Albert del Rosario, Philippine’s consummate diplomat, 83

MANILA, Philippines — Former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario, who successfully led the Philippines in challenging China’s South China Sea claim before an international court, has died at the age of 83.

Del Rosario, who served under the second Aquino administration from 2011 to 2016, died yesterday while en route to the United States, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement that did not specify the cause of death.

“The family of Ambassador Albert Ferreros del Rosario is deeply saddened to announce his passing today, April 18,” a family statement read.

He is survived by his wife Gretchen, their children and grandchildren.

Del Rosario and his wife were on a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from Manila to San Francisco when he died.

“I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Secretary del Rosario, who was known for his patriotism and integrity,” President Marcos said in a statement.

“We thank his deep commitment to our national interest and his unwavering devotion to our shared values,” Marcos addedd.

Born in Manila in 1939, he went on to graduate with a degree in economics from New York University and later became a fierce critic of China.

Del Rosario was “a staunch advocate of protecting and advancing national security and promoting the rights and welfare of Filipinos,” the DFA said.

“He was a consummate diplomat and an inspiring leader who led the DFA with integrity and unwavering commitment to public service,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo tweeted.

Relations with Beijing soured during his tenure, which was marked by a fierce standoff in 2012 in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, a chain of reefs and rocks 240 kilometers west of the coast of Luzon.

He was behind two prominent legal cases against Beijing, including a 2013 case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that eventually struck down China’s claims to most of the resource-rich South China Sea waterway.

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, including The STAR.

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.

Generous to employees

While serving as DFA secretary, Del Rosario did not collect his salary but had it distributed among all personnel of the DFA as his Christmas gift.

Del Rosario, a hands-on diplomat, soft-spoken and mild-mannered, was known for personally overseeing the evacuation of thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from strife-torn countries in the Middle East, including Libya.

In February 2011, Del Rosario, former Philippine Ambassador to Libya Alejandrino Vicente and a small DFA team flew to Jerba, the Tunisian city closest to the Libyan border, and then proceeded by land to the border to facilitate the cross-over into Tunisia of Filipinos.

Del Rosario met with Tunisian officials to oversee the Philippine government’s efforts to bring Filipinos out of Libya in the quickest way possible.

On foreign trips and busy schedules, he preferred hamburgers and ice cream.

In November, he received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from Emperor Naruhito of Japan for being instrumental in building Japan-Philippines bilateral relationship into a “strategic partnership.”

Del Rosario was awarded Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Man of the Year in 2014. He chaired the Gotuaco, del Rosario Insurance Brokers Inc. and served as MAP president in 2007.

Del Rosario said China’s “nine-dash line” outlining its territorial claims over almost the entire South China Sea, including waters and islands close to its neighbors, is illegal and inconsistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“We hope the arbitral proceedings will bring this dispute to a legal, lasting and durable solution,” Del Rosario said after filing the arbitral case.

In a landmark ruling on July 12, 2016, the PCA invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim and reaffirmed the Philippines’ maritime entitlements. China, however, continues to ignore the tribunal ruling.

Tributes and praises

Speaker Martin Romualdez led the House of Representatives in condoling with the family of Del Rosario and extolling his achievements.

“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.

“Our thoughts and prayers go to his loved ones, friends, associates, colleagues in government and most especially to his family, at this most difficult time,” he added.

Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto said “there was no better advocate of Philippine interest, no braver defender of our OFWs, no bolder champion of our sovereignty” than Del Rosario when he was secretary of foreign affairs.

“He was 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,” he maintained.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said Del Rosario was “most vocal and firmly committed to defend our claim” to the West Philippine Sea.

“His stand on this issue must be followed by the current foreign secretary and the Marcos administration,” Castro said.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, vice chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, said Del Rosario “will always be remembered for his consistent stand in protecting our national territory, specially the West Philippine Sea.”

Sen. Grace Poe said she mourned the passing of “a diplomat par excellence and offer prayers for his family.”

“We will always hold Secretary ADR in high esteem for his firm diplomacy and dignified demeanor in fighting for the interest of our countrymen,” Poe said, referring to the late foreign affairs chief by his initials.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said he personally knew Del Rosario as his son was one of his best friends while they were studying at the Ateneo de Manila.

“Secretary Albert del Rosario was a true patriot. He loved our country, courageously defended our country’s interests and made our foreign service more active and felt,” Pimentel said.

Del Rosario also contributed to the growth of the private sector through his contributions to the insurance sector, he said.

“I thank the del Rosario family for sharing the love, time and talents of their patriarch with the rest of the nation. We will forever miss the physical presence of Sec. Albert del Rosario but we will never forget his meaningful life. God bless his soul. May he rest in peace,” he said.

Sen. Francis Escudero said he had the opportunity of working with him during the Aquino administration and knew him to be “a man of firm integrity and patriotism.”

MAP president Benedicta Du-Baladad said Del Rosario “will forever be remembered as a paragon of statesmanship and management excellence for nation-building, and for his overwhelming love of country.”

“We indeed lost an extraordinary leader, an exemplary public servant and a genuine patriot,” she added.

Independent think-tank Stratbase ADR Institute, which Del Rosario chaired, said he “personified the highest level of statesmanship, integrity and love of country that has inspired us to sustain the strategically critical advocacies” of the group.

“He has been a champion of democratic values and a rules-based international order to sustain lasting peace, security and prosperity for all,” it added.

“He believed that diplomacy is a great equalizer in international affairs and that each state had an equal voice in the global community regardless of their political, economic or military capabilities,” Stratbase ADR said. – Helen Flores, Catherine Talavera, Paolo Romero, Sheila Crisostomo