FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario has resigned from his non-executive director’s post from the board of First Pacific Co., citing constraints to his role in the company from his “personal advocacies.”
Del Rosario, who last month was banned from entering Hong Kong to attend a business meeting of First Pacific, said his resignation became effective on July 1.
He said he resigned “due to poor health as he approaches the age of 80 years and other constraints, such as, his increased involvement in a number of personal advocacies which makes it difficult for him to continue to serve as a director of the company,” First Pacific said in its disclosure to Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Del Rosario is also director of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., an affiliate of First Pacific.
He is a staunch critic of the Chinese encroachments at the West Philippine Sea. He was denied entry in Hong Kong on June 19 and was sent back to the Philippines.
It was during del Rosario’s watch at the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2013 when the Philippines filed a complaint against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, citing China’s “excessive” maritime claims as embodied in its nine-dash-line policy of claiming nearly all of the South China Sea.
“Ambassador del Rosario confirmed that he has no disagreement with the board and that he is not aware of any matter relating to his resignation that needs to be brought to the attention of the shareholders of the company and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited,” First Pacific’s disclosure said.
“He also confirmed that he has no claims against the company whatsoever, whether in respect of fees, remuneration or compensation for loss of office,” it said.