The Philippine government has reaffirmed its commitment to international law and the rule of law in terms of handling inter-state relations.
Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya made the assurance as he said the government does that by recalling the valuable services of three eminent Filipinos, including Cesar Bengzon, the first and only Filipino judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in the legal institution through the inauguration of Judge Cesar Bengzon Hall at The Hague.
"The tribute we do today is significant not only for the Philippines but beyond as Bengzon is thus far the sole Filipino and Southeast Asian to have sat in the ICJ, thus underscoring the importance of equitable representation of the world's various legal systems and articulation of the experiences of developing countries," Malaya said in his remark during the inauguration of the hall on Tuesday, July 19.
The Filipino envoy emphasized that adherence to international law "leads to a peaceful and more stable world." He believed it "as law serves as guide for and often as restraint on nation-states in their relations with each other."
"International law occupies a special place particularly for the Philippines and other developing countries as it is the great equalizer in the international sphere, giving a nation-state, whatever its size, the same voice and vote as those of the superpowers," he added.
Malaya joined the ceremony, along with other notable personalities, including ICJ Vice President Kirill Gevorgian.
During the event, two other highly-acclaimed Filipino jurists were honored. They were Justice Florentino Feliciano, former Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and founding Member and then President of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (1995 to 2001); and Dean Raul C. Pangalangan, Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) (2015 to 2021).