.

3. The principle of good faith –Recognized as the foundation of international legal order. States and non-State actors
are required to comply with binding obligations imposed upon them by international law, irrespective of whether
such obligations derive from treaties, customary rules, or any other source of international law.

It is all encompassing as it even imposes obligations on a State in the pre-ratification stage. It applies though out
the life of a treaty, form its negotiation, through its performance to its termination. Each time a State is in reach of the
principle of pacta sunt servanda it also violates the principle of good faith.

Essential Requisites of a Valid Treaty

1. It must be a written instrument or instruments between two or more parties;

2. The parties must be States within the meaning of international law (IL);
3. It must be governed by IL; and
4. It must be intended to create legal obligations.

Exclusions

1. Those concluded between states and other subjects of IL.

2. Agreements not in writing.
3. Those which are governed by the national law system chosen by the parties.

Usual steps in the treaty-making process (NeS-RA-ER)

1. Negotiation –Conducted by the parties to reach an agreement on its terms.

2. Signature–The signing of the text of the instrument agreed upon by the parties.
3.Ratification –The act by which the provisions of a treaty are formally confirmed and approved by the State.
4.Accession –A State can accede to a treaty only if invited or permitted to do so by the contracting parties. Such
invitation or permission is usually given in the accession clause of the treaty itself.
5. Exchange of instruments of ratification;6.Registration with the United Nations.

Doctrine of Unequal Treaties

The doctrine posits that treaties which have been imposed through coercion or duress by a State of unequalcharacter
are void.

Protocol de Clôture

It is a final act and an instrument which records the winding up of the proceedings of a diplomatic conference and usually
includes a reproduction of the texts of treaties, conventions, recommendations and other acts agreed upon and signed by
the plenipotentiaries attending the conference.

Instances when a third State who is a non-signatory may be bound by a treaty

1. When a treaty is a mere formal expression of customary international law, which, as such is enforceable on all
civilized states because of their membership in the family of nations.
2. Under Art. 2 of its charter, the UN shall ensure that non-member States act in accordance with the principles of
the Charter so far as may be necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security. Under Art. 103,
obligations of member-states shall prevail in case of conflict with any other international agreement including those
concluded with non-members.
3. The treaty itself may expressly extend its benefits to non-signatory States.
4. Parties to apparently unrelated treaties may also be linked by the most-favored nation clause.

Effectivity Date of a Treaty

1.In such manner and upon such date as it may provide or as the negotiating States may agree.
2. Failing any such provision or agreement, a treaty enters into force as soon as consent to be bound by the treaty has been
established for all the negotiating States.

NOTE: GR: A State may not invoke the fact that its consent to the treaty was obtained in violation of its internal law.

XPN: If the violation was manifest and concerned a rule of its internal law of fundamental importance. A violation is manifest if
it would be objectively evident to any State conducting itself in the matter in accordance with normal practice and in good
faith.

Applicable rules when there is conflict between a treaty and a statute

The rule will depend on which court is deciding.

1. If it is an international court-it will uphold the treaty obligation. A treaty, even if contrary to a later statute, is binding in
international law.
2. If it is a domestic court-it will uphold local laws.
3. When a treaty and domestic statute relate to the same subject-the court will try to give effect to both.
4. If they are inconsistent-the later in date will control, provided that the treaty stipulation is self-executing.

Conflict between a treaty and a statute in the Philippine setting

In case of conflict between a treaty and a statute, the following shall be followed:

1. The courts should harmonize both laws first.

2. If there exists an unavoidable contradiction between them, the principle of lex posterior derogat priori-a treaty may repeal a
statute and a statute may repeal a treaty -will apply. The later one prevails.

NOTE: In our jurisdiction, treaties entered into by the executive are concurred by the Senate and takes the form of a statute.

VFA as a treaty and as an executive agreement

In the case of Bayan v. Zamora (G.R. No. 138570, Oct. 10, 2000), VFA was considered a treaty because the Senate concurred via
2/3 votes of all its members. However, in the point of view of the US Government, it is merely an executive agreement.
Modification of a treaty

GR: A treaty may not be modified without the consent of all the parties.

XPN: If allowed by the treaty itself, two states may modify a provision only insofar as their countries are concerned.

Grounds for invalidating a treaty (3C-FUEL-V)

1. Corruption of a representative of a State

2. Coercion of a representative of a State
3. Coercion of a State by threat or use of force
4. Fraud
5. Unconstitutionality Rule
6. Error
7. Lack of Representative’s Authority
8. Violation of jus cogens norm

Grounds for termination of a treaty (SCREW-STEM-DV)

1. Severance of diplomatic or consular relations

2. Conclusion of a subsequent treaty inconsistent between the same parties
3. Doctrine of Rebus sic stantibus
4. The Emergence of new peremptory norm of general international law renders void and terminates any existing treaty
in conflict with such norm
5. Outbreak of War between the parties to the treaty
6. Supervening impossibility of performance
7. Termination of the treaty or withdrawal of a party in accordance with the terms of the treaty
8. Extinction of one of the parties to the treaty
9. Mutual agreement of all the parties to terminate the treaty
10. Denunciation of the treaty by one of the parties
11. Violation of the treaty by one of the parties

Doctrine of rebus sic stantibus

It states that a fundamental change of circumstances which determined the parties to accept a treaty, if it has resulted in a
radical transformation of the extent of the obligations imposed by it, may under certain conditions, afford the party affected
a ground to invoke the termination of the treaty. The change must have increased the burden of the obligations to be
executed to the extent of rendering performance essentially different from the original intention.
Requisites of rebus sic stantibus(Not-IR, Must-URIS)

1. The change must not have been caused by the party Invoking the doctrine
2.The doctrine cannot operate Retroactively, i.e., it must not adversely affect provisions which have already been complied
with prior to the vital change in the situation
3. The change must have been Unforeseen or unforeseeable at the time of the perfection of the treaty
4. The doctrine must be invoked within a Reasonable time
5. The duration of the treaty must be Indefinite
6. The change must be so Substantial that the foundation of the treaty must have altogether disappeared

Limitation on the application of the principle of rebus sic stantibus

The principle of rebus sic stantibus cannot be invoked as a ground for terminating or withdrawing from a treaty if:

1. The treaty establishes a boundary; or

2. The fundamental change is the result of a breach by the party invoking it of an obligation under the treaty or of any
other obligation owed to any other party to the treaty.

“Clean Slate” Rule

When one State ceases to exist and is succeeded by another on the same territory, the newly independent State is not
bound to maintain in force, or to become a party to, any treaty by reason only of the fact that at the date of the succession of
States the treaty was in force in respect of the territory to which the succession of States relates.

XPNs to the “Clean Slate” rule

1.When the new State agrees to be bound by the treaties made by its predecessor; 2.Treaties affecting boundary regime
(uti possidetis)
3. Customary International Law

F. Doctrine of state responsibility

A State may be held responsible for an international delinquency, directly or indirectly, imputable to it which causes injury to
the national of another State. Liability will attach to the State where its treatment of the alien falls below the international
standard of justice or where it is remiss in according him the protection or redress that is warranted by the circumstances.

NOTE: 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.

Elements of State Responsibility

1. An act or omission in violation of International Law

2. Attributable to the State
3. Causing damage to a third State either directly or indirectly to a national of the third State.

Kinds of State Responsibility

1.Direct State responsibility –Where the international delinquency was committed by superior government officials or organs
like the chief of State or the national legislature, liability will attach immediately as their acts may not be effectively
prevented or reversed under the constitution or laws of the State.
2.Indirect State responsibility–Where the offense is committed by inferior government officials or by private individuals.
The State will be held liable only if, by reason of its indifference in preventing or punishing it, it can be considered to
have connived in effecting its commission.

Requisites for the enforcement of the doctrine of State Responsibility(NER)

1. Nationality of the Claimant/The Doctrine of Effective Nationality/The Genuine Link Doctrine

2. The injured alien must first Exhaust all local remedies; and
3. He must be Represented in the international claim for damages by his own State

Calvo Clause

A stipulation by which an alien waives or restricts his right to appeal to his own state in connection with any claim
arising from the contract and agrees to limit himself to the remedies available under the laws of the local state.

NOTE: This cannot be interpreted to deprive the alien’s state of the right to protect or vindicate his interests in case they
are injured in another state, as such waiver can legally be made not by the alien but by his own state.

Elements of an Internationally Wrongful Act (AB)

1. Act or omission is Attributable to the State under international law; and

2. Constitutes a Breach of an international obligation of the State

NOTE: Every internationally wrongful act of a State entails the international responsibility of that State.

Acts or situations attributable to the State

1. Acts of the State organs–Acts of State organs in their capacity provided by law or under instructions of superiors
2. Acts of other persons–If the group of persons was in fact exercising elements of the governmental authority in the
absence or default of the official authorities and circumstances such as to call for the exercise of those elements of authority.
3. Acts of revolutionaries–Conduct of an insurrectional movement which becomes the new government of a State or part of a
State.

G. Refugees

Any person who is outside the country of his nationality or the country of his former habitual residence because he has or had
well-founded fear of persecution by reason of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a political group or political opinion
and is unable or, because of such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of the government of the country of his
nationality, or, if he has no nationality, to return to the country of his former habitual residence.

Elements before one may be considered as a refugee (ONPer)

1. The person is outside the country of his nationality, or in the case of Stateless persons, outside the country of
habitual residence;
2. The person lacks National protection; 3. The person fears Persecution in his own country.

NOTE: The second element makes a refugee a Stateless person. Only a person who is granted asylum by another State can
apply for refugee status; thus the refugee treaties imply the principle of asylum.
Refugees v. Internally displaced persons

Refugees are people who, owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership
of a particular social group or political opinion, are outside the country of his nationality, are unable or owing to such
fear, are unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country, or who not having a nationality and being outside the
country of their former habitual residence as a result of such events, are unable or, owing to such fear are unwilling to return to
it. (Sec. A par. 2, United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951)While internally displaced persons are
those who have been forced to flee their homes, suddenly or unexpectedly in large numbers as a result of armed
conflict, internal strife, systematic violation of human rights, or natural or man-made disaster, and, who are within their
territory of their country (Analytical Report of the United Nations’ Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons,
February 14, 1992)

Principle of Non-Refoulment

Posits that a State may not deport or expel refugees to the frontiers of territories where their life or freedom would be put in
danger or at risk.

H. Extradition

The right of a foreign power, created by treaty, to demand the surrender of one accused or convicted of a crimewithin its
territorial jurisdiction, and the correlative duty of the other State to surrender

Basis of extradition

The extradition of a person is required only if there is a treaty between the State of refuge and the State of origin. As a gesture
of comity, however, a State may extradite anyone. Furthermore, even with a treaty, crimes which are political in character are
exempted.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

1.Based on the consent of the State expressed in a treaty

2.Principle of specialty–A fugitive who is extradited may be tried only for the crime specified in the request for
extradition and included in the list of offenses in the extradition treaty, unless the requested State does not
object to the trial of such person for the unlisted offense.
3.Any person may be extradited, whether he is a national of the requesting State, of the State of refuge or of
another State. He need not be a citizen of the requesting State.
4.Political or religious offenders are generally not subject to extradition.

NOTE: Attentat clauseis a provision in an extradition treaty which states that the murder or assassination of the
head of a state or any member of his family will not be considered as a political offense and therefore extraditable.

5. The offense must have been committed within the territory of the requesting State or against its interest6.Double
criminality rule–The act for which the extradition is sought must be punishable in both the requesting and requested
States.

Common bars to extradition

1. Failure to fulfill dual criminality

2. Political nature of the alleged crime
3. Possibility of certain forms of punishment
4. Jurisdiction
5. Citizenship of the person in question

PROCEDURE

1. File/issue request through diplomatic representative with:

a. Criminal charge and warrant of arrest
b. Recital of facts
c. Text of applicable law designating the offense
d. Pertinent papers
e. Decision of conviction
2. DFA forwards request to DOJ
3. DOJ files petition for extradition with RTC
4.Upon receipt of a petition for extradition and its supporting documents, the judge must study them and make, as
soon as possible, a prima facie finding whether:
a. They are sufficient in form and substance;
b. They show compliance with the Extradition Treaty and Law; and
c. The person sought is extraditable. At his discretion, the judge may require the submission of further
documentation or may personally examine the affiants and witnesses of the petitioner. If, in spite of this study and
examination, no prima facie finding is possible, the petition may be dismissed at the discretion of the judge.
5.On the other hand, if the presence of a prima facie case is determined, then the magistrate must immediately
issue a warrant for the arrest of the extraditee, who is at the same time summoned to answer the petition and to
appear at scheduled summary hearings.
6. Hearing (provide counsel de officio if necessary);
7.Appeal to CA within ten days whose decision shall be final and executory;
8. Decision forwarded to DFA through the DOJ;
9. Individual placed at the disposal of the authorities of requesting State –costs and expenses to be shouldered by
requesting State.

I. Basic principles of International Human Rights Law

Human Rights

Those liberties, immunities and benefits, which all human beings should be able to claim ‘as of right’ of the society in which
they live –Louis Henkin, “Human Rights”

International Human Rights Law

The law which deals with the protection of individuals and groups against violations by governments of their internationally
guaranteed rights, and with the promotion of these rights (Buergenthal).

NOTE: International human rights are divided into 3 generations, namely:

1. First generation: civil and political rights

2. Second generation: economic, social and cultural rights
3. Third generation: right to development, right to peace and right to environment

Classification of Human Rights

1. Individual rights
2. Collective rights (right to self-determination of people; the permanent sovereignty over natural resources)
Main instruments of human rights

1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights

2. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
3. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols

NOTE: The Philippines is a signatory to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers
and Members of Their Families. This instrument is a multilateral treaty governing the protection of migrant workers
and families. Concluded on December 18, 1990, it entered into force on July 1, 2003 after the threshold of 20 ratifying
states was reached in March 2003. The Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) monitors implementation of the
Convention, and is one of the seven UN-linked human rights treaty bodies.

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (UDHR)

The basic international statement of the inalienable rights of human beings. It is the first comprehensive
international human rights instrument. It covers Civil and Political rights and economic, social and cultural rights.

NOTE: Rights covered by UDHR are customary international law, hence, even during the times when the bill of rights
under the Constitution are inoperative, rights under UDHR remained in effect (Republic v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No.
104768, July 21, 2003).

Basic Rights Guaranteed by the UDHR

1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind such as race,
color, sex, religion, property, or birth. No distinction shall alsobe made on the basis of the political or international status
of a country or territory to which a person belongs.
3. Right to life, liberty and security of person.
4. Right against slavery or servitude.
5. Right against torture or to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment
6. Right to be recognized everywhere as a person before the law.
7. Right to equal protection of the law
8. Right to an effective remedy before courts for acts violating fundamental rights
9. Right against arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
10. Right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal
11. Right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty
12. Right to privacy, family, home or correspondence
13. Right to freedom of movement and residence; right to leave any country, including one’s own and to return to one’s
own country
14.Right to seek and enjoy in another country asylum from persecution; however, this may not be invoked in the case of
prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or acts contrary to the principles of the United Nations
15. Right to a nationality and right against arbitrary deprivation of such right
16.Right to marry, entered into freely and with full consent, without any limitation due to race, nationality or
religion; entitled to equal rights to marriage, during marriage and dissolution; the family is the natural and
fundamental group of society and is entitled to protection by society and State.
17. Right to own property alone as well as in association with others; right against arbitrary deprivation of
such property
18. Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
19. Right to freedom of opinion and expression
20.Right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; no one may be compelled to belong to an association
21. Right to suffrage; right to take part in the government of one’s country, directly or through representatives;
right of equal public service in one’s country
22. Right to social security
23.Right to work/labor, free choice of employment, just and favorable conditions of work; right to equal pay for equal work;
right to form and join trade unions
24. Right to rest and leisure, including reasonable working hours and periodic holidays with pay
25. Right to a standard of living adequate for the health and being of one’s self and his family; motherhood and childhood are
entitled to special care and assistance.
26. Right to education
27.Right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community, enjoy the arts and share in scientific advancement
Under the Declaration, everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms in this
Declaration can be fully realized. The exercise of these rights and freedoms are subject only to such limitations as
are determined by law, for the purpose of recognition and respect of rights of others, for public order and general
welfare.

INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

This is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 1966, and in force from
23 March 1976. It commits its parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals. As of April 2014, the
Covenant has 74 signatories and 168 parties.

Rights guaranteed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights

1. Right to self-determination
2. Right to an effective remedy
3.Equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all the civil and political rights 4.Right to life
5.Not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, freedom
from medical or scientific experimentation except with his consent (1992, 2010 Bar)
6. Freedom from slavery and servitude
7. Right to liberty and security of person
8. Right to be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person
9. No imprisonment on the ground of inability to fulfill a contractual obligation
10. Right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence
11.Right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law
12. No one shall be held guilty of an criminal offense on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a
criminal office, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed
13. Right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law
14. Right to privacy
15. Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
16. Right to freedom of expressions
17. Right of peaceful assembly
18. Right of freedom of association
19. Right to marry and to found a family
20. Right to such measures of protection as are required by his status as a minor, name and nationality
21. Right to participation, suffrage and access to public service
22. Right to equal protection of the law
23. Right of minorities to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their religion and to use their own language.

NOTE: GR: In times of public emergency which threatens the life of the nation and the existence of which is officially
proclaimed, parties may take measures to derogate from their obligations to the extent strictly required by the exigencies
of the situation.
XPNs: There can be no derogation from the following:

1. Right to life
2. Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment
3. Freedom from slavery
4. Freedom from imprisonment for failure to fulfill a contractual obligation
5. Freedom from ex post facto laws
6. Right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law
7. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion

INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

It is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 1966, and in force from 3
January 1976. It commits its parties to work toward the granting of economic, social, and cultural rights. As of 2015, the
Covenant has 164 parties.

Rights guaranteed thereunder

1. Right of Self Determination

2. Right to work and accompanying rights thereto
3. Right to Social Security and other social rights
4. Adequate standard of living which includes:
a. Right to adequate housing
b. Right to adequate food
c. Right to adequate clothing
5. Right to health
6. Right to education
7. Cultural Rights

J. Basic principles of International Humanitarian Law

International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

A set of rules which seek, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects persons who are
not or are no longer participating in the hostilities and restricts the means and methods of warfare.
International humanitarian law is also known as the law of war or the law of armed conflict.

Importance of IHL

It is one of the most powerful tools the international community has at its disposal to ensure the safety and dignity
of people in times of war. It seeks to preserve a measure of humanity, with the guiding principle that even in war
there are limits.

Fundamental principles of IHL

1. Parties to armed conflict are prohibited from employing weapons or means of warfare that cause unnecessary
damage or excessive suffering (Principle of prohibition of use of weapons of a nature to cause superfluous injury or
unnecessary suffering)
2.Parties to armed conflict shall distinguish between civilian populace from combatants and spare the former from
military attacks (Principle of distinction between civilians and combatants)
3.Persons hors de combat and those who do not take part in hostilities are entitled to respect for their lives and their
moral and physical integrity. They shall be protected and treated humanely without any adverse distinction.
4. It is prohibited to kill or injure an enemy who surrenders or who is a hors de combat.
5.The wounded and the sick shall be protected and cared for by the party who is in custody of them. Protection shall
cover medical personnel, establishments, transports and equipment. The emblem of Red Cross or the Red Crescent is a
sign of such protection and must be respected.
6. Parties who captured civilians and combatants shall respect the latter’s rights to life, dignity, and other personal rights.

