WITH the signing of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Extradition Treaty (AET), President Ferdinand Marcos said the regional bloc’s efforts in combating cross-border crimes will be greatly enhanced and also serve as basis for greater collaborations in the future, including a legal framework on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The new treaty harmonizes the legal principles on extradition of nationals, procedures for provisional arrest and documentation, and mechanisms for the settlement of disputes and implementation of Asean members.
‘The signing of the AET will be a defining moment in our effort to bring to justice those who have acted against the law,’ Marcos said in his keynote address during the 13th Asean Law Ministers’ Meeting (ALAWMM) in Taguig City last Friday.
‘With this landmark treaty, we send a clear message to the world that we are united and that our legal foundation is stronger than ever,’ he added.
The President lauded the timely signing of the AET amid the growing threat of transnational crimes, including cybercrimes.
He said he hopes ALAWMM can also look into the ethical and legal implications of AI to ensure ‘laws can govern the digital space fairly and securely.’
‘We must also intensify our efforts to be proactive, ensuring that Asean’s growth is sustainable, secure, and rooted in human dignity,’ he said.
During the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec), Marcos supported the calls for the mainstreaming of AI to help spur global economic growth.
Marcos stressed the importance of setting up such an inclusive legal framework to prevent ‘corruption, inefficiency, and impunity,’ in society.
His administration has been using such a framework in its ongoing campaign against flood control project anomalies.
Before ending his speech, he also committed to extend support to Asean’s newest member, Timor-Leste as it prepares to join the ALAWMM.
Established in Bali, Indonesia in 1986, the ALAWMM serves as a vital platform for the Secretaries of Justice, Justice Ministers, and Attorneys-General of the Asean Member States for collaboration on legal matters.
‘Asean is only as strong as the engagement of every member, every member state, and we value every voice at the table,’ Marcos said.
‘Let us continue on this path as we make the Rule of Law the most enduring promise we can make to our peoples. Together, let us honor that promise and work towards it, united in the belief that justice and fairness know no borders in ASEAN,’ he added.