On September 20, Professor Richard Albert of the University of Texas at Austin delivered a lecture entitled “Constitutional Amendments in Constitutional Democracies.” The UP Law Center’s Institute for the Administration of Justice invited Prof. Albert to deliver the lecture which was based on his recent publication, “Constitutional Amendments: Making, Breaking, and Changing Constitutions” (Oxford University Press 2019). Prof. Albert discussed themes that inform debates on constitutional change. These are “transformation” (when an amendment might be a dismemberment of the constitution), “eternity” (the use of unamendable provisions), and “illusion” (issues on the need to follow the formal rules for amendment). Prof.…

“The Black letter law does not operate in a vacuum but in a concrete context” So elucidates Law teacher and columnist Tony La Viña on the import of R.A. 10592 or the GCTA law, in light of the public outcry against the release from New Bilibid Prison of life-termer Antonio Sanchez. In his column “Eagle Eyes” of 31 August, Professor La Viña, a human rights advocate, guides the reader through the beginnings and the spirit of the law, which is “to reward authentic good behavior”. It need not exclude “all those who have committed heinous crimes,” he contends. Professor La…

The UP Law Center Institute of International Legal Studies and UP Law Debate and Moot Court Union (LDMU) launched a National Moot Court Training Series in Father Saturnino Urios University, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, last September 7-8, 2019. The program aims to develop novice moot court participantsfrom all over the country and inspire interest in competitive mooting as a tool for learning international law and critical legal skills. In the weeks leading to the workshop, participants were grouped and given first-hand experience in legal research and memorial writing based on a moot court problem brought before the International Court of…

State of the Filipino family: realities on the ground Professor Elizabeth Aguiling-Pangalangan appeared before the Supreme Court as amicus curae during oral arguments on the legal distinction between illegitimate and legitimate children. She served as expert witness along with Ateneo Law School Dean Cynthia del Castillo on 3 September when both argued for the striking down of Article 992 of the Civil Code as unconstitutional. Prof. Aguiling-Pangalangan, who teaches Persons and Family Relations, cited PSA data of 2017, that records 907,061 (53.3%) of live births as born out of wedlock, indicating more illegitimate children born in the country than legitimate…

Conversations with Robert Swift UP IHR hosts talk with martial law victims lead counsel The University of the Philippines Law Center - Institute of Human Rights (UP IHR) and the Commmission in Human Rights(CHR) hosted on 9 July 2019 a public talk for the lead counsel of a successful class suit of Martial Law victims against the Marcoses. Titled “Conversations with Robert Swift,” the event was held at the Lecture Room of Bocobo Hall. Swift is an American lawyer who first led around 6,000 martial law victims-survivors in winning the class suit against the estate of the late dictator Ferdinand…

NEW BOOK RELEASE The UP Law Center is proud to announce the release of Professor Dante B. Gatmaytan's latest book, Local Government: Law and Jurisprudence (Volumes I and II) The book is part of the Law Center's Centennial Book Writing Project, featuring textbooks written by experts from the UP College of Law Faculty. Copies are now available for sale at the U.P. Law Center Bookroom.