public international law case briefs

12
G.R. No. L-35645 May 22, 1985 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CAPT. JAMES E. GALLOWAY, WILLIAM I. COLLINS and ROBERT GOHIER, petitioners, vs. HON. V. M. RUIZ, Presiding Judge of Branch XV, Court of First Instance of Rizal and ELIGIO DE GUZMAN & CO., INC., respondents. Ponente: ABAD SANTOS, J. Facts x Sometime in May 1972, the United States organized an auction by invitation for the repair of its equipment and facilities in at the US Naval Station Subic Bay in Zambales, which was one of those provided in the Military Bases Agreement between the Philippines and the US. x Eligio de Guzman & Co., Inc. responded to the invitation and submitted bids. Subsequent thereto, the company received from the United States two telegrams requesting it to confirm its price proposals and for the name of its bonding company; the company, thereby, complied. x In June, 1972, the company received a letter which was signed by Wilham I. Collins, Director for Contracts Division of the Navy Department of US, saying that the company did not qualify to receive an award for the projects because of its previous unsatisfactory performance on a repair contract and that the projects had been awarded to third parties. x The company sued the US and its officers in the US Navy who were responsible for rejecting their services to order the defendants in allowing the company to perform the work for the projects, and in the event that specific performance was no longer possible, to order the defendants to pay the damages. The company also asked for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction to restrain the defendants from entering into contracts with third parties for work on the projects. x The defendants entered their special appearance for the purpose only of questioning the jurisdiction of this court over the complaint being acts and omissions of the individual defendants as agents of defendant United States of America, a foreign sovereign which has not given her consent to this suit or any other suit for the causes of action asserted in the complaint. x Subsequently a motion to dismiss the complaint was filed by the defendants, who included an opposition to the issuance of the writ of preliminary injunction. x The trial court denied the motion and issued the writ. x The defendants moved twice to reconsider but to no avail. Hence the instant petition which seeks to restrain perpetually the proceedings in Civil Case No. 779-M for lack of jurisdiction on the part of the trial court. Issue x W/N US is suable? NO. o The traditional rule of State immunity exempts a State from being sued in the courts of another State without its consent or waiver. It is however contended that when a sovereign state enters into a contract with a private person, the state can be sued upon the theory that it has descended to the level of an individual from which it can be implied that it has given its consent to be sued under the contract. Stated differently, a State may be said to have descended to the level of an individual and can thus be deemed to have tacitly given its consent to be sued only when it enters into business contracts. It does not apply where the contract relates to the exercise of its sovereign functions. In this case the projects are an integral part of the naval base which is devoted to the defense of both the United States and the Philippines, indisputably a function of the government of the highest order; they are not utilized for nor dedicated to commercial or business purposes. x W/N the trial court has jurisdiction over the case? NO. o The correct test for the application of State immunity is not the conclusion of a contract by a State but the legal nature of the act is shown in Syquia vs. Lopez. In that case the plaintiffs leased three apartment buildings to the United States of America for the use of its military officials. The plaintiffs sued to recover possession of the premises on the ground that the term of the leases had expired. They also asked for increased rentals until the apartments shall have been vacated. The Court decided that the “US Government has not, given its consent to the filing of this suit which is essentially against her, though not in name. Moreover, this is not only a case of a citizen filing a suit against his own Government without the latter's consent but it is of a citizen filing an action against a foreign government without said government's consent, which renders more obvious the lack of jurisdiction of the courts of his country.” o In Syquia, the United States concluded contracts with private individuals but the contracts notwithstanding the US was not deemed to have given or waived its consent to be sued for the reason that the contracts were for jure imperii and not for jure gestionis.

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Public International Law Case Briefs

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  • G.R

    . N

    o.

    L-3

    56

    45

    M

    ay 2

    2,

    19

    85

    U

    NIT

    ED S

    TATE

    S O

    F A

    MER

    ICA

    , C

    AP

    T. J

    AM

    ES E

    . G

    ALL

    OW

    AY

    , W

    ILLI

    AM

    I.

    CO

    LLIN

    S a

    nd

    RO

    BER

    T G

    OH

    IER

    , p

    etit

    ion

    ers,

    vs

    . H

    ON

    . V

    . M

    . R

    UIZ

    , P

    resi

    din

    g

    Jud

    ge

    of

    Bra

    nch

    X

    V,

    Cou

    rt

    of

    Firs

    t In

    stan

    ce o

    f R

    izal

    an

    d E

    LIG

    IO D

    E G

    UZ

    MA

    N &

    CO

    ., I

    NC

    ., r

    esp

    ond

    ents

    . Po

    nent

    e: A

    BA

    D S

    AN

    TOS

    , J.

    Fa

    cts x

    Som

    etim

    e in

    May

    197

    2, t

    he U

    nite

    d Sta

    tes

    orga

    nize

    d an

    auc

    tion

    by

    invi

    tatio

    n fo

    r th

    e re

    pair o

    f its

    equ

    ipm

    ent

    and

    faci

    litie

    s in

    at

    the

    US

    Nav

    al S

    tatio

    n Sub

    ic B

    ay in

    Zam

    bale

    s, w

    hich

    was

    one

    of

    thos

    e pr

    ovid

    ed

    in t

    he M

    ilita

    ry B

    ases

    Agr

    eem

    ent

    betw

    een

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es a

    nd t

    he U

    S.

    x El

    igio

    de

    G

    uzm

    an

    &

    Co.

    , In

    c.

    resp

    onde

    d to

    th

    e in

    vita

    tion

    and

    subm

    itted

    bid

    s. S

    ubse

    quen

    t th

    eret

    o, t

    he c

    ompa

    ny r

    ecei

    ved

    from

    the

    U

    nite

    d Sta

    tes

    two

    tele

    gram

    s re

    ques

    ting

    it to

    con

    firm

    its

    pric

    e pr

    opos

    als

    and

    for

    the

    nam

    e of

    its

    bon

    ding

    com

    pany

    ; th

    e co

    mpa

    ny,

    ther

    eby,

    co

    mpl

    ied.

    x

    In J

    une,

    197

    2, t

    he c

    ompa

    ny r

    ecei

    ved

    a le

    tter

    whi

    ch w

    as s

    igne

    d by

    W

    ilham

    I.

    Col

    lins,

    D

    irec

    tor

    for

    Con

    trac

    ts

    Div

    isio

    n of

    th

    e N

    avy

    Dep

    artm

    ent

    of U

    S,

    sayi

    ng t

    hat

    the

    com

    pany

    did

    not

    qua

    lify

    to r

    ecei

    ve

    an

    awar

    d fo

    r th

    e pr

    ojec

    ts

    beca

    use

    of

    its

    prev

    ious

    un

    satis

    fact

    ory

    perf

    orm

    ance

    on

    a

    repa

    ir co

    ntra

    ct an

    d th

    at th

    e pr

    ojec

    ts ha

    d be

    en

    awar

    ded

    to t

    hird

    par

    ties.

    x

    The

    com

    pany

    sue

    d th

    e U

    S a

    nd i

    ts o

    ffic

    ers

    in t

    he U

    S N

    avy

    who

    wer

    e re

    spon

    sibl

    e fo

    r re

    ject

    ing

    thei

    r se

    rvic

    es

    to

    orde

    r th

    e de

    fend

    ants

    in

    al

    low

    ing

    the

    com

    pany

    to

    perf

    orm

    the

    wor

    k fo

    r th

    e pr

    ojec

    ts,

    and

    in t

    he

    even

    t th

    at s

    peci

    fic p

    erfo

    rman

    ce w

    as n

    o lo

    nger

    pos

    sibl

    e, t

    o or

    der

    the

    defe

    ndan

    ts to

    pa

    y th

    e da

    mag

    es.

    The

    com

    pany

    al

    so as

    ked

    for

    the

    issu

    ance

    of

    a w

    rit

    of p

    relim

    inar

    y in

    junc

    tion

    to r

    estr

    ain

    the

    defe

    ndan

    ts

    from

    ent

    erin

    g in

    to c

    ontr

    acts

    with

    thi

    rd p

    artie

    s fo

    r w

    ork

    on t

    he p

    roje

    cts.

    x

    The

    defe

    ndan

    ts e

    nter

    ed t

    heir s

    peci

    al a

    ppea

    ranc

    e fo

    r th

    e pu

    rpos

    e on

    ly

    of q

    uest

    ioni

    ng t

    he j

    uris

    dict

    ion

    of t

    his

    cour

    t ov

    er t

    he c

    ompl

    aint

    bei

    ng

    acts

    and

    om

    issi

    ons

    of t

    he in

    divi

    dual

    def

    enda

    nts

    as a

    gent

    s of

    def

    enda

    nt

    Uni

    ted

    Sta

    tes

    of A

    mer

    ica,

    a f

    orei

    gn s

    over

    eign

    whi

    ch h

    as n

    ot g

    iven

    her

    co

    nsen

    t to

    thi

    s su

    it or

    any

    oth

    er s

    uit

    for

    the

    caus

    es o

    f ac

    tion

    asse

    rted

    in

    the

    com

    plai

    nt.

    x Sub

    sequ

    ently

    a

    mot

    ion

    to di

    smis

    s th

    e co

    mpl

    aint

    w

    as fil

    ed by

    th

    e de

    fend

    ants

    , w

    ho i

    nclu

    ded

    an o

    ppos

    ition

    to

    the

    issu

    ance

    of

    the

    writ

    of

    prel

    imin

    ary

    inju

    nctio

    n.

    x Th

    e tr

    ial c

    ourt

    den

    ied

    the

    mot

    ion

    and

    issu

    ed t

    he w

    rit.

    x Th

    e de

    fend

    ants

    mov

    ed t

    wic

    e to

    rec

    onsi

    der

    but

    to n

    o av

    ail.

    Hen

    ce t

    he

    inst

    ant

    petit

    ion

    whi

    ch s

    eeks

    to

    rest

    rain

    per

    petu

    ally

    the

    pro

    ceed

    ings

    in

    Civ

    il Cas

    e N

    o. 7

    79-M

    for

    lac

    k of

    jur

    isdi

    ctio

    n on

    the

    par

    t of

    the

    trial

    co

    urt.

    Issu

    e x W

    /N U

    S is

    sua

    ble?

    NO

    . o

    The

    trad

    ition

    al r

    ule

    of S

    tate

    im

    mun

    ity e

    xem

    pts

    a Sta

    te f

    rom

    be

    ing

    sued

    in

    the

    cour

    ts o

    f an

    othe

    r Sta

    te w

    ithou

    t its

    con

    sent

    or

    wai

    ver.

    It

    is h

    owev

    er c

    onte

    nded

    tha

    t w

    hen

    a so

    vere

    ign

    stat

    e en

    ters

    int

    o a

    cont

    ract

    with

    a p

    riva

    te p

    erso

    n, t

    he s

    tate

    can

    be

    sued

    upo

    n th

    e th

    eory

    tha

    t it

    has

    desc

    ende

    d to

    the

    lev

    el o

    f an

    in

    divi

    dual

    fro

    m w

    hich

    it

    can

    be i

    mpl

    ied

    that

    it

    has

    give

    n its

    co

    nsen

    t to

    be

    su

    ed un

    der

    the

    cont

    ract

    . Sta

    ted

    diff

    eren

    tly,

    a Sta

    te m

    ay b

    e sa

    id t

    o ha

    ve d

    esce

    nded

    to

    the

    leve

    l of

    an in

    divi

    dual

    an

    d ca

    n th

    us b

    e de

    emed

    to

    have

    tac

    itly

    give

    n its

    con

    sent

    to

    be

    sued

    onl

    y w

    hen

    it en

    ters

    int

    o bu

    sine

    ss c

    ontr

    acts

    . It

    doe

    s no

    t ap

    ply

    whe

    re t

    he c

    ontr

    act

    rela

    tes

    to t

    he e

    xerc

    ise

    of its

    sov

    erei

    gn

    func

    tions

    . In

    thi

    s ca

    se t

    he p

    roje

    cts

    are

    an i

    nteg

    ral

    part

    of

    the

    nava

    l ba

    se w

    hich

    is

    devo

    ted

    to t

    he d

    efen

    se o

    f bo

    th t

    he U

    nite

    d Sta

    tes

    and

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es,

    indi

    sput

    ably

    a

    func

    tion

    of

    the

    gove

    rnm

    ent

    of t

    he h

    ighe

    st o

    rder

    ; th

    ey a

    re n

    ot u

    tiliz

    ed f

    or n

    or

    dedi

    cate

    d to

    com

    mer

    cial

    or

    busi

    ness

    pur

    pose

    s.

    x W

    /N t

    he t

    rial

    cou

    rt h

    as jur

    isdi

    ctio

    n ov

    er t

    he c

    ase?

    NO

    . o

    The

    corr

    ect

    test

    for

    the

    app

    licat

    ion

    of S

    tate

    im

    mun

    ity i

    s no

    t th

    e co

    nclu

    sion

    of

    a co

    ntra

    ct b

    y a

    Sta

    te b

    ut t

    he le

    gal n

    atur

    e of

    the

    act

    is

    sho

    wn

    in S

    yqui

    a vs

    . Lo

    pez.

    In

    that

    cas

    e th

    e pl

    aint

    iffs

    leas

    ed

    thre

    e ap

    artm

    ent

    build

    ings

    to

    the

    Uni

    ted

    Sta

    tes

    of A

    mer

    ica

    for

    the

    use

    of

    its

    mili

    tary

    of

    ficia

    ls.

    The

    plai

    ntiff

    s su

    ed

    to

    reco

    ver

    poss

    essi

    on o

    f th

    e pr

    emis

    es o

    n th

    e gr

    ound

    tha

    t th

    e te

    rm o

    f th

    e le

    ases

    had

    exp

    ired

    . Th

    ey a

    lso

    aske

    d fo

    r in

    crea

    sed

    rent

    als

    until

    th

    e ap

    artm

    ents

    sha

    ll ha

    ve b

    een

    vaca

    ted.

    The

    Cou

    rt d

    ecid

    ed t

    hat

    the

    US G

    over

    nmen

    t ha

    s no

    t, g

    iven

    its

    con

    sent

    to

    the

    filin

    g of

    th

    is s

    uit

    whi

    ch i

    s es

    sent

    ially

    aga

    inst

    her

    , th

    ough

    not

    in

    nam

    e.

    Mor

    eove

    r, t

    his

    is n

    ot o

    nly

    a ca

    se o

    f a

    citiz

    en f

    iling

    a s

    uit

    agai

    nst

    his

    own

    Gov

    ernm

    ent

    with

    out

    the

    latt

    er's

    con

    sent

    but

    it

    is o

    f a

    citiz

    en f

    iling

    an

    actio

    n ag

    ains

    t a

    fore

    ign

    gove

    rnm

    ent

    with

    out

    said

    go

    vern

    men

    t's c

    onse

    nt,

    whi

    ch r

    ende

    rs m

    ore

    obvi

    ous

    the

    lack

    of

    jurisd

    ictio

    n of

    the

    cou

    rts

    of h

    is c

    ount

    ry.

    o

    In S

    yqui

    a, t

    he U

    nite

    d Sta

    tes

    conc

    lude

    d co

    ntra

    cts

    with

    priva

    te

    indi

    vidu

    als

    but

    the

    cont

    ract

    s no

    twith

    stan

    ding

    the

    US w

    as n

    ot

    deem

    ed t

    o ha

    ve g

    iven

    or

    wai

    ved

    its c

    onse

    nt t

    o be

    sue

    d fo

    r th

    e re

    ason

    tha

    t th

    e co

    ntra

    cts

    wer

    e fo

    r ju

    re i

    mpe

    rii

    and

    not

    for

    jure

    ge

    stio

    nis.

  • H

    eld

    The

    petit

    ion

    is g

    rant

    ed;

    the

    ques

    tione

    d or

    ders

    of

    the

    resp

    onde

    nt jud

    ge a

    re

    set

    asid

    e an

    d Civ

    il C

    ase

    No.

    is d

    ism

    isse

    d, c

    osts

    aga

    inst

    the

    priva

    te

    resp

    onde

    nt.

    Not

    es

    x M

    akas

    iar,

    J.,

    dis

    sent

    ing:

    o

    The

    petit

    ion

    shou

    ld b

    e di

    smis

    sed

    and

    the

    proc

    eedi

    ngs

    in C

    ivil

    Cas

    e N

    o. 7

    79-M

    in t

    he d

    efun

    ct C

    FI (

    now

    RTC

    ) of

    Riz

    al b

    e al

    low

    ed

    to c

    ontin

    ue t

    here

    in.

    o H

    e ci

    ted

    case

    s w

    here

    in t

    he U

    S G

    over

    nmen

    t is

    hel

    d su

    able

    for

    en

    tering

    int

    o co

    ntra

    cts,

    whi

    ch b

    y its

    ver

    y ac

    t im

    plie

    s its

    con

    sent

    to

    be

    sued

    . o

    He

    expr

    esse

    d th

    at

    cons

    tant

    re

    sort

    by

    a

    fore

    ign

    stat

    e or

    its

    ag

    ents

    to

    th

    e do

    ctri

    ne of

    Sta

    te im

    mun

    ity in

    th

    is

    juri

    sdic

    tion

    impi

    nges

    und

    uly

    upon

    the

    sov

    erei

    gnty

    and

    dig

    nity

    of

    the

    natio

    n.

    Its

    appl

    icat

    ion

    will

    par

    ticul

    arly

    dis

    cour

    age

    Filip

    ino

    or d

    omes

    tic

    cont

    ract

    ors

    from

    tra

    nsac

    ting

    busi

    ness

    and

    ent

    erin

    g in

    to c

    ontr

    acts

    w

    ith

    Uni

    ted

    Sta

    tes

    auth

    oriti

    es

    or

    faci

    litie

    s in

    th

    e Ph

    ilipp

    ines

    be

    caus

    e of

    the

    non

    -enf

    orce

    abili

    ty o

    f va

    lidly

    exe

    cute

    d co

    ntra

    cts

    and

    lack

    of

    ju

    dici

    al

    rem

    edy

    for

    brea

    ches

    of

    co

    ntra

    ctua

    l ob

    ligat

    ion.

