Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
EN BANC
G.R. No. 158088 July 6, 2005
SENATOR AQUILINO PIMENTEL, JR., REP. ETTA ROSALES, PHILIPPINE
COALITION FOR THE ESTALISHMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL
COURT, TAS! FORCE "ETAINEES OF THE PHILIPPINES, FAMILIES OF #ICTIMS
OF IN#OLUNTAR$ "ISAPPEARANCES, IANCA HACINTHA R. ROQUE,
HARRISON JACO R. ROQUE, AHME" PAGLINA%AN, RON P. SALO,
*
LEA#I"ES
G. "OMINGO, E"GAR"O CARLO #ISTAN, NOEL #ILLAROMAN, CELESTE
CEMRANO, LI&A AIERA, JAIME ARRO$O, MAR%IL LLASOS, CRISTINA
ATEN"I"O, ISRAFEL FAGELA, '() ROMEL AGARES, Petitioners,
vs.
OFFICE OF THE E*ECUTI#E SECRETAR$, HON. ALERTO ROMULO, '() +,-
"EPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, .-/.-0-(+-) 1y HON. LAS OPLE,
R-0/o()-(+0.
D E C I S I O N
PUNO J.2
This is petition for mandamus file! b" petitioners to co#pel the
Office of the E$ecutive Secretr" n! the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs to trns#it the
si&ne! cop" of the Ro#e Sttute of the Interntionl Cri#inl Court to the Sente of
the Philippines for its concurrence in ccor!nce 'ith Section (), Article *II of the )+,-
Constitution.
The Ro#e Sttute estblishe! the Interntionl Cri#inl Court 'hich .shll hve the
po'er to e$ercise its /uris!iction over persons for the #ost serious cri#es of
interntionl concern $$$ n! shll be co#ple#entr" to the ntionl cri#inl
/uris!ictions..
)
Its /uris!iction covers the cri#e of &enoci!e, cri#es &inst hu#nit",
'r cri#es n! the cri#e of &&ression s !efine! in the Sttute.
(
The Sttute 's
opene! for si&nture b" ll sttes in Ro#e on 0ul" )-, )++, n! h! re#ine! open for
si&nture until Dece#ber 1), (222 t the 3nite! Ntions 4e!5urters in Ne' 6or7.
The Philippines si&ne! the Sttute on Dece#ber (,, (222 throu&h Charge d
Affairs Enri5ue A. 8nlo of the Philippine 8ission to the 3nite! Ntions.
1
Its
provisions, ho'ever, re5uire tht it be sub/ect to rtifiction, cceptnce or pprovl of
the si&ntor" sttes.
9
Petitioners file! the instnt petition to co#pel the respon!ents : the Office of the
E$ecutive Secretr" n! the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs : to trns#it the si&ne!
te$t of the tret" to the Sente of the Philippines for rtifiction.
It is the theor" of the petitioners tht rtifiction of tret", un!er both !o#estic l' n!
interntionl l', is function of the Sente. 4ence, it is the !ut" of the e$ecutive
!eprt#ent to trns#it the si&ne! cop" of the Ro#e Sttute to the Sente to llo' it to
e$ercise its !iscretion 'ith respect to rtifiction of treties. 8oreover, petitioners
sub#it tht the Philippines hs #inisteril !ut" to rtif" the Ro#e Sttute un!er tret"
l' n! custo#r" interntionl l'. Petitioners invo7e the *ienn Convention on the
;' of Treties en/oinin& the sttes to refrin fro# cts 'hich 'oul! !efet the ob/ect
n! purpose of tret" 'hen the" hve si&ne! the tret" prior to rtifiction unless
the" hve #!e their intention cler not to beco#e prties to the tret".
<
The Office of the Solicitor =enerl, co##entin& for the respon!ents, 5uestione! the
stn!in& of the petitioners to file the instnt suit. It lso conten!e! tht the petition t
br violtes the rule on hierrch" of courts. On the substntive issue rise! b"
petitioners, respon!ents r&ue tht the e$ecutive !eprt#ent hs no !ut" to trns#it
the Ro#e Sttute to the Sente for concurrence.
A petition for mandamus #" be file! 'hen n" tribunl, corportion, bor!, officer or
person unl'full" ne&lects the perfor#nce of n ct 'hich the l' specificll" en/oins
s !ut" resultin& fro# n office, trust, or sttion.
