Three Books on Law Launched at AsianSIL Conference

Three books on law were launched at the sidelines of the 7th Biennial Conference of the Asian Society of International Law (AsianSIL) on 22 August 2019 at the Novotel Araneta Center in Quezon City.

The three publications by the University of the Philippines Law Center launched during the event were the “Philippine Yearbook of International Law”; “Treaties: Guidance to Practices and Procedures”; and “Enhancing International Legal Cooperation: Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, and Cooperation in Transnational Organized Crimes and Narcotic Drugs (Treaties, Laws and Procedures)”, all newly published by the UP Law Center’s Information and Publication Division.

The books were presented by UP College of Law Dean Fides Cordero-Tan to International Court of Justice (ICJ) Judge Iwasawa Yuji, who is the keynote speaker at the Conference.

The launch of Yearbook, a collaboration between the UP Law Center and the Philippine Society of International Law and edited by UP College of Law professors Merlin Magallona and Rommel Casis, marks the publication’s revival after 28 years of hiatus. The last issue of the Yearbook was published in 1989.

Dean Cordero-Tan described the Yearbook as a “showcase of legal scholarship, featuring articles written by distinguished international law experts in the country.”

The book “Treaties: Guidance on Practices and Procedures” is an exposition on the concept of treaty, the roles and mandates of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other entities involved in treaty-making, and the stages of treaty-making. It also contains the relevant domestic regulations, international conventions and other basic references on the subject. It is co-authored by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Administration J. Eduardo Malaya and Professor Casis.

The book is an exposition on the concept of treaty, the roles and mandates of the DFA and other entities involved in treaty-making, and the stages of treaty-making. It also contains the relevant domestic regulations, international conventions and other basic references on the subject.

“It is hoped that the book will help deepen the understanding of and appreciation for Philippine treaty law and practice, where constitutional law interfaces with international law, and facilitate the work of the DFA and other government agencies in their engagements with foreign counterparts in pursuit of the development and other interests of our country,” Assistant Secretary Malaya said.

The third book “Enhancing International Legal Cooperation” is envisioned as a reference for law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and the judiciary. It is co-authored by Undersecretary Malaya, Philipppine Consulate General in Hong Kong Consul Sheila Monedero-Arnesto and the late Chief State Counsel Ricardo V. Paras III of the Department of Justice.

In his Foreword to the international legal cooperation book, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. wrote, “rigorously researched, procedural approach and engagingly written, this book sheds much light on the field of study and practice most relevant in the campaign against criminality.”

Similarly, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra stated that “by expounding on the concepts, tools and processes of international legal cooperation, the authors of this book – all experts from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice – impart invaluable knowledge and wisdom culled from their years of experience in their respective fields.”

All books are available for purchase at the UP Law Center. (DFA PR)