Analysis of Philippines-China MOU on Cooperation in Oil and Gas Development Professor Dr. Jay Batongbacal continues to inform the public on maritime developments in the West Philippine Sea. Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of 5 December 2018 carries his updated analysis on the MOU signed during the recent visit of President Xi Jinping’s visit to the country. The maritime law expert had earlier analyzed an unofficially released draft of the MOU, also carried by the AMTI of 21 November, but “amid mounting demands for transparency and full release of the government’s reported 29 deals signed with China, particularly the MOU, the…

Alumni News: Rosmari Carandang appointed as new SC Justice Court of Appeals Justice Rosmari Carandang is the newest magistrate to be appointed to the Supreme Court occupying the seat vacated by Justice Teresita De Castro. Justice Carandang  is  a UP Law Alumna belonging to Class ’75.  She graduated cum laude as class salutatorian and placed 9th in Bar Examination obtaining an average of 84.95 percent. She served as a presiding judge of the Manila trial court for nine years being appointed in 1994. She moved to the Court of Appeals in March 2003 where she has been serving until the present.

A call for State vigilance in the West Philippine Sea Prof. Jay Batongbacal, Director of the UP Law Center IMLOS, once again has warned against the conduct taking place in the West Philippine Sea. When asked to comment on the incident where the Chinese Coast Guard prevented a crew of GMA-7 from conducting interviews in the West Philippine Sea on 8 November, the Maritime Law expert counseled: “If we don’t speak up, we are deemed to have waived our rights to that area; so it is important to make a protest.” The full report by Francis Mangosing may be accessed at: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/171637/maritime-law-expert-we-have-waived-our-rights-in-panatag-if-we-dont-protest#ixzz5Y1fLmzxO  

Prof. Theodore Te: Legal lesson on service of Penalty Professor Theodore Te, who teaches Criminal Law in UP, explains the Sandiganbayan ruling convicting former First Lady Imelda Marcos of graft, under RA 3019. In Rappler’s online column “Deep Dive” Professor Te, who served as Court Administrator until recently, touched on questions such as: the effect of age on the 89 year old Marcos serving her sentence; her absence in court on the day of promulgation as required under the Rules of Procedure; whether she can post bail in the event that she appeals the ruling to the Supreme Court; and…