Miriam stands a good chance of winning ICJ seat - sources

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has a good chance of winning a seat in the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) if foreign countries that committed their support to the Philippine nominee would vote for her.

Diplomatic sources said yesterday that the Philippines is hopeful that countries that gave their verbal commitments will vote for Santiago.

But sources said the Philippines can never be sure of getting election votes unless commitments are put into action.

They explained that Santiago’s strongest rival for the seat in the UN’s principal judicial organ, Jordan’s Awn Shawkasi Al-Khasawneh, is seeking re-election. Al-Khasawneh is currently the vice president of ICJ.

The Philippines has been campaigning hard to get the support of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other countries for Santiago.

A diplomat said Manila sought the support of countries during international meetings like the Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM), East Asia Summit (EAS) and the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) in Singapore last July.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo also asked the support of other countries, including Iran, for Santiago’s candidature to the ICJ.

The Philippine National Group to the ICJ nominated Santiago on July 20, 2007.

The PNG is composed of Supreme Court Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares Santiago, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Florentino Feliciano, then Integrated Bar of the Philippines national president Jose Vicente Salazar, and University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law Dean Alfredo Benipayo.

Chief Justice Reynato Puno, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Philippine Bar Association, Philippine Women Judges Association Inc., Philippine Association of Law Schools, and the Philippine Association of Law endorsed her candidature.

President Arroyo announced Santiago’s nomination to the ICJ during the ASEAN Ministers’ meeting on July 30, 2007.

Romulo has ordered all ambassadors and consul generals abroad to support the Philippine campaign for Santiago.

Should Santiago get elected to the ICJ, she will be the second Filipino to serve in the World Court. Then Supreme Court chief justice Cesar Bengzon served as ICJ judge from 1967 to 1976.

Santiago stands to be the first female Asian judge in the ICJ. She would also be the second female ICJ judge, next to Rosalyn Higgins of the United Kingdom. Higgins currently serves as president of the ICJ.

Five seats in the ICJ will be available on Feb. 5, 2009. Elections will be held at the UN headquarters in New York on Nov. 6. A candidate needs to get at least a majority vote in both the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, voting simultaneously but separately.

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The Court decides two types of cases – legal disputes between States submitted to Court (contentious cases) and requests for advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by United Nations organs and specialized agencies (advisory opinions).

Santiago is banking on her long and distinguished career in government and strong record of academic excellence to take her to the World Court.  – Pia Lee-Brago