Essential rules of IHL

1. The parties to a conflict must at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants.
2. Neither the civilian population as a whole nor individual civilians may be attacked
3. Attacks may be made sole against military objectives.
4.People who do not or can no longer take part in the hostilities are entitled to respect for their lives and for their physical
and mental integrity and must be treated with humanity, without any unfavorable distinction whatever.
5.It is forbidden to kill or wound an adversary who surrenders or who can no longer take part in the fighting.
6. Neither the parties to the conflict nor members of their armed forces have an unlimited right to choose methods and
means of warfare.
7. It is forbidden to use weapons or methods of warfare that are likely to cause unnecessary losses and excessive
suffering.
8. The wounded and sick must be collected and cared for by the party to the conflict which has them in its power.
9. Medical personnel and medical establishments, transports and equipment must be spared. The red cross or red
crescent is the distinctive sign indicating that such persons and objects must be respected.
10.Captured combatants and civilians who find themselves under the authority of the adverse party are entitled to
respect for their lives, their dignity, their personal rights and their political, religious and other convictions and must be
protected against all acts of violence or reprisals; entitled to exchange of news with their families and receive aid and enjoy
basic judicial guarantees.

Application of IHL

IHL concerns two situations:

1. International armed conflicts, which involve at least two countries;

2. Armed conflicts that take place in one country (such as those between a government and rebel forces).

NOTE: IHL applies to all parties to a conflict regardless of who started it. “New” conflicts covered by the IHL

1.Anarchic conflicts –It is a situation where armed groups take advantage of the weakening or breakdown of the
State structures in an attempt to grab power.
2.Those in which group identity becomes a focal point –These groups exclude the adversary through “ethnic cleansing”
which consists in forcibly displacing or even exterminating populations. This strengthens group feeling to the detriment
of the existing national identity, ruling out any possibility of coexistence with other groups.

Branches of IHL

1.Law of Geneva–Designed to safeguard military personnel who are no longer taking part in the fighting and people
not actively participating in the war.

NOTE: It includes the:

a. Wounded and Sick in the Field;

b. Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked at Sea;
c. Prisoners of War; and
d. Civilians.
2. Law of the Hague–Establishes the rights and obligations of belligerents in the conduct of military operations, and
limits the means of harming the enemy.
NOTE: Belligerents are inhabitants of a State who rise up in arms for the purpose of overthrowing the legitimate
government.

Persons protected under IHL

IHL protects those who are not, or no longer, participating in hostilities, such as:

1. Civilians;
2. Medical and religious military personnel;
3. Wounded, shipwrecked and sick combatants;
4. Prisoners of war.

NOTE: Recognizing their specific needs, IHL grants women and children additional protection.

Protection under IHL

1. IHL prohibits the use of weapons which are particularly cruel or which do not distinguish between
combatants and civilians.
2. The parties to a conflict are required to:
a. Distinguish between combatants and civilians, and to refrain from attacking civilians;
b. Care for the wounded and sick and protect medical personnel;
c. Ensure that the dignity of prisoners of war and civilian internees is preserved by allowing visits by International
Committee of the Red Cross delegates.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) vs. Human Rights Law

INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW HUMAN RIGHTS LAW

Application
Situations of armed conflict only Applicable at all times in war and peace alike
Permissibility of derogation
No derogations are permitted under IHL because it was Some human rights treaties permit governments to
conceived for emergency situations namely armed conflict derogate from certain rights, in situations of public
emergency
Purpose
Aims to protect people who do not or are no longer Tailored primarily for peacetime, and applies to everyone.
taking part in hostilities. The rules embodied in IHL Their principal goal is to protect individuals from arbitrary
impose duties on all parties of a conflict. behavior by their own governments.
Consequence to states
Obliges states to take practical and legal measures, such as States are bound by human rights law to accord national
enacting penal legislation and disseminating IHL law with international obligations
Applicable mechanisms
Provides for several mechanisms that help its Implementing mechanisms are complex and, contrary to
implementation. Notably, states are required to ensure IHL include regional systems. Supervisory bodies, e.g. the
respect also by other states. Provision is also made UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), are either
for inquiry procedure, a Protecting Power mechanism, and based on the UN Charter or provided for in specific
the International Fact-Finding Commission. In addition, treaties. The UNCHR have developed a mechanism of
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is given special rapporteurs and working groups, whose task is
a key role in ensuring respect for the humanitarian rules. to monitor and report on human rights situations
either by country or by topic. Its role is to enhance
 the effectiveness of the UN human rights machinery
and to build up national, regional and international
capacity to promote and protect human rights and to
disseminate human rights texts and information. Human
rights also provide for the establishment of committees
of independent experts charged with monitoring their
implementation. Certain regional treaties (European and
American) also establish human rights courts.

NOTE: IHL and International human rights law (hereafter referred to as human rights) are complementary. Both strive
to protect the lives, health and dignity of individuals, albeit from a different angle.

War

Contention between two States, through their armed forces, for the purpose of overpowering the other and imposing
such conditions of peace as the victor pleases.

Instances when force is allowed Under the UN Charter, the use of force is allowed only in two instances, to wit:

1. In the exercise of the inherent right of self-defense; and (1998, 2002, 2009 Bar)
2. In pursuance of the so-called enforcement action that may be decreed by the Security Council.

Steps in the Commencement of a war

1. Declaration of war
2. Rejection of an ultimatum
3. Commission of an act of force regarded by at least one of the parties as an act of war.

Declaration of War

A communication by one State to another informing the latter that the condition of peace between them has come to
an end and a condition of war has taken place.

Reprisal

A retaliatory action against an enemy in wartime. It is an otherwise illegal act done in response to a prior illegal act by an
enemy, proportionate to the original wrong and designed to compel the enemy to desist from his illegal acts on the
battlefield. Under such circumstances the law of armed conflicts recognizes the otherwise illegal acts as legal. (The Naulilaa
Case, involving Portugal and Germany)

Retorsion

It is an unfriendly act which may be taken by one state against another. It may be in response to an
internationally wrongful conduct or an unfriendly act but which is nonetheless lawful.

Elements:

1. It is unfriendly;
2. It is lawful; and
3. It is remedial in character because the act is legitimate, no responsibility is engaged in international law, and the state
taking the retorsion has a wide discretion as to what unfriendly actions it may implement, and to what extent. (The
Settlement of International Disputes: The Contribution of Australia and New ZealandBy Nii Lante Wallace-Bruce)

Principle of Distinction

Parties to an armed conflict must at all times distinguish between civilian and military targets and that all military operations
should only bedirected at military targets.

Participants in war

1.Combatants–those who engage directly in the hostilities, and

2.Non-combatants–those who do not, such as women and children.

Combatants

Those individuals who are legally entitled to take part in hostilities.

These include:

1.Regular Forces (RF)–members of the armed forces except those not actively engaged in combat. These are the army,
navy, and air force. Non-combatant members of the armed forces include: chaplains, army services and medical
personnel.
2.Irregular Forces (IF)–also known as franctireurs consist of militia and voluntary corps. These are members of organized
resistance groups, such as the guerrillas. They are treated as lawful combatants provided that they are: a. Being
commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates; b. Wearing a fixed distinctive sign or some type of uniform; c.
Carrying arms openly; and d. Obeying the laws and customs of war.
3.Non-privileged Combatants (NPC)–individuals who take up arms or commit hostile acts against the enemy without
belonging to the armed forces or forming part of the irregular forces. If captured, they are not entitled to the status of
prisoners of war.
4.Citizens who rise in a “levee en masse” –The inhabitants of unoccupied territory who, on approach of the enemy,
spontaneously take arms to resist the invading troops without having time to organize themselves, provided only that
they: a. Carry arms openly; and b. Observe the laws and customs of war.
5. The officers and crew members of merchant vessels who forcibly resist attack.

Civilian

Any person who does not belong to the armed forces and who is not a combatant.

NOTE: In case of doubt whether a person is a civilian or not, that person shall be considered as a civilian.

Ceasefire

An unconditional stoppage of all hostilities usually ordered by an international body like the United Nations Security
Council for the purpose of settling the differences between the belligerents.

Truce

A conditional ceasefire for political purposes.

Capitulation

The surrender of military forces, places or districts, in accordance with the rules of military honor.

Principle of Uti Possidetis

Allows retention of property or territory in the belligerent’s actual possession at the time of the cessation of
hostilities.

Jus ad bellum (Law on the use of force)

It seeks to limit resort to force between States. States must refrain from the threat or use of force against the
territorial integrity or political independence of another state (UN Charter, Art. 2, par. 4).

XPNs: 1.Self-defense; or 2.Following a decision adopted by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
Status Quo Ante Bellum Each of the belligerents is entitled to the territory and property which it had possession of at the
commencement of the war.

Genocide

1.Any of the following acts with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, religious, social or any
other similar stable and permanent group such as:

a. Killing of members of the group

b. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
c. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in
part
d. Imposing measure intended to prevent births within the group. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another
group
2. Directly and publicly inciting others to commit genocide (RA 9851)

NOTE: Genocide may be committed either during war or armed conflict or in times of peace.

CATEGORIES OF ARMED CONFLICTS

Kinds/types of conflict as contemplated in RA 9851

1. International Armed Conflict –between two or more States including belligerent occupation.
2. Non-International Armed Conflict –between governmental authorities and organized armed groups or between such
groups within a State.

NOTE: It does not cover internal disturbances or tensions such as riots, isolated and sporadic acts of violence or other
acts of a similar nature (RA 9851).

3. War of National Liberation –an armed struggle waged by a people through its liberation movement against the
established government to reach self-determination. It is also used to denote conflicts in which peoples are fighting
against colonial domination and alien occupation and against racist regimes in the exercise of their right of
self-determination, as enshrined in the U.N. Charter and the Declaration of Principles of International Law (Protocol I,
Art. 1(4)).
INTERNATIONAL ARMED CONFLICTS

Armed conflict under IHL and RA 9851

1.“All cases of declared war or any other armed conflict which may arise between two or more of the Highest
contracting parties, even if the State of war is not recognized by one of them” (Geneva Convention of 1949, Art. 2). It
also applies to armed conflict between the government and a rebel or insurgent movement (Geneva Convention of
1949, Art. 3).

2.Under RA 9851, it is any use of force or armed violence between States or a protracted armed violence between
governmental authorities and organized groups or between such groups within a State provided that it gives rise or may
give rise to a situation to which the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 including their common Art. 3 apply.

Hors de combat

Any person who:

1. Is in the power of an adverse party

2. Has clearly expressed an intention to surrender
3. Has been rendered unconscious or otherwise incapacitated by wounds or sickness and therefore is incapable of
defending himself (RA 9851)

NOTE: In these cases the person abstains from any hostile act and does not attempt to escape. Under these
circumstances, the said person shall not be made object of attack. Only combatants can be persons hors de combat.

Prisoners of War

Those lawful combatants who have fallen into the power of the enemy. Rights and Privileges of Prisoners of War

1. To be treated humanely
2. Not to be subject to torture
3. To be allowed to communicate with their families
4. To receive food, clothing, religious articles, and medicine
5. To bare minimum of information
6. To keep personal belongings
7. To proper burial
8. To be grouped according to nationality
9. To the establishment of an informed bureau
10. To repatriation for sick and wounded (1949 Geneva Convention)

K. Law of the sea

International Law of the Sea (ILS)

A body of treaty rules amid customary norms governing the uses of the sea, the exploitation of its resources, and the
exercise of jurisdiction over maritime regimes. It is a branch of public international law, regulating the relations of
states with respect to the uses of the oceans (Arigo v. Swift, G.R. No. 206510, Sept. 16, 2014).
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

A treaty that defines the rights and obligations of nations in their use of the world’s oceans, establishing rules for business, the
environment and the management of marine natural resources. The UNCLOS is a multilateral treaty which was opened
for signature on December 10, 1982 at Montego Bay, Jamaica. It was ratified by the Philippines in 1984 but came into
force on November 16, 1994 upon the submission of the 60th ratification.

The UNCLOS gives to the coastal State sovereign rights in varying degrees over the different zones of the sea which are: 1)
internal waters, 2) territorial sea, 3) contiguous zone, 4) exclusive economic zone, and 5) the high seas. It also
gives coastal States more or less jurisdiction over foreign vessels depending on where the vessel is located. Insofar as the
internal waters and territorial sea is concerned, the Coastal State exercises sovereignty, subject to the UNCLOS and
other rules of international law. Such sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as to its
bed and subsoil (Arigo v. Swift, supra.).Mare Liberum Principle or Free Sea or Freedom of the SeaIt means international
waters are free to all nations and belongs to none of them.

1. Baselines

Baseline

It is a line from which the breadth of the territorial sea, the contiguous zone and the exclusive economic zone is
measured in order to determine the maritime boundary of the coastal State.

Normal Baseline

It is the low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state
(UNCLOS, Art. 5).
Formation of Baseline

1.Mouths of Rivers–If a river flows directly into the sea, the baseline shall be a straight line across the mouth of the
river between points on the low-water line of its banks (UNCLOS, Art. 9).

2.Bays–Where the distance between the low-water marks of the natural entrance points: a. Does not exceed 24 nautical
miles–a closing line may be drawn between these two low-water marks, and the waters enclosed thereby shall be
considered as internal waters (UNCLOS, Art. 10 [4])

b. Exceeds 24 nautical miles –a straight baseline of 24 nautical miles shall be drawn within the bay in such a manner
as to enclose the maximum area of water that is possible with a line of that length (UNCLOS, Art. 10 [5]).

NOTE: This relates only to bays the coasts of which belong to a single State and does not apply to “historic”
bays(UNCLOS, Art. 10 (1)).

Bay

It is a well-marked indentation whose penetration is in such proportion to the width of its mouth as to contain land-
locked waters and constitute more than a mere curvature of the coast (UNCLOS, Art.10 (2)).

NOTE: The indentation shall not be regarded as a bay unless its area is as large as, or larger than, that of the semi-
circle whose diameter is a line drawn across the mouth of that indentation (Ibid).

2. Archipelagic states

Archipelago

It means a group of islands, including parts of islands, interconnecting waters and other natural features which are so
closely interrelated that such islands, waters and other natural features form an intrinsic geographical, economic and
political entity, or which historically have been regarded as such (UNCLOS, Art. 46).

Archipelagic State

A state constituted wholly by one or more archipelagos and may include other islands (UNCLOS, Art. 46).

Archipelagic Doctrine

Art. I, Sec. 1 of the 1987 Constitution adopts the archipelagic doctrine. It provides that the national territory of
the Philippines includes the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein; and the waters
around, between and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions form part of the
internal waters of the Philippines. It emphasizes the unity of land and waters by defining an archipelago either as a group
of islands surrounded by waters or a body of water studded with islands.

STRAIGHT ARCHIPELAGIC BASELINES

Straight Archipelagic Baselines vis-à-vis Archipelagic State

An archipelagic State may draw straight archipelagic baselines by joining the outermost points of the outermost
islands and drying reefs of the archipelago provided that within such baselines are included the main islands and an area
in which the ration of the water to the area of the land, including atolls, is between 1 to 1 and 9 to 1 (UNCLOS, Art. 47).
Guidelines in Drawing Archipelagic Baselines

1.The length of such baselines shall not exceed 100 nautical miles, except that up to 3 per cent of the total number of
baselines enclosing any archipelago may exceed that length, up to a maximum length of 125 nautical miles (UNCLOS, Art.
47 [2]).

2. The drawing of such baselines shall not depart to any appreciable extent from the general configuration of the
archipelago (UNCLOS, Art. 47[3]).

3.Such baselines shall not be drawn to and from low tide elevations (UNCLOS, Art. 47[4]).

NOTE: Unless lighthouses or similar installations which are permanently above sea level have been built on them or
where a low-tide elevation is situated wholly or partly at distances not exceeding the breadth of the territorial sea from
the nearest island (Ibid).

4.It shall not be applied in such a manner as to cut off from the high seas or the exclusive economic zone the territorial
sea of another State (UNCLOS, Art. 47[5]).

5.If a part of the archipelagic water of an archipelagic State lies between two parts of an immediately adjacent
neighboring State, existing rights and all other legitimate interests which the latter State has traditionally exercised in
such waters and all rights stipulated by agreement between those States shall continue and be respected (UNCLOS, Art.
47[6]).

NOTE: The breadth of the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf
are measured from the archipelagic baselines drawn in accordance with article 47 (UNCLOS, Art. 48).

Sovereignty of the Archipelagic States

It extends to the waters enclosed by the archipelagic baselines (archipelagic waters), regardless of their depth or distance
from the coast, to the air space over the archipelagic waters, as well as to their bed and subsoil and the resources
contained therein. The sovereignty extends to the archipelagic waters but is subject to the right of innocent passage which
is the same nature as the right of innocent passage in the territorial sea (UNCLOS, Art. 49[1] in relation to Art. 52 [1]).

NOTE: The regime of archipelagic sea lanes passage shall not in other respects affect the status of the archipelagic waters,
including the sea lanes, or the exercise by the archipelagic State of its sovereignty over such waters and their air
space, bed and subsoil and the resources contained therein (UNCLOS, Art. 49[4]).

Archipelagic waters

These are waters enclosed by the archipelagic baselines, regardless of their depth or distance from the coast (UNCLOS, Art.
49[1]).

Rights by which archipelagic waters are subject to:

1.Rights under existing agreement on the part of the third states should be respected (UNCLOS, Art. 51[1]);
2.The traditional fishing rights and other legitimate activities of the immediately adjacent neighboring States (Ibid);
3.Existing submarine cables laid by other States and “passing through its waters without making a windfall” as well as
the maintenance and replacement of such cables upon being notified of their location and the intention to repair or
replace them (UNCLOS, Art. 51[2]).
Applicability of the Right of Innocent Passage in Archipelagic Waters

GR: As a rule, ships of all States enjoy the right of innocent passage through archipelagic waters (UNCLOS,Art. 52[1]).

XPN: Right of Innocent Passage may be suspended in some areas of its archipelagic waters. But such suspension
must be:

1. Without discrimination in form or in fact among foreign ships;

2Essential for the protection of its security; and
3. Shall take effect only after having been duly published (UNCLOS, Art. 52[2]).

ARCHIPELAGIC SEA LANES PASSAGE

Right of Archipelagic Sea Lanes Passage

It is the right of foreign ships and aircraft to have continuous, expeditious and unobstructed passage in sea lanes
and air routes through or over the archipelagic waters and the adjacent territorial sea of the archipelagic state, “in transit
between one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone.” All ships and aircraft are entitled to the right of
archipelagic sea lanes passage (UNCLOS, Art. 53[1] in relation with Art. 53[3]).