    It

    is t

    o be

    rea

    sona

    bly

    assu

    med

    and

    exp

    ecte

    d th

    at t

    he

    unde

    rtak

    ings

    in

    the

    cont

    ract

    will

    be

    com

    plie

    d w

    ith i

    n go

    od f

    aith

    , w

    heth

    er t

    he p

    artie

    s ar

    e na

    tions

    or

    priv

    ate

    indi

    vidu

    als.

    o

    Rel

    ianc

    e by

    pet

    ition

    ers

    on t

    he n

    on-s

    uabi

    lity

    of t

    he U

    nite

    d Sta

    tes

    Gov

    ernm

    ent

    befo

    re t

    he lo

    cal c

    ourt

    s, a

    ctua

    lly c

    lash

    es w

    ith N

    o. I

    II

    on r

    espe

    ct f

    or P

    hilip

    pine

    law

    of

    the

    Mem

    oran

    dum

    of

    Agr

    eem

    ent

    sign

    ed o

    n Ja

    nuar

    y 7,

    197

    9, a

    lso

    amen

    ding

    RP-

    US M

    ilita

    ry B

    ases

    Agr

    eem

    ent,

    whi

    ch s

    tres

    ses

    that

    "it

    is t

    he d

    uty

    of m

    embe

    rs o

    f th

    e U

    nite

    d Sta

    tes

    Forc

    es,

    the

    civi

    lian

    com

    pone

    nt

    and

    thei

    r de

    pend

    ents

    , to

    res

    pect

    the

    law

    s of

    the

    Rep

    ublic

    of

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es

    and

    to a

    bsta

    in f

    rom

    any

    act

    ivity

    inc

    onsi

    sten

    t w

    ith t

    he s

    pirit

    of

    the

    Mili

    tary

    Bas

    es

    Agr

    eem

    ent

    and,

    in

    pa

    rtic

    ular

    , fr

    om

    any

    polit

    ical

    act

    ivity

    in

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es.

    The

    Uni

    ted

    Sta

    tes

    shag

    tak

    e al

    l m

    easu

    res

    with

    in i

    ts a

    utho

    rity

    to

    insu

    re t

    hat

    they

    adh

    ere

    to

    them

    .

    HO

    LY S

    EE V

    S.

    RO

    SA

    RIO

    FAC

    TS:

    Pe

    titio

    ner

    is t

    he H

    oly

    See

    who

    exe

    rcis

    es s

    over

    eign

    ty o

    ver

    the

    Vat

    ican

    City

    in

    Rom

    e, It

    aly,

    an

    d is

    re

    pres

    ente

    d in

    th

    e Ph

    ilipp

    ines

    by

    th

    e Pa

    pal

    Nun

    cio;

    Priva

    te r

    espo

    nden

    t, S

    tarb

    righ

    t Sal

    es E

    nter

    pris

    es,

    Inc.

    , is

    a d

    omes

    tic

    corp

    orat

    ion

    enga

    ged

    in t

    he r

    eal e

    stat

    e bu

    sine

    ss.

    This

    pet

    ition

    aro

    se f

    rom

    a c

    ontr

    over

    sy o

    ver

    a pa

    rcel

    of

    land

    con

    sist

    ing

    of

    6,00

    0 sq

    uare

    met

    ers

    loca

    ted

    in t

    he M

    unic

    ipal

    ity o

    f Pa

    rana

    que

    regi

    ster

    ed i

    n th

    e na

    me

    of

    petit

    ione

    r.

    Sai

    d lo

    t w

    as

    cont

    iguo

    us

    with

    two

    othe

    r lo

    ts

    regi

    ster

    ed in

    the

    nam

    e of

    the

    Phi

    lippi

    ne R

    ealty

    Cor

    pora

    tion

    (PRC).

    Th

    e th

    ree

    lots

    wer

    e so

    ld t

    o Ram

    on L

    icup

    , th

    roug

    h M

    sgr.

    Dom

    ingo

    A.

    Cirilo

    s,

    Jr.,

    act

    ing

    as a

    gent

    to

    the

    selle

    rs.

    Late

    r, L

    icup

    ass

    igne

    d hi

    s righ

    ts t

    o th

    e sa

    le

    to p

    riva

    te r

    espo

    nden

    t.

    In v

    iew

    of

    the

    refu

    sal

    of t

    he s

    quat

    ters

    to

    vaca

    te t

    he l

    ots

    sold

    to

    priv

    ate

    resp

    onde

    nt,

    a di

    sput

    e ar

    ose

    as t

    o w

    ho o

    f th

    e pa

    rtie

    s ha

    s th

    e re

    spon

    sibi

    lity

    of

    evic

    ting

    and

    clea

    ring

    the

    lan

    d of

    squ

    atte

    rs.

    Com

    plic

    atin

    g th

    e re

    latio

    ns o

    f th

    e pa

    rtie

    s w

    as t

    he s

    ale

    by p

    etiti

    oner

    of

    Lot

    5-A t

    o Tr

    opic

    ana

    Prop

    ertie

    s an

    d D

    evel

    opm

    ent

    Cor

    pora

    tion

    (Tro

    pica

    na).

    pr

    ivat

    e re

    spon

    dent

    file

    d a

    com

    plai

    nt w

    ith t

    he R

    egio

    nal

    Tria

    l Cou

    rt,

    Bra

    nch

    61,

    Mak

    ati,

    Met

    ro M

    anila

    for

    ann

    ulm

    ent

    of t

    he s

    ale

    of t

    he t

    hree

    par

    cels

    of

    land

    , an

    d sp

    ecifi

    c pe

    rfor

    man

    ce a

    nd d

    amag

    es a

    gain

    st p

    etiti

    oner

    , re

    pres

    ente

    d by

    the

    Pap

    al N

    unci

    o, a

    nd t

    hree

    oth

    er d

    efen

    dant

    s: n

    amel

    y, M

    sgr.

    Dom

    ingo

    A.

    Cirilo

    s, J

    r.,

    the

    PRC a

    nd T

    ropi

    cana

    pe

    titio

    ner

    and

    Msg

    r. C

    irilo

    s se

    para

    tely

    mov

    ed t

    o di

    smis

    s th

    e co

    mpl

    aint

    petit

    ione

    r fo

    r la

    ck o

    f ju

    risd

    ictio

    n ba

    sed

    on s

    over

    eign

    imm

    unity

    fro

    m s

    uit,

    and

    M

    sgr.

    Cirilo

    s fo

    r be

    ing

    an i

    mpr

    oper

    par

    ty.

    An

    oppo

    sitio

    n to

    the

    mot

    ion

    was

    fil

    ed b

    y pr

    ivat

    e re

    spon

    dent

    . th

    e tr

    ial c

    ourt

    issu

    ed a

    n or

    der

    deny

    ing,

    am

    ong

    othe

    rs,

    petitio

    ners

    mot

    ion

    to

    dism

    iss

    afte

    r fin

    ding

    tha

    t pe

    titio

    ner

    she

    d of

    f [i

    ts]

    sove

    reig

    n im

    mun

    ity b

    y en

    tering

    into

    the

    bus

    ines

    s co

    ntra

    ct in

    que

    stio

    n P

    etiti

    oner

    for

    thw

    ith e

    leva

    ted

    the

    mat

    ter

    to u

    s. I

    n its

    pet

    ition

    , pe

    titio

    ner

    invo

    kes

    the

    priv

    ilege

    of

    sove

    reig

    n

  • imm

    unity

    onl

    y on

    its

    ow

    n be

    half

    and

    on b

    ehal

    f of

    its

    off

    icia

    l re

    pres

    enta

    tive,

    th

    e Pa

    pal N

    unci

    o.

    ISS

    UE:

    W

    heth

    er t

    he H

    oly

    See

    is

    imm

    une

    from

    sui

    t in

    sofa

    r as

    its

    bus

    ines

    s re

    latio

    ns r

    egar

    ding

    sel

    ling

    a lo

    t to

    a p

    riva

    te e

    ntity

    R

    ULI

    NG

    :

    The

    Rep

    ublic

    of

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es h

    as a

    ccor

    ded

    the

    Hol

    y See

    the

    sta

    tus

    of

    a fo

    reig

    n so

    vere

    ign.

    Th

    e H

    oly

    See

    , th

    roug

    h its

    Am

    bass

    ador

    , th

    e Pa

    pal

    Nun

    cio,

    has

    had

    dip

    lom

    atic

    rep

    rese

    ntat

    ions

    with

    the

    Phi

    lippi

    ne g

    over

    nmen

    t si

    nce

    1957

    (R

    ollo

    , p.

    87

    ). Th

    is ap

    pear

    s to

    be

    th

    e un

    iver

    sal

    prac

    tice

    in

    inte

    rnat

    iona

    l rel

    atio

    ns.

    Ther

    e ar

    e tw

    o co

    nflic

    ting

    conc

    epts

    of

    sove

    reig

    n im

    mun

    ity,

    each

    wid

    ely

    held

    an

    d fir

    mly

    es

    tabl

    ishe

    d.

    Acc

    ordi

    ng

    to

    the

    clas

    sica

    l or

    ab

    solu

    te

    theo

    ry,

    a so

    vere

    ign

    cann

    ot,

    with

    out

    its c

    onse

    nt,

    be m

    ade

    a re

    spon

    dent

    in t

    he c

    ourt

    s of

    an

    othe

    r so

    vere

    ign.

    Acc

    ordi

    ng

    to

    the

    new

    er

    or

    rest

    rict

    ive

    theo

    ry,

    the

    imm

    unity

    of

    the

    sove

    reig

    n is

    rec

    ogni

    zed

    only

    with

    reg

    ard

    to p

    ublic

    act

    s or

    ac

    ts j

    ure

    impe

    rii

    of a

    sta

    te,

    but

    not

    with

    reg

    ard

    to p

    riva

    te a

    cts

    or a

    cts

    jure

    ge

    stio

    nis

    If t

    he a

    ct is

    in p

    ursu

    it of

    a s

    over

    eign

    act

    ivity

    , or

    an

    inci

    dent

    the

    reof

    , th

    en it

    is a

    n ac

    t ju

    re im

    peri

    i, es

    peci

    ally

    whe

    n it

    is n

    ot u

    nder

    take

    n fo

    r ga

    in o

    r pr

    ofit.

