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University of the Philippines

College of Law
1st Semester 2017-2018

Law 111 – PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW

Prof. Rommel J. Casis

Rm. 302, Malcolm Hall
Email: prof.casis@gmail.com
Consultation hours: Mon to Fri, 8 to 5 pm (except class hours) and by appointment

Course Description:

An introduction to the international legal system with emphasis on sources and subjects of
law and international responsibility.

Grading System:

I. Class participation - 50 pts

This is determined by multiplying average recitation grades by 10.

II. Exam - 50 pts

This is determined by dividing final exam score by 2.

Conversion Table:

1 = 96 – 100 2.0 = 76 – 80 3 = 56 – 60
1.25 = 91– 95 2.25 = 71 – 75 4 = 51 – 55
1.5 = 86 – 90 2.5 = 66 – 70 5 = 50 & below
1.75 = 81– 85 2.75 = 61 – 65

Books:1

Cassese, Antonio, International Law (2nd Ed) [“Cassese”]

Crawford, James, Brownlie’s Principles of Public International Law [“Crawford”]
Evans, Malcolm, International Law (2nd Ed) [“Evans”]
Harris, DJ, International Law (6th ed) [“Harris”]
Higgins, Rosalyn, Problem and Process: International Law and How We Use it [“Higgins”]

1 These books are not required to be purchased. Photocopies of assigned pages will be made available for those not found
online.
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Treaties and Other International Instruments:

Draft articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, with

commentaries (2001) [“ARSIWA”] available at
http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/9_6_2001.pdf
ILC Draft Articles on Diplomatic Protection with Commentaries [“ADP”] available at
http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/9_8_2006.pdf
Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States [“Montevideo”]
United Nations Charter [“UN Charter”]
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations [“VCCR”)
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations [“VCDR”]
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties [“VCLOT”]

Websites:

ICJ Cases: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3

PCIJ Cases: http://www.icj-cij.org/pcij/series-a-b.php?p1=9&p2=3
ECHR Cases: http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{“documentcollectionid2":["GRANDCHAMBER"]}

Part One: The International Legal System

Session 1

I. History and Nature of International Law

Evans, 29-52
Harris, 1-13
Higgins, 1-12
Crawford, 3-19
Anthony D’Amato, Is International Law Really Law? 79 Northwestern L Rev (1985), 1293

Session 2

II. Sources of International Law

A. In General: Primary and Secondary Rules

Article 38 ICJ Statute

Harris, 18-20
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Evans 115-119

1. Treaties

Evans 119-121, 187-212

Cassese 170-182
Draft Articles on the Law of Treaties with Commentaries, 19662

a. In General

Arts. 1-6 VCLOT

Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain
(Judgment ) July 1, 1994 ICJ
Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean (Somalia v. Kenya) Judgment of Feb 2 2017

b. Consent

Arts. 11-14 VCLOT

Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean (Somalia v. Kenya) Judgment of Feb 2 2017

Session 3

c. Binding effect

i. Object and purpose

Art. 18 VCLOT

ii. Pacta sunt servanda

Art. 26 - 28 VCLOT
GabCikovo-Nagymaros (Hungary v. Slovakia), Judgment 1997
Questions relating to the Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belgium v. Senegal), Judgment, July 20,
2012

iii. Third states

Arts. 2, 34-36, 38 VCLOT

2
Please refer to this in interpreting the VCLOT articles assigned.
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Session 4

d. Reservations

Arts. 2, 19-23 VCLOT

Reservation to Genocide Convention (Ad Op) ICJ 1951

Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (New Application: 2002) (Democratic Republic of the Congo v.
Rwanda), Jurisdiction and Admissibility, Judgment
Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v.
U.S.) ICJ 1986 Judgment on Merits

Session 5
e. Interpretation

Arts. 31-33

Competence of the General Assembly (Ad Op) ICJ 1950

Aegean Sea Continental Shelf, (Judgment) ICJ 1978
Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. case (Jurisdiction), Judgment ICJ 1952
Kasikili/Sedudu Island (Judgment) ICJ 13 December 1999
Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v. Japan) Judgment March 31 2014
Maritime Dispute (Peru v. Chile) Judgment January 27, 2014

