CONSIDERING ‘PEOPLE POWER’ THROUGH THE IDEA OF REVOLUTIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

Ruby Rosselle L. Tugade

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In David v. Macapagal-Arroyo, the Philippine Supreme Court referenced an oft-quoted phrase usually invoked in debates on defining terrorism: “One country’s terrorist is another country’s freedom fighter.” What follows is an inventory of contexts and individuals who have been dubbed by state authorities as terrorists, when they have been remembered more widely as revolutionaries or freedom fighters. The list includes Nelson Mandela, who was incarcerated for his anti-apartheid activism before becoming the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Today, Mandela’s imprint on international law is undeniable; the “soft law” instrument known as the Nelson Mandela Rules prescribe the minimum standards for the treatment of persons deprived of liberty.