All ships are entitled to the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage. Submarines are not required to surface in the course of
its passage unlike the exercise of right of innocent passage in the territorial sea (UNCLOS, Art. 20 in relation to Art.
53[3]).The right is the same as Transit Passage. Both define the rights of navigation and over flight in the normal mode
solely for the purpose of “continuous, expeditious and unobstructed transit.” In both cases, the archipelagic state cannot
suspend passage (UNCLOS, Arts. 44 and 54).

NOTE: The right of archipelagic sea lanes passage may be exercised through the routes normally used for
international navigation (UNCLOS, Art. 53[12]).

Sea Lanes and Air Routes

It shall traverse the archipelagic waters and the adjacent territorial sea and shall include all normal passage routes used
as routes for international navigation or over flight through or over archipelagic waters and, within such routes, so
far as ships are concerned, all navigational channels, provided that duplication of routes of similar convenience
between the same entry and exit points shall not be necessary (UNCLOS, Art. 53[4]).

Designation or Substitution of Sea Lanes

The archipelagic State shall refer proposals to the competent international organization (International Maritime
Organization). The IMO may adopt only such sea lanes as may be agreed with the archipelagic State, after which the
archipelagic State may designate, prescribe or substitute them (UNCLOS, Art. 53[9]).

Regime of Islands

1.An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide.
2.Except as provided for in paragraph 3, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone and the continental shelf of an
island are determined in accordance with the provisions of the Convention applicable to other land territory.
3.Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or
continental shelf. (UNCLOS, Article 121)
NOTE : Islands can be very important because of the possibility of exploiting oil and gas resources around them. This
explains the controversy over Spratleys. It is noteworthy that islands can have their own territorial sea, exclusive
economic zone and continental shelf. However, rocks “which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life” only have
a territorial sea. But there is no clear international law definition of “economic life” referred to in n. 3. (Bernas,
Introduction to Public International Law 2009, p. 129) Artificial islands or installations are not “islands” in the sense of Article
121 of the UNCLOS. However, coastal states may establish safety zones around artificial islands and prescribe safety
measures around them. [ibid, citing UNCLOS, Article 60(4) and (5)]

Regime of Islands under Philippine Laws

The baseline in the following areas over which the Philippines likewise exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction shall be
determined as "Regime of Islands" under the Republic of the Philippines consistent with Article 121 of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS):

a) The Kalayaan Island Group as constituted under Presidential Decree No. 1596; and
b) Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.(Republic Act No. 9522, Sect. 2)

3. Internal waters

Internal waters

These are waters of lakes, rivers and bays landward of the baseline of the territorial sea. Waters on the landward
side of the baseline of the territorial sea also form part of the internal waters of the coastal state. However, in the
case of archipelagic states, waters landward of the baseline other than those of rivers, bays, and lakes, are archipelagic
waters (UNCLOS, Art. 8 [1]).

Delimitation of internal waters

Within the archipelagic waters, the archipelagic state may draw closing lines for the delimitation of internal waters
(UNCLOS, Art. 50 in relation with Arts. 9, 10, 11).

NOTE: A coastal state has sovereignty over its internal waters as if internal waters were part of its land territory (UNCLOS,
Art. 50).

Right of Innocent Passage

It means navigation through the territorial sea of a State for the purpose of traversing the sea without entering internal waters,
or of proceeding to internal waters, or making for the high seas from internal waters, as long as it is not prejudicial to the
peace, good order or security of the coastal State (UNCLOS, Arts. 18 [1][2], 19[1]).

Applicability of the Right of Innocent Passage in Internal Waters

GR: There is no Right of Innocent Passage through the internal water because it only applies to territorial sea and the
archipelagic waters.

XPN: A coastal state may extend its internal waters by applying the straight baseline method in such a way as to enclose as
its internal waters areas which are previously part of the territorial sea. It also applies to straits used for international
navigation converted into internal waters by applying the straight baselines method. Thus, the right of innocent
passage continues to exist in the “extended” internal waters (UNCLOS, Art. 8[2]).
 4. Territorial sea

Breadth of The Territorial Sea

Every State has the right to establish the breadth of the territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles,
measured from baselines (UNCLOS, Art. 3).

Outer Limit of The Territorial Sea

It is the line every point of which is at a distance from the nearest point of the baseline equal to the breadth of the
territorial sea (UNCLOS, Art. 4).

Territorial sea vs. Internal waters of the Philippines

TERRITORIAL SEA INTERNAL WATERS

defined by historic right or treaty limits defined by the archipelago doctrine

as defined in the Convention on the Law of the Sea, outermost points of our archipelago which are connected
has a uniform breadth of 12 miles measured from the with baselines and all waters comprised therein
lower water mark of the coast

Methods used in defining territorial sea

1.Normal baseline method–The territorial sea is simply drawn from the low-water mark of the coast, to the breadth
claimed, following its sinuousness and curvatures but excluding the internal waters in the bays and gulfs (UNCLOS, Art. 5).
2.Straight baseline method–Where the coastline is deeply indented and cut into, or if there is a fringe of islands along the
coast in its immediate vicinity, the method of straight baselines joining appropriate points may be employed in drawing
the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measure (UNCLOS, Art. 7).

NOTE: The Philippines uses this method in drawing baselines.

Sovereignty over the territorial sea

Coastal states exercise sovereignty over Territorial sea and it extends to the airspace over the territorial sea and to its
seabed and subsoil.

Note: The sovereignty over the territorial sea is subject to the right of innocent passage on the part of ships of all states.

Applicability of the right of innocent passage in the internal waters and territorial sea. In the territorial sea, a foreign
State can claim for its ships the right of innocent passage, whereas in the internal waters of a State no such right
exists. However, in Saudi Arabia v. Aramco(Arbitration 1963), the arbitrator said that according to international law —ports
of every state must be open to foreign vessels and can only be closed when vital interests of the state so requires.
But according to the Nicaragua v. US case, a coastal state may regulate access to its ports. Instances when the right of
innocent passage is considered prejudicial

Right of innocent passage is considered prejudicial if the foreign ship engages in the following activities:

1. Any threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of the coastal State,
or in any other manner in violation of the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations;
2. Any exercise or practice with weapons of any kind;
3. Any act aimed at collecting information to the prejudice of the defense or security of the coastal State;
4.Any act aimed at collecting information to the prejudice of the defense or security of the coastal State;
5. Any act of propaganda aimed at affecting the defense or security of the coastal State;
6. The launching, landing or taking on board of any aircraft;
7. The launching, landing or taking on board of any military device;
8. The loading or unloading of any commodity, currency or person contrary to the customs, fiscal, immigration or
sanitary laws and regulations of the coastal State;
9. Any act of willful and serious pollution contrary the Convention;
10. Any fishing activities;
11. The carrying out of research or survey activities;
12.Any act aimed at interfering with any systems of communication or any other facilities or installations of the coastal
State;
13.Any other activity not having a direct bearing on passage (UNCLOS, Art. 19 [2]).

Laws and regulations of the coastal State relating to innocent passage

The coastal state may adopt laws and regulations in respect of all or any of the following:

1. Safety of navigation and the regulation of maritime traffic;

2. Protection of navigational aids and facilities and other facilities or installations;
3. Protection of cables and pipelines;
4. Conservation of the living resources of the sea;
5. Prevention of infringement of the fisheries laws and regulations of the coastal State;
6. Preservation of the environment of the coastal State and the prevention, reduction and control of pollution
thereof;
7. Marine Scientific research and hydrographic surveys;
8.Prevention of infringement of the customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations of the coastal State
(UNCLOS, Art. 21[1]).

NOTE: It shall not however, apply to the design, construction, manning or equipment of foreign ships unless they
are giving effect to generally accepted international rules or standards (UNCLOS, Art. 21[2]).

Rules when traversing the territorial sea through theright of innocent passage

1. Submarines and other underwater vehicles –They are required to navigate on the surface and to show their flag (UNCLOS,
Art. 20).
2.Foreign nuclear-powered ships and ships carrying nuclear or other inherently dangerous or noxious substances –They
must carry documents and observe special precautionary measures established for such ships by international
agreements. They may be required to confine their passage on sea lanes prescribed by the coastal State (UNCLOS, Art.
23).
3.Warships –a. Coastal State may require that it leave the territorial sea immediately when it does not comply with
the laws and regulations of the coastal State and disregards compliance (UNCLOS, Art. 30)b. Flag State shall bear
international responsibility for any loss or damage to the coastal State resulting from non-compliance with the laws
and regulations of the coastal State concerning passage (UNCLOS, Art. 31).c. Submarines in innocent passage are required to
navigate on the surface and to show their flag (UNCLOS, Art. 20).

NOTE: This will not affect the immunities of warships and other government ships operated for non-commercial
purpose (UNCLOS, Art. 32).
Warship

It is a ship belonging to the armed forces of a State bearing the external marks distinguishing such ships of its
nationality, under the command of an officer duly commissioned by the government of the State and whose name appears
in the appropriate service list or its equivalent, and manned by a crew which is under regular armed forces
discipline (UNCLOS, Art. 29).

NOTE: The right of innocent passage pertains to all ships, including warships. Duties of the coastal State with regard to
innocent passage of foreign ships

The coastal State shall:1.Not hamper the innocent passage of the foreign ships through its territorial sea; 2.Not impose
requirements on foreign ships which have the practical effect of denying or impairing the right of innocent passage;3.Not
discriminate in form or in fact against the ships of any State or against ships carrying cargoes to, from or on behalf of any
State; and4.Give appropriate publicity to any danger to navigation, of which it has knowledge, within its territorial
sea (UNCLOS, Art. 24).