Session 6

f. Invalidity of Treaties

Arts. 45-53
Land and Maritime Boundary Between Cameroon and Nigeria, Judgment 10
October 2002
Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand) June 15, 1962

g. Termination and Suspension

Arts. 60-62
GabCikovo-Nagymaros (Hungary v. Slovakia), Judgment, ICJ Rep 1997

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Session 7

2. Custom

Evans 121-127, 130-132

Cassese, 156-169
Crawford, 23-30
Harrison, International Institutions and Customary International Law 13-22

North Sea Continental Shelf Cases (Judgment) ICJ 1969

Right of Passage Over Indian Territory (Judgment) 12 April 1960
Asylum Case (Judgment) ICJ 1950
Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Judgment) ICJ 1986
Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, Advisory Opinion, I.C.J. Reports 1996, p. 226

Session 8

3. General Principles of Law

Cassese, 188-194
Crawford 34-37
Herczegh, G., General Principles of Law Recognized by Civilized Nations, 6 ACTA JURIDICA 1 1964

4. Judicial Decisions and Teachings

Art. 59 ICJ Statute

Evans 129-130
Crawford 37-41
Harris 50-55
Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 15 June 1962 in the Case concerning the Temple of Preah
Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand) November 11, 2013
Aldo Borda, A Formal Approach to Article 38(1)(d) of the ICJ Statute from the Perspective of the
International Criminal Courts and Tribunals, EJIL (2013), Vol. 24 No. 2, 649–661

Session 9

B. Declarations and other sources

Cassese 183-185
Crawford 42
Nuclear Tests (New Zealand v. France) Judgment, ICJ Rep 1974
Legal Status of Eastern Greenland PCIJ Rep (1933)

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Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (New Application: 2002) (Democratic Republic of the Congo v.
Rwanda), Jurisdiction and Admissibility, Judgment

Guiding Principles applicable to unilateral declarations of States capable of creating legal

obligations, with commentaries thereto (available online)

C. Soft Law and Non-Binding Documents

Evans 141-156
Harris 55-65
Hartmut Hilgenberg, A Fresh Look at Soft Law, EJIL (1999) Vol. 10 No. 3 499-515

Session 10

D. Jus Cogens and Erga Omnes Obligations

Cassese, 198-212
Isabella Bunn, The Right To Development And International Economic Law 134-138
Rafael Nieto-Navia, International Peremptory Norms (Jus Cogens) And International Humanitarian
Law avaiable at http://www.iccnow.org/documents/WritingColombiaEng.pdf 1-19
M. Cherif Bassiouni, International Crimes: Jus Cogens And Obligatio Erga Omnes available at
http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=lcp
P. Weil, ‘Towards Relative Normativity in International Law?’, 77 Am J of Intl L (1983) 413
Evans 159-184
ILC Report (1966) pp. 247-249 (available at
http://legal.un.org/docs/?path=../ilc/documentation/english/reports/a_cn4_191.pdf&lang=EF )
Arts. 53, 64, 71 VCLOT

Questions relating to the Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belgium v. Senegal), Judgment, July 20,
2012
Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v. Italy) Judgment 3 Feb 2012
Barcelona Traction (Belgium v. Sain) ICJ Report (1970)
East Timor (Portugal v. Australia) ICJ Report (1995)
Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Advisory
Opinion July 9, 2004

Session 11

III. Subjects of International Law

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Crawford 115-116

A. States

Harris 98-105, 144-147

Cassese, 71-80
Crawford 127-136, 142-151
Warbrick, States and Recognition in International Law in Evans 217-219, 231-270
Montevideo Arts. 1-5

Tinoco Arbitration (available at http://legal.un.org/riaa/cases/vol_I/369-399.pdf)