    In

    the

    cas

    e at

    ben

    ch,

    if pe

    titio

    ner

    has

    boug

    ht a

    nd s

    old

    land

    s in

    the

    ord

    inar

    y co

    urse

    of

    a

    real

    es

    tate

    bu

    sine

    ss,

    sure

    ly

    the

    said

    tr

    ansa

    ctio

    n ca

    n be

    ca

    tego

    rize

    d as

    an

    act

    jure

    ges

    tioni

    s. H

    owev

    er,

    petit

    ione

    r ha

    s de

    nied

    tha

    t th

    e ac

    quis

    ition

    and

    sub

    sequ

    ent

    disp

    osal

    of

    Lot

    5-A w

    ere

    mad

    e fo

    r pr

    ofit

    but

    clai

    med

    tha

    t it

    acqu

    ired

    sai

    d pr

    oper

    ty f

    or t

    he s

    ite o

    f its

    mis

    sion

    or

    the

    Apo

    stol

    ic N

    unci

    atur

    e in

    the

    Phi

    lippi

    nes.

    Priva

    te r

    espo

    nden

    t fa

    iled

    to d

    ispu

    te

    said

    cla

    im.

    Lot

    5-A w

    as a

    cqui

    red

    by p

    etiti

    oner

    as

    a do

    natio

    n fr

    om t

    he A

    rchd

    ioce

    se o

    f M

    anila

    . Th

    e do

    natio

    n w

    as m

    ade

    not

    for

    com

    mer

    cial

    pur

    pose

    , bu

    t fo

    r th

    e us

    e of

    pet

    ition

    er t

    o co

    nstr

    uct

    ther

    eon

    the

    offic

    ial pl

    ace

    of r

    esid

    ence

    of

    the

    Papa

    l N

    unci

    o.

    The

    righ

    t of

    a

    fore

    ign

    sove

    reig

    n to

    ac

    quire

    prop

    erty

    , re

    al

    or

    pers

    onal

    , in

    a r

    ecei

    ving

    sta

    te,

    nece

    ssar

    y fo

    r th

    e cr

    eatio

    n an

    d m

    aint

    enan

    ce o

    f its

    di

    plom

    atic

    m

    issi

    on,

    is re

    cogn

    ized

    in

    th

    e 19

    61 Vie

    nna

    Con

    vent

    ion

    on

    Dip

    lom

    atic

    Rel

    atio

    ns (

    Art

    s. 2

    0-22

    ). T

    his

    trea

    ty w

    as c

    oncu

    rred

    in

    by th

    e Ph

    ilipp

    ine

    Sen

    ate

    and

    ente

    red

    into

    for

    ce in

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es o

    n N

    ovem

    ber

    15,

    1965

    . Th

    e de

    cisi

    on t

    o tr

    ansf

    er t

    he p

    rope

    rty

    and

    the

    subs

    eque

    nt d

    ispo

    sal

    ther

    eof

    are

    likew

    ise

    clot

    hed

    with

    a g

    over

    nmen

    tal

    char

    acte

    r. P

    etiti

    oner

    did

    not

    sel

    l Lo

    t 5-

    A f

    or p

    rofit

    or

    gain

    . It

    mer

    ely

    wan

    ted

    to d

    ispo

    se o

    ff t

    he s

    ame

    beca

    use

    the

    squa

    tter

    s liv

    ing

    ther

    eon

    mad

    e it

    alm

    ost

    impo

    ssib

    le f

    or p

    etiti

    oner

    to

    use

    it fo

    r th

    e pu

    rpos

    e of

    the

    don

    atio

    n. T

    he f

    act

    that

    squ

    atte

    rs h

    ave

    occu

    pied

    and

    are

    still

    occ

    upyi

    ng t

    he l

    ot,

    and

    that

    the

    y st

    ubbo

    rnly

    ref

    use

    to l

    eave

    the

    pr

    emis

    es,

    has

    been

    adm

    itted

    by

    priv

    ate

    resp

    onde

    nt in

    its

    com

    plai

    nt

    Priv

    ate

    resp

    onde

    nt is

    not

    left

    with

    out

    any

    lega

    l rem

    edy

    for

    the

    redr

    ess

    of it

    s gr

    ieva

    nces

    . U

    nder

    bot

    h Pu

    blic

    Int

    erna

    tiona

    l La

    w a

    nd T

    rans

    natio

    nal

    Law

    , a

    pers

    on w

    ho f

    eels

    agg

    riev

    ed b

    y th

    e ac

    ts o

    f a

    fore

    ign

    sove

    reig

    n ca

    n as

    k hi

    s ow

    n go

    vern

    men

    t to

    esp

    ouse

    his

    cau

    se t

    hrou

    gh d

    iplo

    mat

    ic c

    hann

    els.

    Pr

    ivat

    e re

    spon

    dent

    can

    ask

    the

    Phi

    lippi

    ne g

    over

    nmen

    t, t

    hrou

    gh t

    he F

    orei

    gn

    Offic

    e,

    to

    espo

    use

    its

    clai

    ms

    agai

    nst

    the

    Hol

    y See

    . It

    s fir

    st

    task

    is

    to

    pe

    rsua

    de t

    he P

    hilip

    pine

    gov

    ernm

    ent

    to t

    ake

    up w

    ith t

    he H

    oly

    See

    the

    val

    idity

    of

    its

    clai

    ms.

    Of

    cour

    se,

    the

    Fore

    ign

    Offic

    e sh

    all f

    irst

    mak

    e a

    dete

    rmin

    atio

    n of

    th

    e im

    pact

    of

    its

    es

    pous

    al

    on

    the

    rela

    tions

    be

    twee

    n th

    e Ph

    ilipp

    ine

    gove

    rnm

    ent

    and

    the

    Hol

    y See

    (Y

    oung

    , Rem

    edie

    s of

    Pr

    ivat

    e Cla

    iman

    ts

    Aga

    inst

    For

    eign

    Sta

    tes,

    Sel

    ecte

    d Rea

    ding

    s on

    Pro

    tect

    ion

    by L

    aw o

    f Pr

    ivat

    e Fo

    reig

    n In

    vest

    men

    ts 90

    5, 91

    9 [1

    964]

    ). O

    nce

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    e go

    vern

    men

    t de

    cide

    s to

    esp

    ouse

    the

    cla

    im,

    the

    latt

    er c

    ease

    s to

    be

    a pr

    ivat

    e ca

    use.

    W

    HER

    EFO

    RE,

    the

    pet

    ition

    for

    cer

    tiora

    ri i

    s G

    RAN

    TED

    and

    the

    com

    plai

    nt i

    n Civ

    il Cas

    e N

    o. 9

    0-18

    3 ag

    ains

    t pe

    titio

    ner

    is D

    ISM

    ISSED

    . TH

    E REP

    UBLI

    C

    OF

    IND

    ON

    ESIA

    , H

    IS

    EXCEL

    LEN

    CY

    AM

    BASSAD

    OR

    SO

    ERATM

    IN,

    and

    MIN

    ISTE

    R C

    OU

    NSEL

    LOR A

    ZH

    ARI

    KASIM

    , pe

    titio

    ners

    , vs

    . JA

    MES

    VIN

    ZO

    N

    FACTS

    : Pe

    titio

    ner,

    Rep

    ublic

    of

    In

    done

    sia,

    re

    pres

    ente

    d by

    its

    Cou

    nsel

    lor,

    Siti

    Pa

    rtin

    ah,

    ente

    red

    into

    a

    Mai

    nten

    ance

    Agr

    eem

    ent

    in

    Aug

    ust

    1995

    w

    ith

    resp

    onde

    nt J

    ames

    Vin

    zon,

    sol

    e pr

    opriet

    or o

    f Vin

    zon

    Trad

    e an

    d Ser

    vice

    s. T

    he

    equi

    pmen

    t co

    vere

    d by

    the

    Mai

    nten

    ance

    Agr

    eem

    ent

    are

    air

    cond

    ition

    ing

    units

    an

    d w

    as t

    o ta

    ke e

    ffec

    t in

    a p

    erio

    d of

    fou

    r ye

    ars.

    Whe

    n In

    done

    sian

    Min

    iste

    r Cou

    nsel

    lor

    Kas

    im a

    ssum

    ed t

    he p

    ositi

    on o

    f Chi

    ef o

    f Adm

    inis

    trat

    ion

    in M

    arch

    20

    00,

    he a

    llege

    dly

    foun

    d re

    spon

    dent

    s w

    ork

    and

    serv

    ices

    uns

    atis

    fact

    ory

    and

    not

    in c

    ompl

    ianc

    e w

    ith t

    he s

    tand

    ards

    set

    in

    the

    Mai

    nten

    ance

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    eem

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    d

  • Aug

    ust

    31,

    2000

    . Res

    pond

    ent

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    ompl

    aint

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    atio

    n w

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    titio

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    ism

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    reig

    n im

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    sui

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    nnot

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    rty-

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    ndan

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    th

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    . IS

    SU

    E:

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    Cou

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    RAN

    TED

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    [219

    SCRA 1

    92,

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    erna

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    w t

    hat

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    as

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    the

    law

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    und

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    rtic

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    I, S

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    s la

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    died

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    and

    197

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    stitu

    tions

    and

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    so

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    nded

    to

    m

    anife

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    our

    reso

    lve

    to

    abid

    e by

    th

    e ru

    les

    of

    the

    inte

    rnat

    iona

    l com

    mun

    ity.