Rights of the coastal state relating to innocent passage through the territorial sea:

The coastal State may:

1.Take the necessary steps in its territorial sea to prevent passage which is not innocent (UNCLOS, Art. 25[1]); 2.Take the
necessary steps to prevent any breach of the conditions to which admission of ships to internal waters or such a
call is subject (UNCLOS, Art. 25[2]); 3.Without discrimination in form or in fact among foreign ships, suspend
temporarily in specified areas of its territorial sea the innocent passage of foreign ships if such suspension is essential
for the protection of its security, including weapon exercises (UNCLOS, Art. 25[3]).

NOTE: No charge may be levied upon foreign ships by reason only of their passage through the territorial sea (UNCLOS,
Art. 26[1]).Charges may be levied only as payment for specific services rendered to the ship which shall be
levied without discrimination (UNCLOS, Art. 26[2]).

Right of the coastal state to suspend innocent passage in specified areas

The coastal state may, without discrimination in form or in fact among foreign ships, suspend temporarily in specified
areas of its territorial sea the innocent passage of foreign ships if such suspension is essential for the protection of its
security, including weapons exercises. Such suspension shall take effect only after having been duly published (UNCLOS,
Art. 25(3), Part II Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone).

Exercise of criminal jurisdiction of the coastal state

GR: Criminal jurisdiction of the coastal state should not be exercised on board a foreign ship passing through the territorial
sea to arrest any person or to conduct any investigation in connection with any crime committed on board the ship during
its passage.

XPNs:

1. Consequence of the crime extend to the coastal state;

2. Crime is of a kind to disturb the peace of the country or the good order of the territorial sea
3. Assistance of local authoritieshas been requested by the master of the ship or by a diplomatic agent or consular officer of
the flag State; or
4. Measures are necessary for the suppression of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances (UNCLOS, Art.
27[1]).
NOTE: Such does not affect the right of the coastal state to take any steps authorized by its laws for the purpose of
an arrest or investigation on board a foreign ship passing through the territorial sea after leaving internal waters
(UNCLOS, Art. 27[2]).

Exercise of civil jurisdiction over foreign ships passing through the territorial sea of the coastal state

The coastal state may exercise civil jurisdiction, subject to the following exceptions:

1.It should not stop or divert a foreign ship passing through the territorial sea for the purpose of exercising civil
jurisdiction in relation to a person on board the ship (UNCLOS, Art. 28[1])

2.It may not levy execution against or arrest the ship for the purpose of any civil proceedings, save only in respect of
obligations or liabilities assumed or incurred by the ship itself in the course or for the purpose of its voyage through
the waters of the coastal State (UNCLOS, Art. 28[2]).

NOTE: It is without prejudice to the right of the coastal State, in accordance with its laws, to levy execution against or
to arrest, for the purpose of any civil proceedings, a foreign ship lying in the territorial sea, or passing through the
territorial sea after leaving internal waters (UNCLOS, Art. 28[3]).

5. Contiguous zone

It is the zone adjacent to the territorial sea, which the coastal State may exercise such control as is necessary to:

1. Prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws within its territory or its territorial sea
or

2. Punish such infringement. The contiguous zone may not extend more than 24 nautical miles beyond the
baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured 12nautical miles from the territorial sea (UNCLOS, Art.
33).

NOTE: The coastal state does not have sovereignty over the contiguous zone because the contiguous zone is a zone of
jurisdiction for a particular purpose, not of sovereignty.

Contiguous zone does not automatically belong to the territory of the coastal state

The coastal state must make a claim to its Contiguous Zone for pertinent rights to exist. Article 33 of the UNCLOS
speaks in permissive terms, i.e, “the coastal state may exercise the control necessary” for definite purposes.

Extent of the Contiguous Zone

The coastal State may not extend its Contiguous Zone beyond the 24 nautical miles from the baseline (from which the
breadth of the territorial sea is measured) (UNCLOS, Art. 33 [2]).

Right of Transit passage

It is the right to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious
transit through the straits used for international navigation, i.e.,between two areas of the high seas or between two
exclusive economic zones.
The requirement of continuous and expeditious transit does not preclude passage through the strait for the purpose of
entering, leaving or returning from a State bordering the strait, subject to the conditions of entry to that State (UNCLOS, Art.
38[2]).

NOTE: The right of transit passage is not applicable if there exists seaward of the island a route through the high seas
or through an exclusive economic zone of similar convenience with respect to navigational and hydrographical
characteristics (UNCLOS, Art. 38[1]).Vessels entitled to right of transit passage All ships and aircraft enjoy the right of transit
passage.

6. Exclusive economic zone

It gives the coastal State sovereign rights overall economic resources of the sea, sea -bed and subsoil in an area
extending not more than 200 nautical miles beyond the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured (UNCLOS, Arts.
55 & 57).

Rights of the coastal state in the EEZ

1. Sovereign rights

a. For the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the living and non-living resources in the super
adjacent waters of the sea-bed and the resources of the sea-bed and subsoil;

b. With respect to the other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the EEZ, such as production
of energy from water, currents and winds;

2. Jurisdictional rights a. With respect to establishment and use of artificial islands; b. As to protection and preservation
of the marine environment; and c. Over marine scientific research

3.Other rights and duties provided for in the Law of the Sea Convention(Law of the Sea Convention, Art. 56).

NOTE: The coastal State has no sovereignty over the EEZ. What the coastal State only has are sovereign rights, jurisdictional
rights, and other rights under the Law of the Sea Convention.

The coastal state may inspect and arrest ship’s crew in its EEZ

The coastal State may board, and inspect a ship, arrest a ship and its crew and institute judicial proceedings against
them. Arrested vessels and their crews may be required to post reasonable bond or any other form of security.
However, they must be promptly released upon posting of bond. In the absence of agreement to the contrary by the States
concerned, UNCLOS does not allow imprisonment or any other form of corporal punishment.

However, in cases of arrest and detention of foreign vessels, it shall promptly notify the flag state of the action taken.

Primary obligations of coastal states over the EEZ

1. Proper conservation and management measures that the living resources of the EEZ are not subjected to over-
exploitation;

NOTE: The UNCLOS does not set a limit, except by the duty of the coastal state not to overexploit.
2.Promote the objective of “optimum utilization” of the living resources, and to this end, to determine the maximum
allowable catch of such resources in relation to its capacity to harvest the allowable catch (UNCLOS, Art. 61[2],
62[1]).

Objectives of conservation of living resources in the EEZ

1. The determination of the allowable catch of the living resources;

2. The maintenance of the living resources in such a way that they are not endangered by over-exploitation;
3. The maintenance or restoration of population of harvested species at levels which can produce the maximum
sustainable yield; and (UNCLOS, Art. 61)
4. The maintenance of associated or dependent species above levels at which their reproduction may become seriously
threatened (UNCLOS, Art. 61)

Note: The coastal state must determine its capacity to harvest the living resources of the EEZ. If it does not have capacity to
harvest the allowable catch, it shall give other states access to the surplus of the allowable catch by means of agreements
or arrangements consistent with the UNCLOS. For this purpose the coastal state may establish terms and conditions by
laws and regulations (UNCLOS, Art. 62)If the coastal state sets the allowable catch at the same level as its harvesting
capacity, then no surplus is left. The result is that the access by other states to surplus stocks may prove to be illusory.

Matters that the coastal state may regulate in regard to fishing by the nationals of other states in the EEZ

1. Licensing of fishermen, fishing vessels and equipment, and the payment of fishing;
2. determining the species which may be caught and fixing the quotas to catch;
3. Regulation of seasons and areas of fishing, the types, sizes and amount of gear and fishing vessels that may be used;
4. Fixing the age and size of fish that may be caught;
5. Information required of fishing vessels, including catch and effort statistics and vessel position reports;
6. The conduct of fisheries research programs
7. The placing of observers and trainees by the coastal state on board foreign vessels;
8. The landing of the catch by foreign vessels in the ports of the coastal state;
9. The terms and conditions of joint ventures or cooperative arrangements;
10. Training of personnel and transfer of fisheries technology; and
11. Enforcement procedures

NOTE: The nationals of other states granted access to the EEZ must comply with conservation measures and other conditions
provided in these laws and regulations (UNCLOS, Art. 62).

7. Continental shelf and extended continental shelf

Otherwise known as archipelagic or insular shelf for archipelagos, refers to a) the seabed and subsoil of the submarine
areas adjacent to the meters or, beyond that limit, to where the depth allows exploitation, and b) the
seabed and subsoil of areas adjacent to islands.

Categories of Continental shelf

1. Continental shelf

a. Geological continental shelf

b. Juridical/Legal Continental Shelf
2. Extended Continental Shelf
Geological continental shelf

It comprises the entire prolongation of the coastal state’s land mass and extends up to the outer edge of the continental
margin. It starts from the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured and has its outer limit at the outer edge
of the continental margin which may extend beyond the 200 nautical miles from the baseline, or may fall short of that
distance.

Continental shelf (Juridical/Legal Continental Shelf)

It comprises the sea-bed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the
natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin or to a distance of 200 nautical
miles beyond the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured if the edge of the continental
margin does not extend up to that distance (UNCLOS, Art. 76[1]).

NOTE: The rights of the coastal state over the continental shelf do not depend on occupation, effective or
notional, or on any express proclamation (UNCLOS, Art. 77[3]).

The UNCLOS unifies the continental and the extended continental shelves into one by providing that the continental
shelf extends to the breadth of either shelf, whichever is the farthest (UNCLOS, Art. 76[1][4]).

Continental margin

It is the submerged prolongations of the land mass of the coastal state, consisting of the continental shelf proper, the
continental slope and the continental rise. It does not include the deep ocean floor with its ocean ridges or the subsoil
(UNCLOS, Art. 76[3]).

NOTE: The coastal State shall establish the outer edge of the continental margin wherever the margin extends beyond the
200 nautical miles from the baselines.