>
?e hve hel! tht to be &iven !ue
course, petition for mandamus #ust hve been institute! b" prt" &&rieve! b" the
lle&e! inction of n" tribunl, corportion, bor! or person 'hich unl'full" e$clu!es
si! prt" fro# the en/o"#ent of le&l ri&ht. The petitioner in ever" cse #ust
therefore be n &&rieve! prt" in the sense tht he possesses cler le&l ri&ht to be
enforce! n! !irect interest in the !ut" or ct to be perfor#e!.
-
The Court 'ill
e$ercise its po'er of /u!icil revie' onl" if the cse is brou&ht before it b" prt" 'ho
hs the le&l stn!in& to rise the constitutionl or le&l 5uestion. .;e&l stn!in&.
#ens personl n! substntil interest in the cse such tht the prt" hs sustine!
or 'ill sustin !irect in/ur" s result of the &overn#ent ct tht is bein& chllen&e!.
The ter# .interest. is #teril interest, n interest in issue n! to be ffecte! b" the
!ecree, s !istin&uishe! fro# #ere interest in the 5uestion involve!, or #ere
inci!entl interest.
,
The petition t br 's file! b" Sentor A5uilino Pi#entel, 0r. 'ho sserts his le&l
stn!in& to file the suit s #e#ber of the Sente@ Con&ress'o#n ;orett Ann
Rosles, #e#ber of the 4ouse of Representtives n! Chirperson of its Co##ittee
on 4u#n Ri&hts@ the Philippine Colition for the Estblish#ent of the Interntionl
Cri#inl Court 'hich is co#pose! of in!ivi!uls n! corporte entities !e!icte! to the
Philippine rtifiction of the Ro#e Sttute@ the Ts7 %orce Detinees of the Philippines,
/uri!icl entit" 'ith the vo'e! purpose of pro#otin& the cuse of hu#n ri&hts n!
1
hu#n ri&hts victi#s in the countr"@ the %#ilies of *icti#s of Involuntr"
Disppernces, /uri!icl entit" !ul" or&niAe! n! e$istin& pursunt to Philippine
;'s 'ith the vo'e! purpose of pro#otin& the cuse of f#ilies n! victi#s of hu#n
ri&hts violtions in the countr"@ Binc 4cinth Ro5ue n! 4rrison 0cob Ro5ue,
&e! t'o B(C n! one B)C, respectivel", t the ti#e of filin& of the instnt petition, n!
suin& un!er the !octrine of interD&enertionl ri&hts enuncite! in the cse of O/o0'
30. F'4+o.'(, J..@
+
n! &roup of fifth "er 'or7in& l' stu!ents fro# the 3niversit" of
the Philippines Colle&e of ;' 'ho re suin& s t$p"ers.
The 5uestion in stn!in& is 'hether prt" hs lle&e! such personl st7e in the
outco#e of the controvers" s to ssure tht concrete !verseness 'hich shrpens the
presenttion of issues upon 'hich the court so lr&el" !epen!s for illu#intion of
!ifficult constitutionl 5uestions.
)2
?e fin! tht #on& the petitioners, onl" Sentor Pi#entel hs the le&l stn!in& to file
the instnt suit. The other petitioners #intin their stn!in& s !voctes n!
!efen!ers of hu#n ri&hts, n! s citiAens of the countr". The" hve not sho'n,
ho'ever, tht the" hve sustine! or 'ill sustin !irect in/ur" fro# the nonDtrns#ittl
of the si&ne! te$t of the Ro#e Sttute to the Sente. Their contention tht the" 'ill be
!eprive! of their re#e!ies for the protection n! enforce#ent of their ri&hts !oes not
persu!e. The Ro#e Sttute is inten!e! to co#ple#ent ntionl cri#inl l's n!
courts. Sufficient re#e!ies re vilble un!er our ntionl l's to protect our citiAens
&inst hu#n ri&hts violtions n! petitioners cn l'"s see7 re!ress for n" buse
in our !o#estic courts.
As re&r!s Sentor Pi#entel, it hs been hel! tht .to the e$tent the po'ers of
Con&ress re i#pire!, so is the po'er of ech #e#ber thereof, since his office
confers ri&ht to prticipte in the e$ercise of the po'ers of tht institution..
