U.P. Law Student Tribunal

10/08/2026

The University of the Philippines Law Student Tribunal and the Student Tribunal Appointments Council are pleased to announce the appointment of SAM V. MALANGEN as the new First Magistrate of the UP Law Student Tribunal.

Pursuant to the powers granted by the 2026 U.P. Law Students’ Constitution, the STAC convened on 09 August 2026, to select a First Magistrate among the incumbent Magistrates to lead the Student Tribunal. After careful deliberation, the Council unanimously appointed Third Year Magistrate Sam V. Malangen with due consideration to the length and quality of his service.

The full text of STAC Resolution 002-2627 may be viewed here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n7eccqi_t-9ic8Z-ZWa3eSVUvQVDuO6d/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111478486592044985232&rtpof=true&sd=true

07/08/2026

Article III, Section 3 of the 2026 UP Law Students' Constitution provides, "The Council shall be responsible for appointing members of the Student Tribunal when vacancies occur due to end of term of office, to resignation, conviction on impeachment, and any other such incapacity of the Magistrate that prevents him/her/them permanently from performing his/her/their duties."

In light of Senior Year Magistrate Aloysius Eiram C. De Guzman's resignation as First Magistrate, the UP Law Student Tribunal wishes to inform the UP Law community that the Student Tribunal Appointments Council (STAC) will convene on Sunday, August 9, 2026, to interview incumbent Magistrates for the vacant First Magistrate position.

04/08/2026

Amendments to the 2022 UP Law Students’ Constitution were proposed by the Central Board on 11 April 2026 in accordance with Art. VI, Sec. 1 and was duly ratified by the student body in a plebiscite held alongside the General Elections for A.Y. 2026-2027.

The amendments provide, among others, updated election rules, qualifications and responsibilities for constitutional officers, and fiscal autonomy mechanisms.

The full text of the 2026 UP Law Students' Constitution may be accessed through this link or through the QR code provided below: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/136nSB17GqcB2fMcW14hDqocwmVHJEIVA?usp=drive_link

30/07/2026

The Student Tribunal Appointments Council has resolved to conduct the public panel interviews for the selection of the new First Magistrate on 09 August 2026 via Zoom. UP Law students are strongly encouraged to watch and participate in the public panel interviews.

Further details will be provided in the following days.

29/07/2026

21/07/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE:

Senior Year Magistrate Luis De Guzman has officially informed the UP Law Tribunal and the Student Tribunal Appointments Council (STAC) of his resignation as First Magistrate. He will remain in the Tribunal as Senior Year Magistrate until the end of his tenure.

The transmittal of the resignation letter initiates the selection process for the succeeding First Magistrate. Further details will be posted through the Tribunal’s page.

The full text of the resignation letter may be viewed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oNm5YJaZx2sOdms2JtzMKwYc60BaC3Awxb3u5DiOmok/edit?usp=sharing

13/07/2026

Through Resolution No. 001-2526, the Tribunal formally adopted the 2026 Internal Rules of the U.P. Law Student Tribunal on 06 July 2026. The 2026 Internal Rules was created to govern the internal operations of the Student Tribunal and guide its exercise of judicial and administrative functions.

The full text of the 2026 Internal Rules may be accessed here: https://tinyurl.com/UPLawStudentTribunal

12/07/2026

The UP Law Student Tribunal sends its sincerest congratulations to Class 2026 and our former magistrates, Iloilo Campus Magistrate Michael John D. Alipio and Senior Year Magistrate Aristotle Cedric A. Baluyot!

Magistrates Alipio and Baluyot wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to the work of the Tribunal until the very end of their stay in the College. The Tribunal is thankful for all their hard work and wish them well on their journeys beyond the College of Law.

Padayon, UP Law Class of 2026!

16/05/2026

[𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘]

The International Criminal Court has publicly unsealed a warrant of arrest against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in connection with alleged crimes against humanity arising from the Duterte administration’s drug war.

The Supreme Court has not issued a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or status quo ante order preventing lawful action in relation to the ICC warrant. In the absence of such judicial relief, no political branch may create immunity where the law provides none.

Senator Dela Rosa is entitled to due process and to all remedies available under law. But due process means submitting to lawful proceedings, not evading them. Public office, legislative privilege, or so-called “protective custody” cannot be used to place any public official beyond accountability.

The Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute did not erase liability for acts allegedly committed while the treaty was still in force. In Pangilinan v. Cayetano, the Supreme Court recognized, by way of dictum, that withdrawal does not affect duties and proceedings that arose before withdrawal became effective, including cooperation in connection with investigations and proceedings already commenced.

This issue goes beyond one senator. It concerns the thousands of victims and families who continue to seek truth, justice, and accountability for the killings committed under the drug war. It also concerns whether the Senate will uphold the rule of law or allow its institutional powers to be used as a shield for the powerful.

No one is above the law. Public office is not a sanctuary from accountability.

Read the full statement below.

06/05/2026