Guest of Honor and Speaker’s Profile

Obtaining an LL.B. (Cum Laude) from the University of the Philippines in 1952, upon qualifying as a member of the Bar in 1953, he engaged in the practice of law from 1953 to the present, or a period of more than sixty (60) years, as a private practitioner, and as Solicitor General from 1972 to 1976. His practice was interrupted only while he pursued and obtained an LL.M. degree from Harvard University in 1954.

While in government principally as Solicitor General, upon designation of the President, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Philippine Delegation to the U.N. Seabed Committee and the Conference on the Law of the Sea from 1971 to 1981. In regard the Law of the Sea, he also served as Special Counsel to the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs (CMOA) during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He was awarded on June 28, 2010 the “Presidential Medal of Merit as Special Counsel on Marine and Ocean Concerns.”

While he was Solicitor General, he was actively involved in the drafting and enactment of the following:

a. During the administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos –

(1) Proclamation No. 370 issued on March 20, 1968, “Declaring As Subject To The Jurisdiction And Control Of The Republic Of The Philippines All Mineral And Other Natural Resources In The Continental Shelf Of The Philippines”.

(2) Presidential Decree No. 1599 issued on June 11, 1978, “Establishing An Exclusive Economic Zone And For Other Purposes”.

(3) Presidential Decree No. 1596 issued on June 11, 1978, “Declaring Certain Areas Part Of The Philippine Territory And Providing For Their Government And Administration” (Kalayaan Island Group).

b. During the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo — Republic Act No. 9522 enacted on March 10, 2009 “An Act To Amend Certain Provisions Of Republic Act No. 3046, As Amended By Republic Act No. 5446, To Define The Archipelagic Baseline Of The Philippines And For Other Purposes”.

His involvement in International Law matters also included serving as Chairman, Sixth (Legal) Committee, 31st Session (1976), UN General Assembly; Chairman, Special Committee (of the UN) on the Charter of the United Nations and the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization (1980); Philippine Representative to the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee (1972-1979); As Philippine representative to several multilateral and bilateral conferences and meetings which included, among others, United Nations Conference on the Law of Treaties (1968, 1969); negotiations with the US Government on the amendment of the US-Philippine Military Bases Agreement (1971-1978) and the proposed US-Philippine Extradition Treaty (1981).