))
Thus,
le&isltors hve the stn!in& to #intin inviolte the prero&tives, po'ers n!
privile&es veste! b" the Constitution in their office n! re llo'e! to sue to 5uestion
the vli!it" of n" officil ction 'hich the" cli# infrin&es their prero&tives s
le&isltors. The petition t br invo7es the po'er of the Sente to &rnt or 'ithhol! its
concurrence to tret" entere! into b" the e$ecutive brnch, in this cse, the Ro#e
Sttute. The petition see7s to or!er the e$ecutive brnch to trns#it the cop" of the
tret" to the Sente to llo' it to e$ercise such uthorit". Sentor Pi#entel, s #e#ber
of the institution, certinl" hs the le&l stn!in& to ssert such uthorit" of the Sente.
?e no' &o to the substntive issue.
The core issue in this petition for mandamus is 'hether the E$ecutive Secretr" n!
the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs hve 56(60+-.6'l !ut" to trns#it to the Sente the
cop" of the Ro#e Sttute si&ne! b" #e#ber of the Philippine 8ission to the 3nite!
Ntions even 'ithout the si&nture of the Presi!ent.
?e rule in the ne&tive.
In our s"ste# of &overn#ent, the Presi!ent, bein& the he! of stte, is re&r!e! s the
sole or&n n! uthorit" in e$ternl reltions n! is the countr"Es sole representtive
'ith forei&n ntions.
)(
As the chief rchitect of forei&n polic", the Presi!ent cts s the
countr"Es #outhpiece 'ith respect to interntionl ffirs. 4ence, the Presi!ent is
veste! 'ith the uthorit" to !el 'ith forei&n sttes n! &overn#ents, e$ten! or
'ithhol! reco&nition, #intin !iplo#tic reltions, enter into treties, n! other'ise
trnsct the business of forei&n reltions.
)1
In the rel# of tret"D#7in&, the Presi!ent
hs the sole uthorit" to ne&otite 'ith other sttes.
Nonetheless, 'hile the Presi!ent hs the sole uthorit" to ne&otite n! enter into
treties, the Constitution provi!es li#ittion to his po'er b" re5uirin& the concurrence
of (F1 of ll the #e#bers of the Sente for the vli!it" of the tret" entere! into b" hi#.
Section (), Article *II of the )+,- Constitution provi!es tht .no tret" or interntionl
&ree#ent shll be vli! n! effective unless concurre! in b" t lest t'oDthir!s of ll
the 8e#bers of the Sente.. The )+1< n! the )+-1 Constitution lso re5uire! the
concurrence b" the le&islture to the treties entere! into b" the e$ecutive. Section )2
B-C, Article *II of the )+1< Constitution provi!e!G
Sec. )2. B-C The Presi!ent shll hve the po'er, 'ith the concurrence of t'oDthir!s of
ll the 8e#bers of the Sente, to #7e treties $$$.
Section )9 B)C Article *III of the )+-1 Constitution stte!G
Sec. )9. B)C E$cept s other'ise provi!e! in this Constitution, no tret" shll be vli!
n! effective unless concurre! in b" #/orit" of ll the 8e#bers of the Btsn&
P#bns.
The prticiption of the le&isltive brnch in the tret"D#7in& process 's !ee#e!
essentil to provi!e chec7 on the e$ecutive in the fiel! of forei&n reltions.
)9
B"
re5uirin& the concurrence of the le&islture in the treties entere! into b" the Presi!ent,
the Constitution ensures helth" s"ste# of chec7s n! blnce necessr" in the
ntionEs pursuit of politicl #turit" n! &ro'th.
)<
In filin& this petition, the petitioners interpret Section (), Article *II of the )+,-
Constitution to #en tht the po'er to rtif" treties belon&s to the Sente.
?e !is&ree.
0ustice Is&ni CruA, in his boo7 on Interntionl ;', !escribes the tret"D#7in&
process in this 'iseG
2
The usul steps in the tret"D#7in& process reG ne&otition, si&nture, rtifiction,
n! e$chn&e of the instru#ents of rtifiction. The tret" #" then be sub#itte! for
re&istrtion n! publiction un!er the 3.N. Chrter, lthou&h this step is not essentil to
the vli!it" of the &ree#ent s bet'een the prties.
Negotiation #" be un!ert7en !irectl" b" the he! of stte but he no' usull" ssi&ns
this ts7 to his uthoriAe! representtives. These representtives re provi!e! 'ith
cre!entils 7no'n s full po'ers, 'hich the" e$hibit to the other ne&otitors t the strt
of the for#l !iscussions. It is stn!r! prctice for one of the prties to sub#it !rft
of the propose! tret" 'hich, to&ether 'ith the counterDproposls, beco#es the bsis
of the subse5uent ne&otitions. The ne&otitions #" be brief or protrcte!, !epen!in&
on the issues involve!, n! #" even .collpse. in cse the prties re unble to co#e
to n &ree#ent on the points un!er consi!ertion.