1. Definition of and Requirements for Statehood

2. Recognition

3. Continuity, Succession and Termination

B. International Organizations

Art. 2(a) Draft Articles on the Responsibility of International Organizations available at

http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/9_11_2011.pdf
Cassese 135-140
Evans 277-286, 289-298
Crawford 166-171
Reparation for injuries suffered in the service of the United Nations (Ad Op) I.C.J. 1949

C. The Individual

Cassese, 142-150
Evans 307-329
Crawford 509-526

Session 12

IV. State Responsibility

Cassese 241-251
Evans 451-475
Crawford 539-542
James Crawford, Articles on Responsibility of States For Internationally Wrongful Acts
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http://legal.un.org/avl/pdf/ha/rsiwa/rsiwa_e.pdf (use Chrome)

A. Internationally Wrongful Acts

Arts. 1-3 ARSIWA3

Corfu Channel Case (Judgment) ICJ April 9, 1940

B. Attribution

Arts. 4-11 ARSIWA

Crawford 542-562
Armed activities on the Territory of the Congo (Judgment) ICJ 2005
Difference Relating to Immunity from Legal Process of a Special Rapporteur of the
Commission on Human Rights, (Ad Op) ICJ 1999
US Diplomatic and Consular Staff ICJ 1980

Session 13

C. Breach of an International Obligation

Arts. 12-15 ARSIWA

D. Circumstances Precluding Wrongfulness

Cassese 253-258
Arts. 20-27 ARSIWA

GabCikovo-Nagymaros (Judgment) ICJ 1997

Session 14

E. Countermeasures and Sanctions

Evans 509-531
Cassese 300-313

Arts. 49-54 ARSIWA

G. Legal Consequences of Internationally Wrongful Act

3 ARSIWA for purposes of this outline refers not only to the articles but the accompanying commentaries as well.
http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/9_6_2001.pdf
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Arts. 28-31, 35-37 ARSIWA

Crawford 566-577
Cassese 258-262
Avena (Mexico v. US) Judgment ICJ Rep 2004

H. Applicability of ARSIWA

Arts. 55-59 ARSIWA

Session 15

V. Sovereignty and Equality of States

A. Concept of Sovereignty

Crawford 447-452

B. Territorial Sovereignty

Cassese 81-84
Crawford 203-244
Western Sahara (Ad Opinion) ICJ 1975

C. Modes of Acquiring Territory

Island of Palmas 1928 (http://legal.un.org/riaa/cases/vol_II/829-871.pdf)

Eastern Greenland PCIJ 1933
Western Sahara, supra
Sovereignty over Pulau Ligutan ICJ 2002
Frontier Dispute, (Burkina Faso/Mali) Judgment December 22, 1986
Frontier Dispute (Benin/Niger), Judgment July 12, 2005

Session 16

C. State Jurisdiction

1. Principles

Evans 335-358
Harris 265-268
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Crawford 453-471

The Lotus PCIJ Series A No. 10 (1927)

2. State immunity

Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v. Italy) Judgment 3 February 2012

Cassese 98-113
Evans 361-392
Crawford 487-506

Session 17

3. Diplomatic and Consular Relations

Cassese, 114-120
Evans 395-414
Crawford 395-414

VCDR Articles 1-3, 14, 22, 24, 29-32, 38, 39, 41

VCCR Articles 1-5, 9, 31, 36, 40-43

US Diplomatic and Consular Staff (US v. Iran) ICJ 1980

Arrest Warrant ICJ (Congo v. Belgium) Judgment (2002)
Certain Questions of Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (Djibouti v. France), Judgment 4 June 2008

Session 18

4. Nationality and Diplomatic Protection

a. Nationality

Crawford 509-518

b. Diplomatic Protection

Arts. 1- 7, 9, 14 ADP4
Crawford 607-612, 483-484
Mavrommatis Palestine Concessions (Jurisdiction) PCIJ 1924

4
The assignment covers material discussed in the commentary.
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Nottebohm Case (second phase) Judgment ICJ 1955

