FULL TITLE: SECRETARY OF JUSTICE, petitioner, vs. HON. RALPH C.

LANTION, Presiding
Judge, Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 25, and MARK B. JIMENEZ, respondents.
G.R. No. L-139465
DATE: January 18, 2000
PONENTE: MELO, J.
TOPIC: Doctrine of Incorporation

FACTS OF THE CASE:

This is a petition for review of a decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC). The Department
of Justice received a request from the Department of Foreign Affairs for the extradition of respondent
Mark Jimenez to the U.S. The Grand Jury Indictment. The warrant for his arrest, and other supporting
documents for said extradition were attached along with the request. Charges include: (1) Conspiracy to
commit offense or to defraud the US, (2) Attempt to evade or defeat tax, (3) Fraud by wire, radio, or
television, (4) False statement or entries and (5) Election contribution in name of another.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), through a designated panel proceeded with the technical
evaluation and assessment of the extradition treaty which they found having matters needed to be
addressed. Respondent, then requested for copies of all the documents included in the extradition
request and for him to be given ample time to assess it. The Secretary of Justice denied request on the
following grounds:
1. He found it premature to secure him copies prior to the completion of the evaluation. At that point
in time, the DOJ is in the process of evaluating whether the procedures and requirements under
the relevant law (PD 1069 Philippine Extradition Law) and treaty (RP-US Extradition Treaty) have
been complied with by the Requesting Government. Evaluation by the DOJ of the documents is
not a preliminary investigation like in criminal cases making the constitutionally guaranteed rights
of the accused in criminal prosecution inapplicable.
2. The U.S. requested for the prevention of unauthorized disclosure of the information in the
documents.
3. The department is not in position to hold in abeyance proceedings in connection with an
extradition request, as Philippines is bound to Vienna Convention on law of treaties such that
every treaty in force is binding upon the parties.

Mark Jimenez then filed a petition against the Secretary of Justice. RTC presiding Judge Lantion
favored Jimenez. Secretary of Justice was made to issue a copy of the requested papers, as well as
conducting further proceedings. Thus, this petition is now at bar.

STATEMENT OF ISSUE/S:
Whether or not respondent’s entitlement to notice and hearing during the evaluation stage of the
proceedings constitute a breach of the legal duties of the Philippine Government under the RP-US
Extradition Treaty.

HOLDING:
No. The human rights of person, Filipino or foreigner, and the rights of the accused guaranteed
in our Constitution should take precedence over treaty rights claimed by a contracting state. The duties
of the government to the individual deserve preferential consideration when they collide with its treaty
obligations to the government of another state. This is so although we recognize treaties as a source of
binding obligations under generally accepted principles of international law incorporated in our
Constitution as part of the law of the land.

Notes, if any:

Doctrine of incorporation is applied whenever municipal tribunals are confronted with situations in
which there appears to be a conflict between a rule of international law and the provisions of the
constitution or statute of a local state. Efforts should be done to harmonize them. In a situation, however,
where the conflict is irreconcilable and a choice has to be made between a rule of international law and
municipal law, jurisprudence dictates that municipal law should be upheld by the municipal courts. The
doctrine of incorporation decrees that rules of international law are given equal standing, but are not
superior to, national legislative enactments.