37. Mr. President, distinguished Members of the Tribunal, all that remains for me to do is to say thank you. First, I wish to thank our counsel. The Philippines could not have entrusted this case, our fate, to more skilled, principled and determined Professionals.
I know they share the Philippines’ firm conviction about the need to uphold the international rule of law as the bedrock of peace, order and stability in our world.
38. Second, I wish to thank the most able personnel of the Permanent Court of Arbitration who have provided all of us with the diligent assistance that has made these proceedings run so smoothly. We know none of this would have been possible without them.
39. And finally, Mr. President, distinguished Members of the Tribunal, on behalf of our President, Benigno S. Aquino III, on behalf of myself and on behalf of all the Filipino people, I wish to humbly thank each of you for the care, dedication, wisdom and courage with which you have conducted these proceedings.
We confidently entrust our fate, the fate of the region and, indeed, the fate of the Convention to you. We know that in your capable hands, the rule of law will not be reduced to the quaint aspiration of a time now past, but rather will be accorded the primacy that the founders of the United Nations and the drafters of UNCLOS envisioned.
40. Mr. President, Distinguished Members of the Tribunal, we proffer to you our deepest gratitude. May I now ask that you kindly invite the Honorable Solicitor General to the lectern to present the final Submissions of the Philippines. Thank you once again.
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