President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., lawmakers and foreign diplomats on Tuesday paid tribute to the late former Foreign Affairs secretary and ambassador Albert Del Rosario, who played a key role in winning a favorable ruling for the Philippines against China from an international tribunal.
Del Rosario, 83, died on his way to San Francisco in the United States onboard an aircraft. The Del Rosario family has yet to release information on the cause of death.
“I join the entire nation in mourning the passing of former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario, an honorable diplomat and an esteemed public servant,” Mr. Marcos said in a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO)
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Secretary del Rosario, who was known for his patriotism and integrity,” he said.
The President thanked Del Rosario for his long years of dedication and commitment to serve the country as foreign envoy then Department of Foreign Affairs chief under the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III.
“We thank his deep commitment to our national interest and his unwavering devotion to our shared values,” the President said.
Del Rosario was behind two prominent legal cases against Beijing, including a 2013 case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration that eventually struck down China’s claims to most of the resource-rich South China Sea.
Del Rosario continued his criticism of China after leaving office by holding public forums organized by his think tank and writing opinion columns in local newspapers.
In March 2019, del Rosario filed a complaint against Chinese officials at the International Criminal Court, alleging “crimes against humanity” over the supposed environmental fallout of Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea.
The complaint was eventually dismissed because China is not a state party to the Rome Statute that established the court. Months after filing the ICC case, he was denied entry to Hong Kong in what critics called retaliation for his criticism of Beijing.
Speaker Martin G. Romualdez paid tribute to Del Rosario.
“Our country has just lost a consummate diplomat, a humble and conscientious public servant and civilian, and a staunch and passionate defender of national sovereignty,” Romualdez said.
He said Filipinos would remember Del Rosario for his strong and consistent defense of territorial waters and features and resources in them that belong to the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.
House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe also sent his condolences to the Del Rosario family.
“I have known Secretary Del Rosario as a true champion of our democracy and sovereignty having been one of one of the prime movers of our bid to secure the position of the UNCLOS in relation to our claims in the West Philippine Sea. While we have differed on many national issues, I have always admired Secretary Del Rosario for being a genuine statesman and a true Filipino patriot,” Dalipe said.
Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto said there was no better advocate of the country’s interests—and no braver defender of overseas Filipino workers and champion of Philippine sovereignty than the late diplomat, who he remembered as being “eloquent in speech and refined in manners.”
“Whether it was to cooperate with governments or contest their actions, he articulated our position in a convincing but dignified way, earning for him the admiration of peers, and for the country the respect of nations,” Recto said.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said he had the privilege to know and work with Del Rosario when they were both part of the Aquino Cabinet.
He described Del Rosario as a true patriot who was instrumental in winning the Philippines’ case over territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.
“He may have passed on, but his legacy and achievements are permanently inked in the history of our nation,” Villanueva said. “He will be deeply missed.”
Senator Francis Tolentino said Del Rosario will always be remembered for his consistent stand on protecting the national territory, especially the West Philippine Sea.
Senator Francis Escudero said he worked with Del Rosario during the Aquino administration, and “knew him to be a man of firm integrity and patriotism.”
Senator Grace Poe said she would hold Del Rosario in high esteem forever.
Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented the loss of an esteemed diplomat who represented the country with utmost grace, honor, and dignity.
She emphasized that it was through Del Rosario’s tutelage that the Philippines won the historic 2016 Arbitral Award, reaffirming its legitimate rights in the West Philippine Sea.
“This ruling has earned its place in the annals of international law, showing the world that we, a small country, can stand up to a global giant like China, in the name of our hard-won sovereignty,” she said.
“Secretary Del Rosario’s leadership inspired in us the courage and the creativity to fight for our national interest using lawful and diplomatic means,” she added.
“Defending and protecting our rights in the West Philippine Sea is an inter-generational battle, one we can win because of the work Del Rosario started, a work we will continue for the future of our country and our children.”
“I have rarely met such a dignified and gentlemanly person who was also perfectly capable of fighting indefatigably for what he believed in,” Hontiveros said. “He preached and practiced what he called hard diplomacy. We must carry on his fight.”
The ambassadors of the European Union, Czech Republic, Japan, Australia, and the embassy of Canada extended their sympathies to the Filipino people following the news of Del Rosario’s death.
They all agreed that the country’s former top diplomat significantly contributed to the advancement of Philippine relations with other nations.
EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron described Del Rosario as “soft-spoken,” but an “indefatigable diplomat and patriot whose role in strengthening EU-Philippines relations was critical.”
Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Jana Treybalova Sediva and her embassy in Manila expressed similar thoughts.
“A brilliant diplomat and public servant, Secretary. Del Rosario’s dedication to strengthening and deepening ties between the Czech Republic and the Philippines is demonstrated by the various key roles he played in foreign policy, especially between the Philippines and Europe.”
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippine Koshikawa Kazuhiko noted Del Rosario’s contributions to the relationship between Tokyo and Manila, as symbolized by the conferment of a Japanese Decoration last year.
He added that Del Rosario’s leadership in upholding the rule of law in the sea, “will never be forgotten.”
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu said Del Rosario “will always be remembered,” particularly for his support for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the rules-based international order.
The Canadian Embassy in Manila said that under his leadership, Canada and the Philippines collaborated to advance their “thematic priorities,” which were international law and the welfare of migrant workers.
They also worked on a “wide range of areas, including the promotion of democratic development, international security, and the promotion and the protection of human rights” during Del Rosario’s stint as Foreign Affairs secretary.
The Akbayan Party also mourned the loss of Del Rosario.
“We mourn the loss of a patriot, a friend and defender of democracy. But Secretary del Rosario was so much more than these things. He was, above all, a man who stood for what was right, exemplifying what is best in every Filipino,” it said.
“History will remember him as one of the cornerstones of our victory against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The Hague ruling in our country’s favor is easily the most significant diplomatic victory for the Philippines in recent memory. Secretary Del Rosario was a staunch and consistent ally against China when it came to the defense of our territory,” it added.
“We had the honor of standing alongside him, in both principle and in practice, on the issues of our national sovereignty and the welfare of overseas Filipino workers,” the party said.
“We will never forget you. And we will uphold your memory by continuing the struggle for a fairer, kinder, and more just nation that sheds the light of hope upon the dreams of all.”