    Whi

    le t

    he d

    octr

    ine

    appe

    ars

    to p

    rohi

    bit

    only

    sui

    ts a

    gain

    st t

    he s

    tate

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    its

    cons

    ent,

    it

    is a

    lso

    appl

    icab

    le t

    o co

    mpl

    aint

    s fil

    ed a

    gain

    st o

    ffic

    ials

    of

    the

    stat

    e fo

    r ac

    ts a

    llege

    dly

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    orm

    ed b

    y th

    em i

    n th

    e di

    scha

    rge

    of t

    heir d

    utie

    s. T

    he

    rule

    is

    that

    if

    the

    judg

    men

    t ag

    ains

    t su

    ch o

    ffic

    ials

    will

    req

    uire

    the

    sta

    te i

    tsel

    f to

    per

    form

    an

    affir

    mat

    ive

    act

    to s

    atis

    fy t

    he s

    ame,

    suc

    h as

    the

    app

    ropr

    iatio

    n of

    the

    am

    ount

    nee

    ded

    to p

    ay t

    he d

    amag

    es a

    war

    ded

    agai

    nst

    them

    , th

    e su

    it m

    ust

    be

    rega

    rded

    as

    ag

    ains

    t th

    e st

    ate

    itsel

    f al

    thou

    gh

    it ha

    s no

    t be

    en

    form

    ally

    im

    plea

    ded.

    It

    mus

    t be

    not

    ed,

    how

    ever

    , th

    at t

    he r

    ule

    is n

    ot s

    o al

    l-en

    com

    pass

    ing

    as t

    o be

    app

    licab

    le u

    nder

    all

    circ

    umst

    ance

    s.

    It i

    s a

    differ

    ent

    mat

    ter

    whe

    re t

    he p

    ublic

    off

    icia

    l is

    mad

    e to

    acc

    ount

    in

    his

    capa

    city

    as

    such

    for

    act

    s co

    ntra

    ry t

    o la

    w a

    nd i

    njur

    ious

    to

    the

    righ

    ts o

    f pl

    aint

    iff.

    As

    was

    cle

    arly

    set

    for

    th b

    y Ju

    stic

    e Zal

    diva

    r in

    Direc

    tor

    of t

    he B

    urea

    u of

    Tel

    ecom

    mun

    icat

    ions

    , et

    al.

    vs.

    Alig

    aen,

    etc

    ., e

    t al

    . "I

    nasm

    uch

    as t

    he S

    tate

    au

    thor

    izes

    onl

    y le

    gal

    acts

    by

    its o

    ffic

    ers,

    una

    utho

    rize

    d ac

    ts o

    f go

    vern

    men

    t of

    ficia

    ls o

    r of

    ficer

    s ar

    e no

    t ac

    ts o

    f th

    e Sta

    te,

    and

    an a

    ctio

    n ag

    ains

    t th

    e of

    ficia

    ls o

    r of

    ficer

    s by

    one

    who

    se r

    ight

    s ha

    ve b

    een

    inva

    ded

    or v

    iola

    ted

    by

    such

    act

    s, f

    or t

    he p

    rote

    ctio

    n of

    his

    rig

    hts,

    is

    not

    a su

    it ag

    ains

    t th

    e Sta

    te

    with

    in t

    he r

    ule

    of im

    mun

    ity o

    f th

    e Sta

    te f

    rom

    sui

    t. I

    n th

    e sa

    me

    teno

    r, it

    has

    been

    sai

    d th

    at a

    n ac

    tion

    at la

    w o

    r su

    it in

    equ

    ity a

    gain

    st a

    Sta

    te o

    ffic

    er o

    r th

    e di

    rect

    or o

    f a

    Sta

    te d

    epar

    tmen

    t on

    the

    gro

    und

    that

    , w

    hile

    cla

    imin

    g to

    act

    or

    the

    Sta

    te,

    he v

    iola

    tes

    or i

    nvad

    es t

    he p

    erso

    nal

    and

    prop

    erty

    rig

    hts

    of t

    he

    plai

    ntiff

    , un

    der

    an u

    ncon

    stitu

    tiona

    l ac

    t or

    und

    er a

    n as

    sum

    ptio

    n of

    aut

    hori

    ty

    whi

    ch

    he

    does

    no

    t ha

    ve,

    is

    not

    a su

    it ag

    ains

    t th

    e Sta

    te

    with

    in

    the

    cons

    titut

    iona

    l pro

    visi

    on t

    hat

    the

    Sta

    te m

    ay n

    ot b

    e su

    ed w

    ithou

    t its

    con

    sent

    ."

    The

    ratio

    nale

    for

    thi

    s ru

    ling

    is t

    hat

    the

    doct

    rina

    ire

    of s

    tate

    im

    mun

    ity c

    anno

    t be

    use

    d as

    an

    inst

    rum

    ent

    for

    perp

    etra

    ting

    an in

    just

    ice.

    In

    the

    cas

    e of

    Bae

    r, e

    tc.

    vs.

    Tizo

    n, e

    tc.,

    et

    al.,

    it w

    as r

    uled

    tha

    t:

    Ther

    e sh

    ould

    be

    no m

    isin

    terp

    reta

    tion

    of t

    he s

    cope

    of

    the

    deci

    sion

    rea

    ched

    by

    this

    Cou

    rt.

    Petit

    ione

    r, a

    s th

    e Com

    man

    der

    of t

    he U

    nite

    d Sta

    tes

    Nav

    al B

    ase

    in

    Olo

    ngap

    o,

    does

    no

    t po

    sses

    s di

    plom

    atic

    im

    mun

    ity.

    He

    may

    th

    eref

    ore

    be

    proc

    eede

    d ag

    ains

    t in

    his

    per

    sona

    l cap

    acity

    , or

    whe

    n th

    e ac

    tion

    take

    n by

    him

    ca

    nnot

    be

    impu

    ted

    to t

    he g

    over

    nmen

    t w

    hich

    he

    repr

    esen

    ts.

    Als

    o, i

    n Ani

    mos

    , et

    al.

    vs.

    Phili

    ppin

    e Vet

    eran

    s Affai

    rs O

    ffic

    e, e

    t al

    ., w

    e he

    ld

    that

    : .

    . .

    it is

    equ

    ally

    wel

    l-se

    ttle

    d th

    at w

    here

    a l

    itiga

    tion

    may

    hav

    e ad

    vers

    e co

    nseq

    uenc

    es o

    n th

    e pu

    blic

    tre

    asur

    y, w

    heth

    er in

    the

    dis

    burs

    emen

    ts o

    f fu

    nds

    or l

    oss

    of p

    rope

    rty,

    the

    pub

    lic o

    ffic

    ial

    proc

    eede

    d ag

    ains

    t no

    t be

    ing

    liabl

    e in

    hi

    s pe

    rson

    al c

    apac

    ity,

    then

    the

    doc

    trin

    e of

    non

    -sua

    bilit

    y m

    ay a

    ppro

    pria

    tely

    be

    inv

    oked

    . It

    has

    no

    appl

    icat

    ion,

    how

    ever

    , w

    here

    the

    sui

    t ag

    ains

    t su

    ch a

    fu

    nctio

    nary

    had

    to

    be i

    nstit

    uted

    bec

    ause

    of

    his

    failu

    re t

    o co

    mpl

    y w

    ith t

    he

    duty

    impo

    sed

    by s

    tatu

    te a

    ppro

    pria

    ting

    publ

    ic f

    unds

    for

    the

    ben

    efit

    of p

    lain

    tiff

    or p

    etiti

    oner

    . .

    . .

    . Th

    e af

    orec

    ited

    auth

    oriti

    es ar

    e cl

    ear

    on th

    e m

    atte

    r. Th

    ey st

    ate

    that

    th

    e do

    ctrine

    of

    imm

    unity

    from

    sui

    t w

    ill n

    ot a

    pply

    and

    may

    not

    be

    invo

    ked

    whe

    re

    the

    publ

    ic o

    ffic

    ial

    is b

    eing

    sue

    d in

    his

    priva

    te a

    nd p

    erso

    nal

    capa

    city

    as

    an

    ordi

    nary

    citi

    zen.

    The

    clo

    ak o

    f pr

    otec

    tion

    affo

    rded

    the

    offic

    ers

    and

    agen

    ts o

    f th

    e go

    vern

    men

    t is

    rem

    oved

    the

    mom

    ent

    they

    are

    sue

    d in

    the

    ir i

    ndiv

    idua

    l ca

    paci

    ty.

    This

    situ

    atio

    n us

    ually

    ari

    ses

    whe

    re t

    he p

    ublic

    offic

    ial

    acts

    with

    out

    auth

    ority

    or

    in e

    xces

    s of

    the

    pow

    ers

    vest

    ed i

    n hi

    m.

    It i

    s a

    wel

    l-se

    ttle

    d pr

    inci

    ple

    of l

    aw t

    hat

    a pu

    blic

    offic

    ial

    may

    be

    liabl

    e in

    his

    per

    sona

    l pr

    ivat

    e ca

    paci

    ty f

    or w

    hate

    ver

    dam

    age

    he m

    ay h

    ave

    caus

    ed b

    y hi

    s ac

    t do

    new

    ith

    mal

    ice

    and

    in b

    ad f

    aith

    , or

    bey

    ond

    the

    scop

    e of

    his

    aut

    hority

    or

    jurisd

    ictio

    n.

