Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri welcomed yesterday the Senate’s unanimous approval on third and final reading the resolution concurring in the ratification of the ASEAN Treaty on Extradition.
The Senate adopted Proposed Senate Resolution No. 623 with 20 affirmative votes and no negative votes or abstentions, completing the chamber’s constitutional role in the ratification of the treaty sponsored by Zubiri as chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
The treaty adoption, according to Zubiri, coincides with the Philippines hosting the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in November.
Zubiri explained the treaty provides a common extradition framework between all ASEAN member-states in order to more efficiently facilitate the extradition of wanted persons within the region.
He noted, “This ASEAN Treaty on Extradition allows us to have a legal basis for extradition with all ASEAN member-states even the ones we don’t have bilateral extradition treaties with. Transnational crimes flourish because the juridical powers of one country end where another country begins.”
“So by establishing a region-wide extradition framework, we are limiting the ability of fugitives to exploit the national and legal borders. Everywhere they go in the ASEAN, there will be eyes on them and no fugitive will find safe harbor anywhere in the region,” he added.
PSR 623 directs the Department of Justice (DOJ), in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other concerned agencies, to take the necessary steps for effective implementation of the treaty consistent with the Constitution, Philippine laws and established principles of due process, while also requiring Senate concurrence should the Philippines eventually seek to withdraw from the agreement.
The treaty, which received the endorsement of the DFA, DOJ, National Prosecution Service, National Security Council, Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Bureau of Immigration during Senate hearings, is seen to help build a regional justice system where cooperation moves as readily across borders as the criminals it is meant to pursue.
For the Philippine justice system, Zubiri said the agreement strengthens the ability of prosecutors, courts and law enforcement agencies to pursue cases whose suspects or convicted offenders have moved elsewhere in the region, while giving other ASEAN states a defined process for making legitimate requests to the Philippines.
