Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation, Inc.
College of Law
PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW
COURSE SYLLABUS
Prepared by Atty. Dennis Aran T. Abril
COURSE INFORMATION
Days/Time: Monday (5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.);
Saturday (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.);
Sunday (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Location: Full Online
Credit Hours: 3
INSTRUCTOR DETAILS
Education: Bachelor of Laws, Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation, Inc. 2016-
2018
Paralegal Studies / Juris Doctor minor in International Law Practice, University of
San Carlos – School of Law
2013-2016
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Doña Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical
Foundation
Affiliations: Eastern Visayas Law Center
Integrated Bar of the Philippines
Amnesty International – Philippines
GoodGovPH (Core – Legal Affairs)
Consultation Hours: Tuesday, 3:00pm-4:30pm, or by appointment
Office: Eastern Visayas Law Center, The Community Center, Real Street corner
Calanipawan Road, Sagkahan, Tacloban City
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +639177922113
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course aims to provide an extensive discussion on the fundamental norms and principles of public
international law that govern the relationship between and among States and other subjects of
international law. The course likewise aims to introduce to the students international conventions, treaties,
and other international agreements and documents, and cases decided by international courts or
tribunals and courts of different jurisdictions, including that of the Philippine Supreme Court.
The combination of theoretical approaches, legal analysis, and an investigation into specific historical
events and concrete case studies will enable students to acquire key skills in the application of
international law principles to their research and practice in a variety of areas. Current affairs and
student interests will also shape the topics to be discussed as case studies under the core syllabus that
follows.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
On the completion of this course, the students should:
1. Have improved their ability to think critically, engage in complex reasoning and express their
thoughts clearly through written and oral work;
2. Be able to identify, explain, and apply the fundamental principles of public international law
and its major sources and defining features;
3. Be able to identify, explain, and analyze the major international conventions or treaties,
instruments, and document;
4. Identify, explain, and critically analyze the application of public international law to address
international and domestic issues;
5. Have improved their understanding of the international legal instruments and institutions; and
6. Have mastered a basic understanding of how to research questions in public international law
and to formulate arguments in defense of a position.
DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES, GRADING, AND DEADLINES
SOCRATIC METHOD OF TEACHING
The course shall adopt the traditional method of teaching in law schools – the Socratic mode or method
of teaching. Socratic Method or Socratic inquiry is emphatically not "teaching" in the conventional sense
of the word. The leader of Socratic inquiry is not the purveyor of knowledge, filling the empty minds of
largely passive students with facts and truths acquired through years of study.
In the Socratic method, the classroom experience is a shared dialogue between teacher and students in
which both are responsible for pushing the dialogue forward through questioning. The "teacher," or
leader of the dialogue, asks probing questions in an effort to expose the values and beliefs which frame
and support the thoughts and statements of the participants in the inquiry. The students ask questions as
well, both of the teacher and each other.
ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS
General Assessment (100%)
Class Standing / Attendance 10%
Graded Oral Recitations / Written Activities 20%
Pre-Midterm Exam 20%
Midterm Exam 25%
Final Exam 25%
CLASS SCHEDULE AND ATTENDANCE POLICY
Classes shall be conducted via blended learning: face-to-face or residential and online. Schedule of
classes as appearing on the student’s academic load shall be strictly followed. However, the same may
be modified based on reasonable circumstances.
Unless the absence is an excusable one, each student shall be allowed only twelve (12) absences, or
25% of the total number of classes for this semester. However, he/she shall remain responsible for
making up for any work or activity missed due to absence. More than twelve (12) absences shall result
in failure.
Excused Absences
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In case of absence, regardless of the reason, the student is responsible for completing missed assignments
and exams. He/She shall make up therefor in a timely manner based upon a schedule that is mutually
convenient and agreed upon between the professor and the student. The following are the only excused
absences approved by the professor:
a. Absence due to illness (e.g. physical, mental)
b. Absence due to religious observance
c. Absence due to a class conflict with a course or school sponsored activity (e.g. workshops,
seminars, roundtable discussions)
d. Absence due to death of an immediate member of the family or any person with whom the
student has intimate relations (e.g. partner, best friend)
No Classes
There will be no classes during declared regular and special non-working holidays.
LATE SUBMISSION OF COURSE WORK AND MISSED EXAMS
a. All course work must be submitted on time, in class on the date specified on the syllabus or
announced by the professor.
b. To request an extension on a deadline for any such course work, students must inform the class
beadle thereof. In turn, the class beadle must inform the professor of the request at least one
(1) week prior to the due date.
c. A student who shall miss any major exam (midterm or final) may be given a special exam
therefor; provided, that he/she shall inform the professor of the reason for missing the same at
least one (1) week prior to the scheduled exam, unless the reason is one immediately occurring
prior to the exam. Failure to take the special exam shall result in failure.
CLASS BEADLE SYSTEM
The professor shall appoint a class beadle. A class beadle is a student of the course assigned by the
professor to assist mainly in recording student attendance and other class-related activities. Thus, he/she
shall check the attendance of the students every class and shall keep with him a seating plan approved
by the professor.
The class beadle shall be the savior of all students in class recitations. Should a student called to recite
fail miserably in giving the correct answer or fail to give any, the class beadle shall be called to save
said student. Whatever grade the beadle gets for his/her answer shall be credited to the student who
needed the saving but the same shall not be taken in favor or against the beadle.
Should the beadle need the saving, he/she shall have the power to pass the question to any of his/her
classmates. Whatever grade the student-savior gets for his/her answer shall be credited to the beadle
but the same shall not be taken in favor or against said student-savior.
TEXTBOOK AND COURSE MATERIALS
a. Peter Malanczuk, Akehurst’s Modern Introduction to International Law (7th Ed.), Routledge,
1997.
b. Malcolm Shaw, International Law (8th Ed.), Cambridge University Press, 2017.
c. Reading assignments (cases and case studies) assigned in the syllabus below. The same are
subject to modification.
d. Treaties and other international instruments (e.g. VCLT, VCDR).
e. All other readings assigned by the professor.
POLICY ON CLASS RECORDINGS AND COURSE MATERIALS
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The course materials downloaded by the professor in Canvas and in such other digital spaces external
thereto are all academic property of the professor. No student shall record any part of the coursework
by any means, scheme, or process.
No student shall be allowed to copy or download any course material without the express permission of
the professor. Also, unauthorized use and distribution, whether for profit or otherwise, of the course
materials shall be tantamount to dishonesty which shall be dealt with severely. Such act of dishonesty
shall likewise be considered as infringement of copyright laws and all other pertinent laws.
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