Barcelona Traction, Light and Power Company, Limited, (Judgment) ICJ 1970
Elettronica Sicula S.p.A. (ELSI) (Judgement) ICJ 1989
Ahmadou Sadio Diallo (Preliminary Objections) ICJ 2007

c. Treatment of Aliens

Article 5, 36 VCCR
Harris 564-568
LaGrand (Judgment) ICJ 2001
Avena (Judgment) ICJ 2004

Session 19

VI. Dispute Settlement

A. Means of Settlement

Article 2, 33 UN Charter
Evans 533-549
Cassese 278-289
Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (Macedonia v. Greece) Judgment December 5, 2011

B. International Court of Justice

1. Jurisdiction and Parties

Articles 92-93 UN Charter

Article 34-36, ICJ Statute
Crawford, 721-743
Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean (Somalia v. Kenya) Prelim. Obj. Feb 2, 2017
Aerial Incident of 10 August 1999 (Pakistan v. India) 27 February 1998

2. Provisional measures

Article 41 ICJ Statute

LaGrand case (Judgment) ICJ 2001

3. Preliminary Objections

Lockerbie case (Preliminary Objections) ICJ 1998

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4. Enforcement

Article 94 UN Charter

5. Advisory Opinion

Article 96 UN Charter
Articles 65-68 ICJ Statute
Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (Ad Op) ICJ 1996
Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall (Ad Op) ICJ 2004

Session 20

VII. Use of Force

Crawford 744-774

A. Prohibition

Art 2 (4) UN Charter

Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (Ad Op) ICJ 1996
Cassese 56
Evans 589-594
Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Judgment) ICJ 2005
Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Judgment) ICJ 1986
Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall (Ad Op) ICJ 2004

B. Means of Enforcement

Arts. 42, 43.1, 53.1 UN Charter

Evans 607-608, 614-615

C. Self-Defense

Art. 51 UN Charter
Cassese 354-374,
Evans 598-605

Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v.

U.S.) ICJ 1986 Judgment on Merits
Oil Platforms (Judgment) I.C.J. Rep 2003
Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall (Ad Op) ICJ 2004

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Session 21

VIII. International Law and Municipal Law

Harris 66-69
Cassese 213-237
Evans 423-429, 435-446
Crawford 48-59

A. Dualist v. Monist

B. National Law From the Point of View of International Law

Arts. 3 & 32 ARSIWA

Arts. 27 & 46 VCLOT
Treatment of Polish Nationals in Danzig PCIJ Series A/B No. 44 p. 24

C. International Law From the Point of View of National Law

D. Philippine Practice in International Law

Merlin Magallona, The Supreme Court and International Law: Problems and Approaches in
Philippine Practice 1-65

1. Doctrine of Incorporation

Art. II § 2 Const.
Bayan Muna v. Romulo, G.R. No. 159618, [February 1, 2011]
Tañada v. Angara, G.R. No. 118295, [May 2, 1997]
Reyes v. Bagatsing, G.R. No. L-65366, [November 9, 1983]

2. Ratification of Treaties

Art. VII § 21 Const.

Art. VIII § 4 Const.
Bayan v. Zamora, G.R. No. 138570, 138572, 138587, 138680, 138698, [October 10, 2000]
Pimentel, Jr. v. Office of the Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 158088, [July 6, 2005]

Session 22

3. State/Diplomatic Immunity

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USA v. Guinto, G.R. No. 76607, 79470, 80018, 80258, [February 26, 1990]
Arigo v. Swift, G.R. No. 206510, [September 16, 2014]
WHO v. Aquino, G.R. No. L-35131, [November 29, 1972]

4. International Organizations

International Catholic v. Calleja, G.R. No. 85750, 89331, [September 28, 1990]

5. International Law v. National Law

Tañada v. Angara, G.R. No. 118295, [May 2, 1997]

Bayan v. Zamora, G.R. No. 138570, 138572, 138587, 138680, 138698, [October 10, 2000]
Lim v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 151445, [April 11, 2002]
Nicolas y Sombilon v. Romulo, G.R. No. 175888, 176051, 176222, [February 11, 2009]
Bayan Muna v. Romulo, G.R. No. 159618, [February 1, 2011]

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