Vinuya v. Executive Secretary (Justiciable & Political Questions)

Eileen Eika M. Dela Cruz

POLITICAL LAW

VINUYA VINUYA VS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY  SECRETARY  G.R. No. 162230, April 28, 2010 (Justiciable & Political Questions

!ACT"# $. Petit etitio ione ners rs%% eb eber ers s o' te te MALA MALA) )A LOLA"% OLA"% a non* non*st stoc ock% k% non* non*+r +ro, o,tt or-anization or-anization re-istere /it te "EC% establise 'or te +ur+ose o' +ro0iin+ro0iinai to te 0ictis o' ra+e b1 Ja+anese ilitar1 'orces in te Pili++ines urinte "econ Worl War% clai tat since $223% te1 a0e a++roace te E4ecuti0e De+artent trou- te DOJ% D!A% D!A% an O"5% re6uestin- assistance in ,lin,lin- a clai clai a-ains a-ainstt te Ja+an Ja+anese ese o7cial o7cials s an ilita ilitar1 r1 o7cers o7cers /o orere te establisent o' te 8co'ort /oen9 stations in te Pili++ines. :. ;ut o7cials o7cials o' te E4ecuti0e E4ecuti0e De+artent De+artent ecline ecline to assist assist te +etitioners +etitioners%% an took te +osition tat te ini0iual clais o' te co'ort /oen 'or co+ensation a alrea1 been 'ull1 satis,e b1 Ja+ane+arations A-reeent o' $2=? bet/een te Pili++ines an Ja+an.

I""@E"# $. Wet Weter er or not not te Executive Department committed grave abuse o  discretion amounting to !ac" or excess o discretion  in re'usin- a. to es+ouse teir clais 'or te cries a-ainst uanit1 an /ar cries coitte a-ainst teB b. to es+ouse teir clais 'or o7cial a+olo-1 an oter 'ors o' re+arations a-ains a-ainstt Ja+an Ja+an be'or be'ore e te te Inter Internat nation ional al Court Court o' Justic Justice e (ICJ (ICJ an oter oter international tribunalsB ELD# $. Petition lacks erit. Tis is a 'orei-n relations atter tat +resent +olitical 6uesti 6uestion on.. #o!itica! $uestions  re'er 8to tose 6uestions /ic% uner te Constitution% are are to be ecie b1 te +eo+le in teir so0erei-n ca+acit1% or in re-ar re-ar  to /ic /ic 'ull 'ull is iscr creti etiona onar1 r1 autor autorit1 it1 as as been been ele-a ele-ate te to te le-islati0e or e4ecuti0e branc o' te -o0ernent. It is concerne /it issues e+enent u+on te /iso% not le-alit1 o' a +articular easure.9 Tus% te autorit1 'or /ic is eonstrabl1 coitte b1 our Constitution not to te courts but to te +olitical brances (e4ecuti0e & le-istlati0e.

%& In tis case% te E4ecuti0e De+artent as alrea1 ecie tat it is to te best interest o' te countr1 to /ai0e all clais o' its nationals 'or re+arations a-ainst Ja+an in te Treat1 o' Peace o' $2=$. T'e (isdom o suc' decision is not or t'e courts to $uestion& . E0en te in0ocation o' us co-ens nors an er-a ones obli-ations /ill not alter tis anal1sis. Petitioners a0e not so/n tat te cries coitte b1 te Ja+anese ar1 0iolate us co-ens +roibitions at te tie te Treat1 o'  Peace /as si-ne% or tat te ut1 to +rosecute +er+etrators o' international cries is an er-a ones obli-ation or as attaine te status o' us co-ens. Erga omnes omnes (Latin (Latin## in relat relation ion to e0er1o e0er1one ne is a le-al le-al ter ter escr escribi ibinnobli-ations o/e b1 "tates to/ars te counit1 o' states as a /ole.

Eileen Eika M. Dela Cruz

POLITICAL LAW

 )us cogens* (literall1% 8co+ellin- la/9 re'ers to nors tat coan +ere+tor1 autorit1% su+ersein- conFictin- treaties an custo.