    The

    agen

    ts a

    nd o

    ffic

    ials

    of

    the

    Uni

    ted

    Sta

    tes

    arm

    ed f

    orce

    s st

    atio

    ned

    in C

    lark

    Air B

    ase

    are

    no e

    xcep

    tion

    to t

    his

    rule

    . [f

    ootn

    otes

    om

    itted

    ] In

    the

    pre

    sent

    cas

    e, it

    app

    ears

    tha

    t Bra

    dfor

    d w

    as s

    ued

    for

    acts

    don

    e be

    yond

    th

    e sc

    ope

    and

    beyo

    nd h

    er p

    lace

    of

    offic

    ial fu

    nctio

    ns.

    Thus

    she

    may

    not

    ava

    il of

    imm

    unity

    . She

    may

    not

    eve

    n av

    ail

    of d

    iplo

    mat

    ic i

    mm

    unity

    bec

    ause

    Art

    icle

    31

    of t

    he

    Vie

    nna

    Con

    vent

    ion

    on D

    iplo

    mat

    ic R

    elat

    ions

    adm

    its o

    f ex

    cept

    ions

    . It

    rea

    ds:

  • 1. A

    dip

    lom

    atic

    age

    nt s

    hall

    enjo

    y im

    mun

    ity f

    rom

    the

    crim

    inal

    jur

    isdi

    ctio

    n of

    th

    e re

    ceiv

    ing

    Sta

    te.

    He

    shal

    l al

    so

    enjo

    y im

    mun

    ity

    from

    its

    ci

    vil

    and

    adm

    inis

    trat

    ive

    jurisd

    ictio

    n ex

    cept

    in t

    he c

    ase

    of:

    xxx

    xxx

    xxx

    (c)

    an a

    ctio

    n re

    latin

    g to

    any

    pro

    fess

    iona

    l or

    com

    mer

    cial

    act

    ivity

    exe

    rcis

    ed b

    y th

    e di

    plom

    atic

    ag

    ent

    in th

    e re

    ceiv

    ing

    Sta

    te o

    utsi

    de h

    is o

    ffic

    ial

    func

    tions

    (E

    mph

    asis

    sup

    plie

    d).

    INTE

    RN

    ATI

    ON

    AL

    CATH

    OLI

    C

    IMM

    IGRATI

    ON

    CO

    MM

    ISSIO

    N,

    petit

    ione

    r vs

    . H

    ON

    . PU

    RA C

    ALL

    EJA I

    N H

    ER C

    APA

    CIT

    Y AS D

    IREC

    TOR O

    F TH

    E BU

    REA

    U O

    F LA

    BO

    R R

    ELATI

    ON

    S A

    ND

    TRAD

    E U

    NIO

    NS O

    F TH

    E PH

    ILIP

    PIN

    ES A

    ND

    ALL

    IED

    SER

    VIC

    ES (

    TUPA

    S)

    WFT

    U r

    espo

    nden

    ts.

    FACTS

    : IC

    MC a

    n ac

    cred

    ited

    refu

    gee

    proc

    essi

    ng c

    ente

    r in

    Mor

    ong

    Bat

    aan,

    is

    a no

    n-pr

    ofit

    agen

    cy in

    volv

    ed in

    inte

    rnat

    iona

    l hum

    anita

    rian

    and

    vol

    unta

    ry w

    ork.

    It

    is

    duly

    re

    gist

    ered

    w

    ith

    the

    Uni

    ted

    Nat

    ions

    Ec

    onom

    ic

    and

    Soc

    ial

    Cou

    ncil

    (ECO

    SO

    C)

    and

    enjo

    ys C

    onsu

    ltativ

    e st

    atus

    II.

    It

    has

    the

    activ

    ities

    par

    alle

    l to

    th

    ose

    of

    the

    Inte

    rnat

    iona

    l Com

    mitt

    ee

    for

    Mig

    rtio

    n (I

    CM

    ) an

    d th

    e In

    tern

    atio

    nal C

    omm

    ittee

    of th

    e Red

    Cro

    ss (

    ICRC).

    O

    n Ju

    ly 1

    4, 1

    986,

    Tra

    de U

    nion

    of

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es a

    nd A

    llied

    Ser

    vice

    s (T

    UPA

    S)

    filed

    w

    ith

    the

    then

    M

    inis

    try

    of

    Labo

    r an

    d Em

    ploy

    men

    t a

    Petit

    ion

    for

    Cer

    tific

    atio

    n El

    ectio

    n am

    ong

    the

    rank

    and

    file

    mem

    bers

    em

    ploy

    ed b

    y th

    e IC

    MC.

    The

    latt

    er o

    ppos

    ed t

    he p

    etiti

    on o

    n th

    e gr

    ound

    tha

    t it e

    njoy

    s di

    plom

    atic

    im

    mun

    ity.

    On

    Febr

    uaur

    y 5,

    198

    7 M

    ed

    Arb

    iter

    Anas

    taci

    o L.

    Bac

    tin s

    usta

    ined

    ICM

    C a

    nd

    dism

    isse

    d th

    e pe

    titio

    n of

    TU

    PAS for

    lack

    of ju

    risd

    ictio

    n.

    On

    appe

    al,

    The

    Direc

    tor

    of t

    he B

    urea

    u of

    Lab

    or R

    elat

    ions

    rev

    erse

    d th

    e M

    ed

    Arb

    iters

    Dec

    isio

    nand

    or

    dere

    d th

    e im

    med

    iate

    co

    nduc

    t of

    a

    cert

    ifica

    tion

    elec

    tion.

    This

    pre

    sent

    Pet

    ition

    for

    Cer

    tiora

    ri w

    ith P

    relim

    inar

    y In

    junc

    tion

    assa

    iling

    the

    BLR

    Ord

    er.

    ISSU

    E:

    Whe

    ther

    or

    not

    the

    gran

    t of

    dip

    lom

    atic

    privi

    lege

    s an

    d im

    mun

    ities

    to

    ICM

    C

    exte

    nds

    to im

    mun

    ity fro

    m t

    he a

    pplic

    atio

    n of

    Phi

    lippi

    ne la

    bor

    law

    s.

    HEL

    D:

    The

    Petit

    ion

    is G

    RAN

    TED

    , th

    e or

    der

    of t

    he B

    urea

    u of

    Lab

    or R

    elat

    ions

    for

    Cer

    tific

    atio

    n el

    ectio

    n is

    SET

    ASID

    E, a

    nd t

    he T

    empo

    rary

    Res

    trai

    ning

    Ord

    er

    earlie

    r is

    sued

    is m

    ade

    PERM

    AN

    ENT.

    It

    is

    a re

    cogn

    ized

    princ

    iple

    of

    inte

    rnat

    iona

    l la

    w a

    nd u

    nder

    our

    sys

    tem

    of

    sepa

    ratio

    n of

    po

    wer

    s th

    at

    dipl

    omat

    ic

    imm

    unity

    is

    es

    sent

    ially

    a

    polit

    ical

    qu

    estio

    n an

    d co

    urts

    sho

    uld

    refu

    se t

    o lo

    ok b

    eyon

    d a

    dete

    rmin

    atio

    n by

    the

    ex

    ecut

    ive

    bran

    ch

    of th

    e go

    vern

    men

    t, an

    d w

    here

    th

    e pl

    ea of

    di

    plom

    atic

    im

    mun

    ity

    is

    reco

    gniz

    ed

    and

    affir

    med

    by

    th

    e ex

    ecut

    ive

    bran

    ch

    of

    the

    gove

    rnm

    ent

    as in

    the

    case

    at

    bar,

    it

    is t

    hen

    the

    duty

    of

    the

    cour

    ts t

    o ac

    cept

    th

    e cl

    aim

    of

    imm

    unity

    upo

    n ap

    prop

    riat

    e su

    gges

    tion

    by t

    he p

    rinc

    ipal

    law

    of

    ficer

    of

    the

    gove

    rnm

    ent

    . .

    . or

    oth

    er o

    ffic

    er a

    ctin

    g un

    der

    his

    dire

    ctio

    n.

    Hen

    ce,

    in a

    dher

    ence

    to

    the

    sett

    led

    prin

    cipl

    e th

    at c

    ourt

    s m

    ay n

    ot s

    o ex

    erci

    se

    thei

    r ju

    risd

    ictio

    n .

    . .

    as t

    o em

    barr

    ass

    the

    exec

    utiv

    e ar

    m o

    f th

    e go

    vern

    men

    t in

    con

    duct

    ing

    fore

    ign

    rela

    tions

    , it

    is a

    ccep

    ted

    doct

    rine

    tha

    t in

    suc

    h ca

    ses

    the

    judi

    cial

    dep

    artm

    ent

    of (

    this

    ) go

    vern

    men

    t fo

    llow

    s th

    e ac

    tion

    of t

    he p

    oliti

    cal

    bran

    ch

    and

    will

    no

    t em

    barr

    ass

    the

    latt

    er

    by

    assu

    min

    g an

    an

    tago

    nist

    ic

    jurisd

    ictio

    n.

    BASIS

    : Art

    icle

    II

    of

    th

    e M

    emor

    andu

    m

    of

    Agr

    eem

    ent

    betw

    een

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    e G

    over

    nmen

    t an

    d IC

    MC p

    rovi

    des

    that

    ICM

    C s

    hall

    have

    a s

    tatu

    s s

    imila

    r to

    th

    at o

    f a

    spec

    ializ

    ed a

    genc

    y.

