UP Law Heads to China for Stronger Academic Collaboration The University of the Philippines College of Law (UP Law) recently concluded its inaugural academic exchange program with the Asia Pacific Institute of Law of the Renmin University of China in Beijing. The first batch of student-delegates included second to fifth year Juris Doctor candidates of UP Law, namely, Francisco Ashley Acedillo, Alddon Christner Ang, Rey Alan De Juan, Jerome Joker Dela Cruz, Danizza Monique Fortuna, Genesis Ijay Leal, Anton Gabriel Leron, John Ellyson Letran, and Rejinel Valencia. UP Law Dean Fides Cordero-Tan notes that the exchange program is in line…

UP Law Partners with DTI on E-commerce Roadmap Initial consultations between the UP Law Center and DTI have resulted in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 25 October 2019, between UP Law Dean Fides Cordero-Tan and Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba (DTI), on cooperation in the area of buying and selling of goods and services online. As reported in the Philippine Star the two agencies will work on “a review of the country’s e-commerce roadmap,” where the UP Law Center, through its Technology Law and Policy Program, will provide expertise on e-commerce regulations, in particular, insights into policies…

News media reports on UP Law Faculty’s call to dismiss baseless charges against its Professors At least two news media channels have taken note of the UP Law Faculty Statement of Support posted online last Monday. The Statement denounces as harassment, charges brought against Professor Theodore Te, Professor Serafin Salvador Jr., and former Professor Florin Hilbay, along with members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and Free Legal Assistance Group. The charges based are based on claims made by Peter Joemel Advincula, a witness of dubious credibility. Citing the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers adopted in…

UP LAW Pioneering Mental Health Care in Law Schools UP LAW must not only lead the country in the making of great lawyers, but in ensuring that these lawyers have the mental fortitude to withstand the psychological weight of lawyering. The College must, by example, show that it is possible to prepare students for the bar exams, while also preparing them for life as a lawyer, as their client’s pillar of strength. Towards this end the UP LAW Mental Wellness Committee held a talk in the Learning Commons on October 18, 2019. Dubbed “#HappyReactsOnly,” the talk gave due focus to…

People must know that there are consequences to human rights violations So argues Professor Antonio La Viña, a fierce human rights advocate and law teacher. A resolution calling for Senator Leila De Lima’s immediate release was recently introduced in a U.S. Senate Committee and a Bill was approved banning the entry into the USA of “Philippine officials involved in the [illegal] detention of Senator Leila M. De Lima.” Malacañang’s response was that the “U. S. Senate's move is a "brazen" attempt to intrude into the Philippines' internal affairs,” and that “it treats Manila as an ‘inferior state’." Professor Antonio La…

Besting sixteen schools from around the country, the University of the Philippines College of Law emerged as the champion in the recently concluded National Moot Court Competition (NMCC) co-sponsored by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Philippine Red Cross. Hosted annually since 2005, the NMCC is an opportunity for law students to learn and become advocates for the law of armed conflict. In the course of the five-day competition hosted by the Manila Adventist College from September 23 to 27, the U.P. Law IHL Team argued the merits of a fictional case before the International Criminal Court…