If n! 'hen the ne&otitors finll" !eci!e on the ter#s of the tret", the s#e is opene!
for signature. This step is pri#ril" inten!e! s #ens of uthentictin& the
instru#ent n! for the purpose of s"#boliAin& the &oo! fith of the prties@ but,
si&nificntl", 6+ )o-0 (o+ 6()64'+- +,- 76('l 4o(0-(+ o7 +,- 0+'+- 6( 4'0-0 8,-.-
.'+6764'+6o( o7 +,- +.-'+y 60 .-9u6.-). The !ocu#ent is or!inril" si&ne! in ccor!nce
'ith the alternat, tht is, ech of the severl ne&otitors is llo'e! to si&n first on the
cop" 'hich he 'ill brin& ho#e to his o'n stte.
Ratification, 'hich is the ne$t step, is the for#l ct b" 'hich stte confir#s n!
ccepts the provisions of tret" conclu!e! b" its representtives. T,- /u./o0- o7
.'+6764'+6o( 60 +o -('1l- +,- 4o(+.'4+6(: 0+'+-0 +o -;'56(- +,- +.-'+y 5o.- 4lo0-ly
'() +o :63- +,-5 '( o//o.+u(6+y +o .-7u0- +o 1- 1ou() 1y 6+ 0,oul) +,-y 76() 6+
6(6564'l +o +,-6. 6(+-.-0+0. I+ 60 7o. +,60 .-'0o( +,'+ 5o0+ +.-'+6-0 '.- 5')- 0u1<-4+
+o +,- 04.u+6(y '() 4o(0-(+ o7 ' )-/'.+5-(+ o7 +,- :o3-.(5-(+ o+,-. +,'( +,'+
8,64, (-:o+6'+-) +,-5.
$ $ $
The lst step in the tret"D#7in& process is the exchange of the instruments of
ratification, 'hich usull" lso si&nifies the effectivit" of the tret" unless !ifferent
!te hs been &ree! upon b" the prties. ?here rtifiction is !ispense! 'ith n! no
effectivit" cluse is e#bo!ie! in the tret", the instru#ent is !ee#e! effective upon its
si&nture.
)>
Hemphasis suppliedI
PetitionersE r&u#ents e5ute the si&nin& of the tret" b" the Philippine representtive
'ith rtifiction. It shoul! be un!erscore! tht the si&nin& of the tret" n! the
rtifiction re t'o seprte n! !istinct steps in the tret"D#7in& process. As erlier
!iscusse!, the si&nture is pri#ril" inten!e! s #ens of uthentictin& the
instru#ent n! s s"#bol of the &oo! fith of the prties. It is usull" perfor#e! b"
the stteEs uthoriAe! representtive in the !iplo#tic #ission. Rtifiction, on the other
hn!, is the for#l ct b" 'hich stte confir#s n! ccepts the provisions of tret"
conclu!e! b" its representtive. It is &enerll" hel! to be n e$ecutive ct, un!ert7en
b" the he! of the stte or of the &overn#ent.
)-
Thus, E$ecutive Or!er No. 9<+ issue!
b" Presi!ent %i!el *. R#os on Nove#ber (<, )++- provi!es the &ui!elines in the
ne&otition of interntionl &ree#ents n! its rtifiction. It #n!tes tht fter the
tret" hs been si&ne! b" the Philippine representtive, the s#e shll be trns#itte!
to the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs. The Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs shll then
prepre the rtifiction ppers n! for'r! the si&ne! cop" of the tret" to the
Presi!ent for rtifiction. After the Presi!ent hs rtifie! the tret", the Deprt#ent of
%orei&n Affirs shll sub#it the s#e to the Sente for concurrence. 3pon receipt of
the concurrence of the Sente, the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs shll co#pl" 'ith the
provisions of the tret" to ren!er it effective. Section - of E$ecutive Or!er No. 9<+
re!sG
S-4. =. "o5-0+64 R-9u6.-5-(+0 7o. +,- E(+.y 6(+o Fo.4- o7 ' T.-'+y o. '(
E;-4u+63- A:.--5-(+. > The !o#estic re5uire#ents for the entr" into force of
tret" or n e$ecutive &ree#ent, or n" #en!#ent thereto, shll be s follo'sG
A. E$ecutive A&ree#ents.
i. All e$ecutive &ree#ents shll be trns#itte! to the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs
fter their si&nin& for the preprtion of the rtifiction ppers. The trns#ittl shll
inclu!e the hi&hli&hts of the &ree#ents n! the benefits 'hich 'ill ccrue to the
Philippines risin& fro# the#.
ii. The Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs, pursunt to the en!orse#ent b" the concerne!