    Art

    icle

    III

    , Sec

    tion

    4. T

    he s

    peci

    aliz

    ed a

    genc

    ies,

    the

    ir p

    rope

    rty

    and

    asse

    ts,

    whe

    reve

    r lo

    cate

    d an

    d by

    who

    mso

    ever

    hel

    d, s

    hall

    enjo

    y im

    mun

    ity f

    rom

    eve

    ry

    form

    of

    lega

    l pr

    oces

    s ex

    cept

    in

    so f

    ar a

    s in

    any

    par

    ticul

    ar c

    ase

    they

    hav

    e ex

    pres

    sly

    wai

    ved

    thei

    r im

    mun

    ity.

    It i

    s, h

    owev

    er,

    unde

    rsto

    od t

    hat

    no w

    aive

    r of

    imm

    unity

    sha

    ll ex

    tend

    to

    any

    mea

    sure

    of ex

    ecut

    ion.

  • D

    FA v

    s. N

    LRC

    G

    .R.

    No.

    113

    191,

    18

    Sep

    tem

    ber

    1996

    Fa

    cts:

    O

    n 27

    Jan

    uary

    199

    3, p

    riva

    te r

    espo

    nden

    t M

    agna

    yi f

    iled

    an i

    llega

    l di

    smis

    sal

    case

    aga

    inst

    AD

    B.

    Tw

    o su

    mm

    onse

    s w

    ere

    serv

    ed,

    one

    sent

    direc

    tly t

    o th

    e AD

    B a

    nd t

    he o

    ther

    thr

    ough

    the

    Dep

    artm

    ent

    of F

    orei

    gn A

    ffai

    rs (

    "DFA

    ").

    AD

    B

    and

    the

    DFA

    not

    ified

    res

    pond

    ent

    Labo

    r Arb

    iter

    that

    the

    AD

    B,

    as w

    ell

    as i

    ts

    Pres

    iden

    t an

    d O

    ffic

    ers,

    wer

    e co

    vere

    d by

    an

    imm

    unity

    fro

    m l

    egal

    pro

    cess

    ex

    cept

    for

    bor

    row

    ings

    , gu

    aran

    ties

    or t

    he s

    ale

    of s

    ecur

    ities

    pur

    suan

    t to

    Art

    icle

    50

    (1)

    and

    Art

    icle

    55

    of t

    he A

    gree

    men

    t Es

    tabl

    ishi

    ng t

    he A

    sian

    Dev

    elop

    men

    t Ban

    k (t

    he

    "Cha

    rter

    ")

    in

    rela

    tion

    to

    Sec

    tion

    5 an

    d Sec

    tion

    44

    of

    the

    Agr

    eem

    ent

    Bet

    wee

    n Th

    e Ban

    k And

    Th

    e G

    over

    nmen

    t O

    f Th

    e Ph

    ilipp

    ines

    Reg

    ardi

    ng T

    he B

    ank'

    s H

    eadq

    uart

    ers

    (the

    "H

    eadq

    uart

    ers

    Agr

    eem

    ent"

    ).

    The

    Labo

    r Arb

    iter

    took

    cog

    niza

    nce

    of t

    he c

    ompl

    aint

    on

    the

    impr

    essi

    on t

    hat

    the

    AD

    B h

    ad w

    aive

    d its

    dip

    lom

    atic

    imm

    unity

    fro

    m s

    uit

    and,

    in t

    ime,

    ren

    dere

    d a

    deci

    sion

    in fav

    our

    Mag

    nayi

    .

    The

    AD

    B d

    id n

    ot a

    ppea

    l th

    e de

    cisi

    on.

    Ins

    tead

    , on

    03

    Nov

    embe

    r 19

    93,

    the

    DFA

    ref

    erre

    d th

    e m

    atte

    r to

    the

    NLR

    C;

    in i

    ts r

    efer

    ral,

    the

    DFA

    sou

    ght

    a "f

    orm

    al

    vaca

    tion

    of

    the

    void

    ju

    dgm

    ent.

    " W

    hen

    DFA

    fa

    iled

    to

    obta

    in

    a fa

    vora

    ble

    deci

    sion

    fro

    m t

    he N

    LRC,

    it fil

    ed a

    pet

    ition

    for

    cer

    tiora

    ri.

    Issu

    es:

    1. W

    heth

    er o

    r no

    t AD

    B is

    imm

    une

    from

    sui

    t 2.

    Whe

    ther

    or

    not

    by e

    nter

    ing

    into

    ser

    vice

    con

    trac

    ts w

    ith d

    iffer

    ent

    priv

    ate

    com

    pani

    es,

    AD

    B

    has

    desc

    ende

    d to

    th

    e le

    vel

    of

    an

    ordi

    nary

    pa

    rty

    to

    a co

    mm

    erci

    al t

    rans

    actio

    n gi

    ving

    ris

    e to

    a w

    aive

    r of

    its

    imm

    unity

    fro

    m s

    uit

    3. W

    heth

    er o

    r no

    t th

    e D

    FA h

    as t

    he le

    gal s

    tand

    ing

    to f

    ile t

    he p

    rese

    nt p

    etiti

    on

    4. W

    heth

    er o

    r no

    t th

    e ex

    trao

    rdin

    ary

    rem

    edy

    of c

    ertio

    rari is

    pro

    per

    in t

    his

    case

    H

    eld

    : 1.

    U

    nder

    th

    e Cha

    rter

    an

    d H

    eadq

    uart

    ers

    Agr

    eem

    ent,

    th

    e AD

    B

    enjo

    ys

    imm

    unity

    fro

    m l

    egal

    pro

    cess

    of

    ever

    y fo

    rm,

    exce

    pt i

    n th

    e sp

    ecifi

    ed c

    ases

    of

    borr

    owin

    g an

    d gu

    aran

    tee

    oper

    atio

    ns,

    as w

    ell

    as th

    e pu

    rcha

    se,

    sale

    an

    d un

    derw

    ritin

    g of

    sec

    uriti

    es.

    The

    Ban

    ks

    offic

    ers,

    on

    thei

    r pa

    rt,

    enjo

    y im

    mun

    ity

    in

    resp

    ect

    of

    all

    acts

    pe

    rfor

    med

    by

    th

    em

    in

    thei

    r of

    ficia

    l ca

    paci

    ty.

    The

    Cha

    rter

    and

    the

    Hea

    dqua

    rter

    s Agr

    eem

    ent

    gran

    ting

    thes

    e im

    mun

    ities

    and

    pr

    ivile

    ges

    are

    trea

    ty c

    oven

    ants

    and

    com

    mitm

    ents

    vol

    unta

    rily

    ass

    umed

    by

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    e go

    vern

    men

    t w

    hich

    mus

    t be

    res

    pect

    ed.

    Bei

    ng a

    n in

    tern

    atio

    nal

    orga

    niza

    tion

    that

    has

    bee

    n ex

    tend

    ed a

    dip

    lom

    atic

    st

    atus

    , th

    e AD

    B is

    inde

    pend

    ent

    of t

    he m

    unic

    ipal

    law

    .

    "One

    of

    the

    basi

    c im

    mun

    ities

    of

    an i

    nter

    natio

    nal

    orga

    niza

    tion

    is i

    mm

    unity

    fr

    om lo

    cal

    jurisd

    ictio

    n, i.e

    ., th

    at it

    is im

    mun

    e fr

    om th

    e le

    gal

    wri

    ts an

    d pr

    oces

    ses

    issu

    ed b

    y th

    e tr

    ibun

    als

    of t

    he c

    ount

    ry w

    here

    it

    is f

    ound

    . T

    he

    obvi

    ous

    reas

    on f

    or t

    his

    is t

    hat

    the

    subj

    ectio

    n of

    suc

    h an

    org

    aniz

    atio

    n to

    the

    au

    thor

    ity o

    f th

    e lo

    cal

    cour

    ts w

    ould

    affor

    d a

    conv

    enie

    nt m

    ediu

    m t

    hru

    whi

    ch

    the

    host

    gov

    ernm

    ent

    may

    int

    erfe

    re i

    n th

    eir

    oper

    atio

    ns o

    r ev

    en i

    nflu

    ence

    or

    cont

    rol

    its

    polic

    ies

    and

    deci

    sion

    s of

    th

    e or

    gani

    zatio

    n;

    besi

    des,

    su

    ch

    subj

    ectio

    n to

    loc

    al j

    uris

    dict

    ion

    wou

    ld i

    mpa

    ir t

    he c

    apac

    ity o

    f su

    ch b

    ody

    to

    disc

    harg

    e its

    res

    pons

    ibili

    ties

    impa

    rtia

    lly o

    n be

    half

    of it

    s m

    embe

    r-st

    ates

    ."

