The Philippine Embassy to The Hague will dedicate next week a sitting room at the ground floor of the Chancery to honor the memory of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Cesar Bengzon.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the move aims to recognize Bengzon for his “unprecedented achievement” after becoming the first and so far the only Filipino judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Bengzon served from 1967 to 1976.
DFA on Tuesday also said that the event, which will happen on July 19, “”will be a milestone for the international law community as several prominent international legal luminaries, including incumbent judges of the ICJ, will attend the ceremony.”
“This event affirms the recognition of the Philippines' contribution to the international legal system through Judge Bengzon and other outstanding Filipinos in the field,” said the DFA.
Other personalities to be honored are: Justice Florentino Feliciano, Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (1994 to 1995) and founding Member and then President of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (1995 to 2001); and Judge Raul C. Pangalangan, Judge of the International Criminal Court (2015 to 2021).
Citing “significant contributions” that the Philippines made in terms of international law, Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya said “Filipinos should take pride that we are not only receivers of international law, but actually shaper of it.”