&enc", shll trns#it the &ree#ents to the Presi!ent of the Philippines for his
rtifiction. The ori&inl si&ne! instru#ent of rtifiction shll then be returne! to the
Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs for pproprite ction.
B. Treties.
i. All treties, re&r!less of their !esi&ntion, shll co#pl" 'ith the re5uire#ents
provi!e! in subDpr&rphHsI ) n! (, ite# A BE$ecutive A&ree#entsC of this Section. In
!!ition, the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs shll sub#it the treties to the Sente of the
Philippines for concurrence in the rtifiction b" the Presi!ent. A certifie! true cop" of
the treties, in such nu#bers s #" be re5uire! b" the Sente, to&ether 'ith
certifie! true cop" of the rtifiction instru#ent, shll cco#pn" the sub#ission of the
treties to the Sente.
3
ii. 3pon receipt of the concurrence b" the Sente, the Deprt#ent of %orei&n Affirs
shll co#pl" 'ith the provision of the treties in effectin& their entr" into force.
PetitionersE sub#ission tht the Philippines is boun! un!er tret" l' n! interntionl
l' to rtif" the tret" 'hich it hs si&ne! is 'ithout bsis. The si&nture !oes not
si&nif" the finl consent of the stte to the tret". It is the rtifiction tht bin!s the stte
to the provisions thereof. In fct, the Ro#e Sttute itself re5uires tht the si&nture of
the representtives of the sttes be sub/ect to rtifiction, cceptnce or pprovl of
the si&ntor" sttes. Rtifiction is the ct b" 'hich the provisions of tret" re
for#ll" confir#e! n! pprove! b" Stte. B" rtif"in& tret" si&ne! in its behlf,
stte e$presses its 'illin&ness to be boun! b" the provisions of such tret". After the
tret" is si&ne! b" the stteEs representtive, the Presi!ent, bein& ccountble to the
people, is bur!ene! 'ith the responsibilit" n! the !ut" to crefull" stu!" the contents
of the tret" n! ensure tht the" re not ini#icl to the interest of the stte n! its
people. Thus, the Presi!ent hs the !iscretion even fter the si&nin& of the tret" b" the
Philippine representtive 'hether or not to rtif" the s#e. The *ienn Convention on
the ;' of Treties !oes not conte#plte to !efet or even restrin this po'er of the
he! of sttes. If tht 'ere so, the re5uire#ent of rtifiction of treties 'oul! be
pointless n! futile. It hs been hel! tht stte hs no le&l or even #orl !ut" to
rtif" tret" 'hich hs been si&ne! b" its plenipotentiries.
),
There is no le&l
obli&tion to rtif" tret", but it &oes 'ithout s"in& tht the refusl #ust be bse! on
substntil &roun!s n! not on superficil or 'hi#sicl resons. Other'ise, the other
stte 'oul! be /ustifie! in t7in& offense.
)+
It shoul! be e#phsiAe! tht un!er our Constitution, the po'er to rtif" is veste! in the
Presi!ent, sub/ect to the concurrence of the Sente. The role of the Sente, ho'ever, is
li#ite! onl" to &ivin& or 'ithhol!in& its consent, or concurrence, to the
rtifiction.
(2
4ence, it is 'ithin the uthorit" of the Presi!ent to refuse to sub#it tret"
to the Sente or, hvin& secure! its consent for its rtifiction, refuse to rtif"
it.
()
Althou&h the refusl of stte to rtif" tret" 'hich hs been si&ne! in its behlf
is serious step tht shoul! not be t7en li&htl",
((
such !ecision is 'ithin the
co#petence of the Presi!ent lone, 'hich cnnot be encroche! b" this Court via
'rit of mandamus. This Court hs no /uris!iction over ctions see7in& to en/oin the
Presi!ent in the perfor#nce of his officil !uties.
(1
The Court, therefore, cnnot issue
the 'rit of mandamus pr"e! for b" the petitioners s it is be"on! its /uris!iction to
co#pel the e$ecutive brnch of the &overn#ent to trns#it the si&ne! te$t of Ro#e
Sttute to the Sente.
IN #IE% %HEREOF, the petition is "ISMISSE".
SO OR"ERE".
4