    2. N

    o. Th

    e AD

    B di

    dn't

    desc

    end

    to th

    e le

    vel

    of an

    or

    dina

    ry pa

    rty

    to a

    com

    mer

    cial

    tr

    ansa

    ctio

    n,

    whi

    ch

    shou

    ld

    have

    co

    nstit

    uted

    a

    wai

    ver

    of

    its

    imm

    unity

    fro

    m s

    uit,

    by

    ente

    ring

    int

    o se

    rvic

    e co

    ntra

    cts

    with

    diff

    eren

    t pr

    ivat

    e co

    mpa

    nies

    . T

    here

    are

    tw

    o co

    nflic

    ting

    conc

    epts

    of

    sove

    reig

    n im

    mun

    ity,

    eac

    h w

    idel

    y he

    ld a

    nd f

    irm

    ly e

    stab

    lishe

    d. Acc

    ordi

    ng t

    o th

    e cl

    assi

    cal

    or a

    bsol

    ute

    theo

    ry,

    a so

    vere

    ign

    cann

    ot,

    with

    out

    its c

    onse

    nt,

    be m

    ade

    a re

    spon

    dent

    in

    the

    Cou

    rts

    of

    anot

    her

    sove

    reig

    n. Acc

    ordi

    ng

    to

    the

    new

    er

    or

    rest

    rict

    ive

    theo

    ry,

    the

    imm

    unity

    of

    th

    e so

    vere

    ign

    is

    reco

    gniz

    ed

    only

    w

    ith

    rega

    rd

    to p

    ublic

    act

    s or

    act

    s ju

    re i

    mpe

    rii o

    f a

    stat

    e, b

    ut n

    ot w

    ith r

    egar

    d to

    priva

    te

    act

    or a

    cts

    jure

    ges

    tioni

    s.

  • Cer

    tain

    ly,

    the

    mer

    e en

    tering

    int

    o a

    cont

    ract

    by

    a fo

    reig

    n st

    ate

    with

    a

    priv

    ate

    part

    y ca

    nnot

    be

    the

    ultim

    ate

    test

    . S

    uch

    an a

    ct c

    an o

    nly

    be t

    he s

    tart

    of

    the

    inq

    uiry

    . T

    he l

    ogic

    al q

    uest

    ion

    is w

    heth

    er t

    he f

    orei

    gn s

    tate

    is

    enga

    ged

    in t

    he a

    ctiv

    ity i

    n th

    e re

    gula

    r co

    urse

    of

    busi

    ness

    . I

    f th

    e fo

    reig

    n st

    ate

    is n

    ot

    enga

    ged

    regu

    larly

    in a

    bus

    ines

    s or

    tra

    de,

    the

    part

    icul

    ar a

    ct o

    r tr

    ansa

    ctio

    n m

    ust

    then

    be

    test

    ed b

    y its

    nat

    ure.

    If

    the

    act

    is

    in p

    ursu

    it of

    a s

    over

    eign

    ac

    tivity

    , or

    an

    inci

    dent

    the

    reof

    , th

    en it

    is a

    n ac

    t ju

    re im

    perii,

    espe

    cial

    ly w

    hen

    it is

    not

    und

    erta

    ken

    for

    gain

    or

    prof

    it.

    The

    serv

    ice

    cont

    ract

    s re

    ferr

    ed

    to

    by

    priv

    ate

    resp

    onde

    nt

    have

    no

    t be

    en

    inte

    nded

    by

    the

    AD

    B f

    or p

    rofit

    or

    gain

    but

    are

    off

    icia

    l ac

    ts o

    ver

    whi

    ch a

    w

    aive

    r of

    imm

    unity

    wou

    ld n

    ot a

    ttac

    h.

    3.

    Yes.

    Th

    e D

    FA's

    fu

    nctio

    n in

    clud

    es,

    amon

    g its

    ot

    her

    man

    date

    s,

    the

    dete

    rmin

    atio

    n of

    per

    sons

    and

    ins

    titut

    ions

    cov

    ered

    by

    dipl

    omat

    ic i

    mm

    uniti

    es,

    a de

    term

    inat

    ion

    whi

    ch,

    whe

    n ch

    alle

    nged

    , en

    title

    s it

    to s

    eek

    relie

    f fr

    om t

    he

    cour

    t so

    as

    not

    to s

    erio

    usly

    im

    pair t

    he c

    ondu

    ct o

    f th

    e co

    untr

    y's

    fore

    ign

    rela

    tions

    . T

    he D

    FA m

    ust

    be a

    llow

    ed t

    o pl

    ead

    its c

    ase

    whe

    neve

    r ne

    cess

    ary

    or

    advi

    sabl

    e to

    en

    able

    it

    to

    help

    ke

    ep

    the

    cred

    ibili

    ty

    of

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    e go

    vern

    men

    t be

    fore

    th

    e in

    tern

    atio

    nal

    com

    mun

    ity.

    Whe

    n in

    tern

    atio

    nal

    agre

    emen

    ts a

    re c

    oncl

    uded

    , th

    e pa

    rtie

    s th

    eret

    o ar

    e de

    emed

    to

    have

    lik

    ewis

    e ac

    cept

    ed t

    he r

    espo

    nsib

    ility

    of

    seei

    ng t

    o it

    that

    the

    ir a

    gree

    men

    ts a

    re d

    uly

    rega

    rded

    . I

    n ou

    r co

    untr

    y, t

    his

    task

    fal

    ls p

    rinc

    ipal

    ly o

    n th

    e D

    FA a

    s be

    ing

    the

    high

    est

    exec

    utiv

    e de

    part

    men

    t w

    ith t

    he c

    ompe

    tenc

    e an

    d au

    thor

    ity t

    o so

    act

    in

    this

    asp

    ect

    of t

    he int

    erna

    tiona

    l ar

    ena.

    In

    Hol

    y See

    vs.

    Hon

    . Ros

    ario

    , Jr

    ., t

    his

    Cou

    rt h

    as e

    xpla

    ined

    the

    mat

    ter

    in g

    ood

    deta

    il; v

    iz:

    "In

    Publ

    ic I

    nter

    natio

    nal La

    w,

    whe

    n a

    stat

    e or

    int

    erna

    tiona

    l ag

    ency

    wis

    hes

    to

    plea

    d so

    vere

    ign

    or d

    iplo

    mat

    ic i

    mm

    unity

    in a

    for

    eign

    cou

    rt,

    it re

    ques

    ts t

    he

    Fore

    ign

    Offic

    e of

    the

    sta

    te w

    here

    it

    is s

    ued

    to c

    onve

    y to

    the

    cou

    rt t

    hat

    said

    de

    fend

    ant

    is e

    ntitl

    ed t

    o im

    mun

    ity.

    "In

    the

    Uni

    ted

    Sta

    tes,

    the

    pro

    cedu

    re f

    ollo

    wed

    is

    the

    proc

    ess

    of 'su

    gges

    tion,

    ' w

    here

    the

    for

    eign

    sta

    te o

    r th

    e in

    tern

    atio

    nal o

    rgan

    izat

    ion

    sued

    in a

    n Am

    eric

    an

    cour

    t re

    ques

    ts t

    he S

    ecre

    tary

    of

    Sta

    te t

    o m

    ake

    a de

    term

    inat

    ion

    as t

    o w

    heth

    er

    it is

    ent

    itled

    to

    imm

    unity.

    If

    the

    Sec

    reta

    ry o

    f Sta

    te f

    inds

    tha

    t th

    e de

    fend

    ant

    is im

    mun

    e fr

    om s

    uit,

    he,

    in t

    urn,

    ask

    s th

    e Att

    orne

    y G

    ener

    al t

    o su

    bmit

    to t

    he

    cour

    t a

    'sug

    gest

    ion'

    tha

    t th

    e de

    fend

    ant

    is e

    ntitl

    ed t

    o im

    mun

    ity.

    "In

    the

    Phili

    ppin

    es,

    the

    prac

    tice

    is

    for

    the

    fore

    ign

    gove

    rnm

    ent

    or

    the

    inte

    rnat

    iona

    l or

    gani

    zatio

    n to

    first

    sec

    ure

    an e

    xecu

    tive

    endo

    rsem

    ent

    of i

    ts

    clai

    m o

    f so

    vere

    ign

    or d

    iplo

    mat

    ic i

    mm

    unity

    . B

    ut h

    ow t

    he P

    hilip

    pine

    For

    eign

    O

    ffic

    e co

    nvey

    s its

    en

    dors

    emen

    t to

    th

    e co

    urts

    va

    ries

    . I

    n In

    tern

    atio

    nal

    Cat

    holic

    M

    igra

    tion

    Com

    mis

    sion

    vs

    . Cal

    leja

    , 19

    0 SCRA

    130

    (199

    0),

    the

    Sec

    reta

    ry o

    f Fo

    reig

    n Affai

    rs j

    ust

    sent

    a l

    ette

    r di

    rect

    ly t

    o th

    e Sec

    reta

    ry o

    f La

    bor

    and

    Empl

    oym

    ent,

    inf

    orm

    ing

    the

    latt

    er t

    hat

    the

    resp

    onde

    nt-e

    mpl

    oyer

    co

    uld

    not

    be s

    ued

    beca

    use

    it en

    joye

    d di

    plom

    atic

    im

    mun

    ity.

    In

    Wor

    ld H

    ealth

    O

    rgan

    izat

    ion

    vs.

    Aqu

    ino,

    48

    SCRA 2

    42 (

    1972

    ), t

    he S

    ecre

    tary

    of

    Fore

    ign

    Affai

    rs s

    ent

    the

    tria

    l co

    urt

    a te

    legr

    am t

    o th

    at e

    ffec

    t. In

    Bae

    r vs

    . Ti

    zon,

    57

    SCRA 1

    (19

    74),

    the

    U.S

    . Em

    bass

    y as

    ked

    the

    Sec

    reta

    ry o

    f Fo

    reig

    n Affai

    rs t

    o re

    ques

    t th

    e Sol

    icito

    r G

    ener

    al t

    o m

    ake,

    in

    beh

    alf

    of t

    he C

    omm

    ande

    r of

    the

    U

    nite

    d St