Commiserations continue to pour into Manila from around the world over the death of one of the country’s finest diplomats, Albert Del Rosario.
Rosario, the popular and former Filipino Foreign Secretary, passed away at the age of 83.
Globally known for his international arbitrage credentials, Del Rosario was one who led the Philippines in its international arbitration case against China in the past decade.
At the time, the Filipino-Sino dispute in the South China Sea was tense and enduring, as both countries—the Philippines and China—put up a strong case to support their individual cases.
However, Del Rosario’s arbitrage dexterity, his unrelenting strides, and his perpetual shuttle diplomacy ensured that the Philippines won the legal battle over China.
His death was announced in a statement from his family. It was made public by his daughter, Dr. Inge del Rosario. She said, “The family of Ambassador Albert Ferreros del Rosario is deeply saddened to announce his passing today, April 18, 2023.” He was 83. “The family requests privacy during this difficult time.”
Moments after the news broke, Enrique Monalo, the Philippines’ Foreign Secretary, described Del Rosario in great words. He described him as “a consummate diplomat and an inspiring leader who led the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs with integrity and unwavering commitment to public service.”
Del Rosario was born in 1939 in the beautiful city of Manila, Philippines. He held various diplomatic positions including a fiver year service as the Ambassador designate to the United States.
In 2011, he was appointed foreign secretary under the leadership of President Benigno Aquino III. His time at the helm helped chart a new path for the Philippines, including the country’s legal offensive against China.
Del Rosario demonstrated steady devotion throughout the dispute and a knowledge of arbitrage, which helped to temper China’s overbearing ambitions to seize control of the disputed South China Sea region.
Del Rosario led a group of arbitrators who in 2013 presented a compelling case against China at the International Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague. He aimed to challenge the validity of China’s claim to the contentious nine-dash line in the South China Sea.
In a historic decision, the Hague-based international court rejected China’s claim, saying that the Philippines had exclusive sovereign rights and jurisdiction over all territories within 200 nautical miles of the South China Sea.
In 2004, the Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute for Strategic and International Studies (ADRi) was established to honour him. Stratbase ADRi is an internationally known independent research organization focused on the analysis of strategic interests and socio-economic and political issues influencing the Philippines and the Indo-Pacific region.
Rosario spent the remainder of his life speaking out against the Philippine government. He was regarded as a vocal opponent of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration before he passed away.
