Dante Corpuz was arrested and detained by members of the Philippine National Police in Quezon City on suspicion of involvement in a drug syndicate. During his detention, he was subjected to severe beatings, sleep deprivation, and threats against his family by the arresting officers. The Philippines has not ratified the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT). Corpuz filed a civil action for damages against the responsible officers before the Regional Trial Court, invoking the prohibition against torture as a norm of customary international law with jus cogens status and arguing that the prohibition is directly enforceable in Philippine courts. The respondent officers argued that since the Philippines has not ratified the UNCAT, the prohibition has no legal force in the Philippines and cannot be the basis of a domestic civil claim. Are the respondent officers correct? (Bar 2026 Syllabus)