Book on Enhancing PH Int’l Legal Cooperation Launched

26 June 2019 — Valuable information on ways of pursuing and securing international legal cooperation and facilitating efforts against criminality and cross-border crimes are now available in a book published by the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Treaties and Legal Affairs (DFA-OTLA) and the University of the Philippines Law Center.

Titled “Enhancing International Legal Cooperation: Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, and Cooperation on Transnational Organized Crimes and Narcotic Drugs (Treaties, Laws and Procedure),” the book is written by DFA lawyers J. Eduardo Malaya and Ma. Sheila Monedero-Arnesto and Department of Justice (DOJ) Chief State Counsel Ricardo V. Paras III.

The book was launched and presented by co-authors Malaya and Monedero-Arnesto to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. on 26 June 2019 as part of the commemoration of the 121st founding anniversary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Atty. Malaya is Assistant Secretary for Treaties and Legal Affairs and concurrently the Officer-in-Charge, Undersecretary for Administration. Atty. Monedero-Arnesto is Consul at the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong. The late Ricardo V. Paras III was a long-serving Chief State Counsel of the DOJ until his passing in January 2018.

In his Foreword to the book, Secretary Locsin wrote, “rigorously research, procedural approach and engagingly written, this book sheds much light on the field of study and practice most relevant in the campaign against criminality…It will serve as a handy and useful reference to law enforcement and judicial authorities that deal with criminality and cross-crimes in their daily work.”

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

This book is envisioned as a handy reference for law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and the judiciary, as well as others who are involved with or interested in enhancing international cooperation in these fields of law.

Copies of the book are available at the U.P. Law Center Book Room with telephone number (+632) 920-5514 loc. 226, and email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. END