Del Rosario resigns from First Pacific board

MANILA, Philippines — Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario has resigned from the board of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate said Del Rosario tendered his resignation as a non-executive director effective July 1 due to poor health conditions as he approaches the age of 80.

First Pacific said other constraints, such as his increased involvement  in a number of personal advocacies make it difficult for him to continue to serve as director of the company.”

Del Rosario’s resignation comes weeks after he was denied entry to Hong Kong on June 21. At the time, he said he was held for six hours before he was denied entry without reason.

Because of the Hong Kong immigration’s decision, Del Rosario was unable to attend First Pacific’s shareholders’ meeting in the Chinese special administrative region.

That in turn, came months after Del Rosario, together with former ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and a group of fishermen, filed a complaint against Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The group filed the complaint before the International Criminal Court (ICC) over China’s actions in the disputed seas.

Morales was also questioned when she tried to enter Hong Kong in May.

Del Rosario said he has no disagreement with the board of First Pacific and that there were no issues on his resignation that shareholders needed to know.

He led the Philippines’ winning case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated Beijing’s vast claims in disputed waters.

In May, Del Rosario also graced the annual shareholders meeting of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., the conglomerate chaired by tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan.