"State responsibility" was originally conceived as a set are starting to question the competency of their own
of international rules governing States' international States in their efforts to address the crisis.
obligations in their relations with other States. A
In Philippine setting alone, the people are not
State's primary obligation is to pay compensation or
convinced about the seriousness of the governments’
make reparation for injuries suffered by nationals of
efforts in its response to the rising cases of the virus.
other States. From an injured State's point of view,
Since its inception, the administration had even tried
State responsibility represented the State's power to
to downplay the hysteria as the Filipinos scrambled
protect its citizens outside its national boundaries or a
for protective, medical and sanitation equipment. The
State's exercise of its right and duty to do so. A State
President, himself, attempted to allay fears in early
was traditionally empowered to extend its diplomatic
February saying there was “nothing really to be
protection to its Citizens or nationals wherever they
scared of.” A month later, after much prodding, he
might be located, including another State's territory.
was then persuaded to ban all tourists from entering
Conversely, a State's exercise of diplomatic protection
the country.
vis-a-vis an offending State was predicated upon the
offending State's failure to meet the minimum Moreover, the militaristic fashion that the
international standard for "the treatment of aliens. government employed to implement quarantine
protocols across the country is appalling. It has
However, beginning 1975, the scope of State
become a public knowledge how the government
responsibility law has expanded far beyond the
took advantage of the whole pandemic situation to
traditional notion. The current notion of State
sow fear among the people. Some military personnel
responsibility has become a comprehensive regime of
were even reported to have committed abuses while
the law of obligations, covering general principles of
on their post.
States' international responsibility, 'including primary
rules that establish all types of internationally But what’s very infuriating is that instead of focusing
wrongful acts attributable to a State and secondary its efforts on COVID response, the administration took
rules that flow as a legal consequence from a State's the opportunity to get back on those in the
breach of an international obligation, regardless of its opposition. It started with the conviction of Maria
origin. Resa of Rappler, the passing of the Anti-Terror Bill into
a Law, and the shutting down of the biggest network
State responsibility has progressed over time. From
in the country, the Abs-Cbn.
the notion of a special regime of State responsibility
for injuries suffered by aliens on a State's territory, Obviously, the crisis, which left the Filipino people
State responsibility has evolved into a comprehensive grasping at straws, was due to the lack of priority of
system of international responsibility of a State, the government, putting their personal vendetta over
regardless of whether aliens or individuals are their responsibility to contain the virus at its early
involved and regardless of injuries. (Sompong stages. To add, the Health Secretary seemed to be in
Sucharitku, 1996) complete denial of the real situation that the country
is facing with the spike of cases. At multiple occasions,
The current situation brought about by the Covid-19
he was reported to have claimed that the country has
had, certainly, precipitated a clamor for
already flattened the curve but then later due to the
accountability. Evidently, the pandemic had continued
negative feedback of the people he was compelled to
to make a crippling effect on every nations’ economic
retract his erroneous and self-preserving statements.
resources and health systems. The virus has been
spreading like wildfire globally, collapsing health Undoubtedly, the negligence of the authorities in
systems, causing many avoidable premature deaths failing to keep up with the preventive measures of its
and much avoidable illness, and wrecking nations' neighboring countries and grossly underestimating
economies and fiscal positions. Now, the people the virus has caused the more and more burden to the
around the globe are asking for answers and whole Filipino nation.
culpability, apparently, the easiest target is not only
China, but also their respective governments. People