In establishing the Continental Margin it shall either use:

1.A line drawn by reference to points no more than 60 nautical miles from the foot of the continental slope; or

2.A line drawn by reference to points at which the thickness of sediments is less than one percent of the distance to
the base of the continental slope (UNCLOS, Art. 76[4]).

Permissible breadth of the continental shelf

Under the said UN Convention, it extends to a distance not extending 200 nautical miles from the baselines. However,
if the coastal State succeeds in its application for an extended continental shelf, it may extend to not more than 350
nautical miles (UNCLOS, Art. 76[1][5]).

NOTE: Under Presidential Proclamation 370, the continental shelf has no such legal limit. It extends outside the
area of the territorial sea “to where the depth of the superjacent waters admits of the exploitation of such natural
resources.” In this case, exploitation of resources may go beyond the 200 nautical miles.

EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF

It is that portion of the continental shelf that lies beyond the 200 nautical miles limit in the juridical/legal
continental Shelf. Benham PlateauIt is also known as the Benham Rise. The Philippines lodged its claim on the area with
the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on April 8, 2009. The UNCLOS approved the
claim of the Philippines that the Benham Plateau is part of Philippine Territory on April 12, 2012.

Sovereign rights of a coastal State over the continental shelf

1. Right to explore and exploit its natural resources (UNCLOS, Art. 77[1]);

NOTE: This right is exclusive. Should the coastal State not explore or exploit the natural resources, no one may
undertake these activities without the express consent of the coastal State (UNCLOS, Art. 77[2]). Natural resources
include mineral and other non-living resources of the seabed and subsoil together with living organisms
belonging to sedentary species (UNCLOS, Art. 77[4]).Rule on payment for exploitation of non-living resources

GR: Exploitation of the non-living resources of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles would entail the coastal
State to make payments or contributions in kind which shall be made annually with respect to all production at site
after the first five years of production and 1% of the value or volume of production at the site at the sixth year. It shall
increase by 1% for each subsequent year until the 12thyear where it shall remain at 7%. The payments or contributions
shall be made through the International Seabed Authority, which shall distribute them to States Parties to this
Convention, on the basis of equitable sharing criteria, taking into account the interests and needs of developing
States, particularly the least developed and the land-locked among them(UNCLOS, Art. 82[1][2][4]).

XPN: A developing State which is a net importer of a mineral resource produced from its continental shelf is exempt
from making such payments or contributions in respect of that mineral resource (UNCLOS, Art. 82[3]).

2. To lay submarine cables and pipelines on the continental shelf (UNCLOS, Art. 79[1]);

NOTE: State may make reasonable measures for the prevention, reduction and control of pollution from pipelines. The
laying of cables is limited by the right of the coastal state to take measures in exploring its continental shelf, exploiting the
natural resources, and the protection of the marine environment from pollution (UNCLOS, Art. 79).

3. Artificial islands, installations and structures on the continental shelf (UNCLOS, Art. 80);

NOTE: Exclusive right to construct, to authorize the construction, operation and use of artificial islands and
installations. Jurisdiction is also exclusive (UNCLOS, Art. 80).

4. Marine scientific research (UNCLOS, Art. 246[1])

NOTE: May be conducted only with consent. Beyond the 200 nautical mile, the coastal State cannot withhold consent
to allow research on the ground that the proposed research project has direct significance to exploration or
exploitation of natural resources (UNCLOS, Art. 246[2][6]).

5. Right to authorize and regulate drilling on the continental shelf for all purposes (UNCLOS, Art. 81)

NOTE: This right is exclusive. Limitation on the rights of coastal state over the continental shelf Rights of the coastal State
over the continental shelf do not affect the legal status of the superjacent waters or of the air space above those waters
and such exercise of right must not infringe or result in unjustifiable interference with navigation and other
rights and freedoms of other States (UNCLOS, Art. 78[1][2]).
Island

It is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide. NOTE: The continental shelf
of an island is recognized. However, rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life shall have no
continental shelf or EEZ.

High or Open seas

The waters, which do not constitute the internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea and exclusive economic
zone of a state. They are beyond the jurisdiction and sovereign rights of states (UNCLOS, Art. 86).It is treated as res
communes orres nullius, and thus, are not part of the territory of a particular State (UNCLOS, Art. 89).

Freedoms on the high seas

These are the freedom of: (NOLAFS)

1. Navigation
2. Over flight
3. To lay submarine cables and pipelines
4. To construct artificial islands and other installations permitted under international law
5. Fishing
6. Scientific research (UNCLOS, Art. 87[1] in relation to Art. 90)

NOTE: This is open to all States and shall be exercised with due regard for the interests of other States in their
exercise of the freedom of the high seas (UNCLOS, Art. 87[2]).

Flag State

It refers to the State whose nationality the ship possesses; for it is nationality which gives the right to fly a
country’s flag. In the high seas, a state has exclusive jurisdiction over ships sailing under its flag. It is required however, that
there exists a genuine link between the State and the ship (UNCLOS, Arts. 91[1],92[2]).

Duty of the flag state

A flag state has the duty to render assistance in distress in the sense that it shall require the master of the ship,
without serious danger to the ship, crew or passengers, to render assistance to any person at sea in danger of being
lost, or to rescue persons in distress. It shall require the master to assist the other ship after a collision or its
crew and passengers (UNCLOS, Art. 98).

Applicable laws to vessels sailing on the high seas

GR: Vessels sailing on the high seas are subject only to international law and to the laws of the flag State.

XPN: However, the arrest or boarding of a vessel sailing in the high seas may be made by a State, other than the flag-
State of such vessel, in the following instances:

1.A foreign merchant ship by the coastal State in its internal waters, the territorial sea and the contiguous zones
for any violation of its laws.
2. A foreign merchant ship for piracy.
3. Any ship engaged in the slave trade.
4. Any ship engaged in unauthorized broadcasting.
5.A ship without nationality, or flying a false flag or refusing to show its flag.

Flag of Convenience

It is a national flag flown by a ship not because the ship or its crew has an affiliation with the nation, but because the lax
controls and modest fees and taxes imposed by that nation have attracted the owner to register it there.

Jurisdiction over Crimes committed on board a foreign private vessel anchored in a coastal state

Under both the English and French rules, a crime will be tried by a local state, if serious enough as to compromise the peace of
its port; otherwise by the flag state, if it involves only the members of the crew and is of such a petty nature as not to
disturb the peace of the local state. In the French rule, it recognizes the jurisdiction of the flag state over crimes
committed on board the vessel except if the crime disturbs the peace, order and security of the host country. In English
rule, the host country has jurisdiction over the crimes committed on board the vessel unless they involve the internal
management of the vessel.

Instances when a State may exercise jurisdiction on open seas

1. Slave trade
2. Hot pursuit
3. Right of approach
4. Piracy Duty of every state in the transportation of slaves

Every state shall take effective measures to prevent and punish the transport of slaves in ships authorized to fly its
flag and to prevent the unlawful use of the flag for that purpose. Any slave taking refuge on board any ship, whatever its
flag, shall ipso facto be free (UNCLOS, Art. 99).

Doctrine of Hot Pursuit

It provides that the pursuit of a vessel maybe undertaken by the coastal State which has “good reason to believe that the ship
has violated the laws and regulations of that State”.

Elements of the Doctrine Of Hot Pursuit

1.The pursuit must be commenced when the ship is within the internal waters, territorial sea or the contiguous zone of
the pursuing State, and may only be continued outside if the pursuit has not been interrupted

2. It is continuous and unabated

3. Pursuit conducted by a warship, military aircraft, or government ships authorized to that effect. (UNCLOS, Art.
111)

Arrival Under Stress

It refers to involuntary entrance of a foreign vessel on another state’s territory which may be due tolack of provisions,
unseaworthiness of the vessel, inclement weather, or other case of force majeure, such as pursuit of pirates.
Piracy under the UNCLOS

Piracy consists of any of the following acts:

1.Illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the
passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft and directed: a. On the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or
against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft b. Against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside
the jurisdiction of any State

2.Act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a
pirate ship or aircraft;

3.Act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described above (UNCLOS, Art. 101).NOTE: If committed by a
warship, government ship or governmental aircraft whose crew mutinied and taken control of the ship or aircraft, it is
assimilated to acts committed by a private ship or aircraft (UNCLOS, Art. 102).A ship or aircraft retains its nationality
although it has become a pirate (UNCLOS, Art. 104).Warships on the high seas enjoy immunity from jurisdiction of
other states. They enjoy complete immunity. The jurisdiction of their flag state is exclusive (UNCLOS, Art. 95).

Land-locked states

These are states which do not border the seas and do not have EEZ.

Geographically disadvantaged states

1. Coastal states which can claim no EEZ of their own; and

2.Coastal states, including states bordering closed or semi-closed states, whose geographical situations make them
dependent on the exploitation of the living resources of the EEZ of other coastal states in the region (UNCLOS, Art. 70[2]).

Rights of land-locked states and geographically disadvantaged states

1.Land-locked States shall have the right to participate, on an equitable basis, the exploitation of an appropriate
part of the surplus of the living resources of the exclusive economic zones of coastal States of the same sub region or
region, taking into account the relevant economic and geographical circumstances of all States concerned (UNCLOS,
Art. 69[1]).

2.Developed land-locked States shall be entitled to participate in the exploitation of living resources only in the
exclusive economic zones of developed coastal States of the same sub region or region having regard to the extent to
which the coastal State, in giving access to other States to the living resources of its exclusive economic zone, has
taken into account the need to minimize detrimental effects on fishing communities and economic dislocation in
States whose nationals have habitually fished in the zone (UNCLOS, Art. 70[1]).

NOTE: This is without prejudice to arrangements agreed upon in sub region or regions where the coastal State may grant
to land-locked States of the same sub region or region equal or preferential rights for the exploitation of the living
resources in the EEZ (UNCLOS, Art. 70[6]).This however shall not apply in case of a coastal State whose economy is
overwhelmingly dependent on the exploitation of the living resources of its EEZ (UNCLOS, Art. 71).

8. International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLoS)

It is an independent judicial body established by the Third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that
adjudicates disputes arising out of the interpretation and application of the Convention. It was established after
Ambassador Arvido Pardo Malta addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations and called for “an effective
international regime over the seabed and ocean floor beyond a clearly defined national jurisdiction”. Its seat is in Hamburg,
Germany. Part XV of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea requires States to settle peacefully any dispute
concerning the Convention. Failing a bilateral settlement, it provides that any dispute shall be submitted for
compulsory settlement to one of the tribunals having jurisdiction (UNCLOS, Art. 286).These include the ITLos, the
International Court of Justice (ICJ), and arbitral or special arbitral tribunals constituted under the UNCLOS.The ITLoS is
composed of twenty-one (21) independent members elected by the States partied to the UNCLOS from among persons
with recognized competence in the field of the law of the sea and representing the principal legal systems of the world.

Jurisdiction of the Tribunal

Its jurisdiction comprises all disputes and all applications submitted to it and all matters specifically provided for in any
other agreement which confers jurisdiction to the Tribunal.

Rules with regard to membership in the Tribunal

1.No two members of the Tribunal may be nationals of the same State (UNCLOS, Annex VI, Statute of ITLoS, Art. 3[1]).

NOTE: The person shall be deemed to be a national of the one in which he ordinarily exercises civil and political rights (Ibid).

2. There should be no fewer than three members from each geographical group to be established by the UN General Assembly
(UNCLOS, Annex VI, Statute of ITLoS, Art. 3[2]).

3.No member of the Tribunal may exercise any political or administrative function, or associate actively with or
be financially interested in any of the operations of any enterprise concerned with the exploration for or exploitation of
the resources of the sea or the seabed or other commercial use of the sea or the seabed (UNCLOS, Annex VI, Statute of
ITLoS, Art. 7[1]).

4. No member of the Tribunal may act as agent, counsel or advocate in any case (UNCLOS, Annex VI, Statute of
ITLoS, Art. 7[2]).

5.No member of the Tribunal may participate in the decision of any case in which he has previously taken part as
agent, counsel or advocate for one of the parties, or as a member of a national or international court or
tribunal, or in any other capacity (UNCLOS, Annex VI, Statute of ITLoS, Art. 8[1]).

6.If for some special reason a member of the Tribunal should not sit in a particular case: a. Member should inform the
President of the Tribunal (UNCLOS, Annex VI, Statute of ITLoS, Art. 8[2]);or b. President should give the member
notice accordingly (UNCLOS, Annex VI, Statute of ITLoS, Art. 8[3]).

NOTE: Any doubt shall be resolved by decision of the majority of other members of the Tribunal present (UNCLOS,
Annex VII, Arbitration, Art. 7, 8).Members enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities (UNCLOS Annex VII, Arbitration, Art.
10).

Jurisdiction of the Seabed Dispute ChamberThe categories of its jurisdiction are the following:

1. Disputes between State Parties concerning the interpretation or application of treaty or convention may, in
accordance with such agreement, be submitted to the Tribunal.
2.Disputes between a State Party and the Authority concerning: a. Acts or omissions of the Authority or of a State Party
alleged to be violations of the convention; b. Acts of the Authority alleged to be in excess of jurisdiction of a misuse of
power

3.Disputes between parties to a contract, being State Parties, the Authority or the Enterprise, state enterprises and
natural or juridical persons concerning: a. Interpretation or application of a relevant contract or a plan of work; b.
Acts or omissions of a party to the contract relating to activities in the Area and directed to the other party or
directly affecting its legitimate interest.

4. Disputes between the Authority and a prospective contractor who has been sponsored by a State

5. Disputes between the Authority and a State Party, a state enterprise or a natural or juridical person sponsored by a State
Party

6.Any other disputes for which the jurisdiction of the Chamber is specifically provided for in the Convention.

Alternative means for the settlement of disputes established by the Convention

Aside from the ITLOS, it also established the International Court of Justice, an arbitral tribunal
constituted in accordance with Annex VII to the Convention and a special arbitral tribunal constituted in
accordance with Annex VIII of the Convention.

L. Basic principles of International Environmental Law

International Environmental Law

It is the branch of public international law comprising "those substantive, procedural and institutional rules which
have as their primary objective the protection of the environment," the term environment being understood as
encompassing "both the features and the products of the natural world and those of human civilization.

Environmental concerns, related to Human Rights

The protection of the environment is a vital part of contemporary human rights doctrine, for it is a sine qua non for
numerous human rights such as the right to health, and the right to life itself (Danube Dam Case, ICJ Rep 1997).

PRINCIPLE 21 OF THE STOCKHOLM DECLARATION

Stockholm Declaration

The Stockholm Declaration, or the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, was
adopted on June 16, 1972 in Stockholm, Sweden. It contains 26 principles and 109 recommendations regarding the
preservation and enhancement of the right to a healthy environment.

Principle 21 of the Stockholm Declaration

This declares that States have:

1. The sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental policies, and
2.The responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of
other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction or otherwise known as the Good
Neighborliness Principle (Sarmiento, 2007).
Principle 21 of the Stockholm Declaration is a part of customary law

The Court recognizes that the environment is daily under threat and that the use of nuclear weapons could constitute
a catastrophe for the environment. The court also recognizes that the environment is not an abstraction but
represents the living space, the quality of life and the very human beings, including generations unborn. The existence of the
general obligation of States to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction and control respect the environment of
other States or of areas beyond national control is now part of the corpus of international law relating to the
environment (ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, July 8, 1996).

Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility

This principle requires the protection of specified environmental resource or area as common responsibility but takes
into account the differing circumstances of certain States in the discharge of such responsibilities(Framework
Convention on Climate Change, Art. 3[1]).It is also embodied in the Rio Declaration which states: “...In view of the
different contributions to global environmental degradation, States have common but differentiated responsibilities.
The developed countries acknowledge the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit to sustainable
development in view of the pressures their societies place on the global environment and of the technologies
and financial resources they command.” (Rio Declaration, Principle 7)

PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration, commonly known as the Precautionary Principle states:In order to protect the
environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there
are threats of serious damage, lack of full scientific certainly shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-
effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.

NOTE: This principle advocates that the potential harm should be addressed even with minimal predictability at hand. The
Precautionary Principle requires a high degree of prudence on the part of the stakeholders. Decision makers are not only
mandated to account for scientific uncertainty but can also take positive action, e.g., restrict a product or activity even
when there is scientific uncertainty. Under Rule 20 of the Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases, the
Precautionary Principle is adopted as a rule of evidence. The Supreme Court’s adoption of the Precautionary Principle
in the newly promulgated Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases affords plaintiffs a better chance of proving
their cases where the risks of environmental harm are not easy to prove.

Polluter Pays Principle

It means that the party responsible for producing the pollutants must bear responsibility for shouldering the costs of
the damage done to the environment. It is expressly stated in Principle 16 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development: “National authorities should endeavor to promote the internalization of environment costs and the use
of economic instruments, taking into account the approach that the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of
pollution, with due regard to the public interest and without distorting international trade and investment” (Rio
Declaration, Principle 16).

Other principles of International Environmental Law set forth in the Rio Declaration

1.States have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental policies, and
the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment
of other states or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction (Principle 2);

2.Right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitably meet development needs of present and future generations
(Principle 3); and
3.In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection shall constitute anintegral part of
the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it (Principle 4).

Long-Range Transboundary

Air Pollution

It means air pollution whose physical origin is situated wholly or in part within the area under the national jurisdiction
of one State and which has adverse effects in the area under the jurisdiction of another State at such a distance that is not
generally possible to distinguish the contribution of individual emission sources or groups of sources (1979 Convention on
Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, Art. 1).

Two Fundamental Principles of liability for transboundary pollution under international law

a)First, a state must show material damage and causation to be entitled to legal relief; and

b)Second, a state has a duty to prevent, and may be held responsible for pollution by private parties within its
jurisdiction if such pollution results in demonstrable injury to another state (Trail Smelter Case, US v. Canada, 1941).

Sustainable Development

It is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.

Principles that embody sustainable development

1.Principle of intergenerational equity–The need to preserve natural resources for the benefit of future generations.

2.Principle of sustainable use–The aim of exploiting natural resources in a manner which is "sustainable," or "prudent," or
"rational," or "wise," or "appropriate."

3. Principle of equitable use or intragenerational equity–The equitable use of natural resources, which implies that use by
one state, must take into account the needs of other states.

4.Principle of integration–The need to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into economic and
other developmental plans, programs and projects, and that development needs are taken into account in applying
environmental objectives.

Rules for the protection of the environment in armed conflict

1.Each State Party undertakes not to engage in military or other hostile use of environmental modification
techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects as the means of destruction, damage or injury to any
other Party State (Convention on the Prohibition of Military or other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification
Techniques or the Environmental Modification Convention [ENMOD], Art. 1).

NOTE: Environmental Modification Techniques refers to any technique for the changing through the deliberate
manipulation of natural processes the dynamics, composition or structure of the earth including its biota
lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere or outer space (ENMOD, Art. II).
2.Prohibition of the employment of methods or means of warfare which are intended, or may be expected, to cause
widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment (Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Convention of
1949, Art. 35(3)).

Pollution

It means any introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substance or energy into the environment resulting in
deleterious effects of such nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources, ecosystem, and material
property and impair amenities or interfere with other legitimate uses of the environment.