PHL woos Finland support for Miriam's ICC bid

Philippine officials in Finland wooed officials there to support the bid of Sen. Miriam Santiago to land a seat in the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ambassador Angelina Sta. Catalina made a pitch for Santiago when she met with Finnish Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Timo Soini last Nov. 11. "[Sta. Catalina] took the opportunity to present the candidature of Professor Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago to the United Nations International Criminal Court and expressed the hope that the Finnish Government will support the Philippine bid," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. In turn, Soini reportedly informed on Finland's own candidature to the UN Security Council for 2013 to 2014. Soini chairs the Finns Party, one of the largest number of seats in the Parliament of Finland. He is also his party's candidate for Finland's presidential elections in 2012. Aside from Soini, Sta. Catalina also met with Parliament's First Deputy Speaker Pekka Ravi, Second Deputy Speaker Anssi Joutsenlahti, Grand Chair Committee chair Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, and Finance Committee chair Kimo Sasi. The DFA said Sta. Catalina and Soini also discussed the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Finland at the Eduskuntatalo (Parliament House) last November 11. During their meeting, Sta. Catalina briefed Soini on recent developments, including the establishment of the resident Philippine Embassy in Helsinki in November 2009 and the active work to intensify political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries. Soini noted the strong bonds of friendship which exist between the Philippines and Finland, recalling the wedding of Finland's former Miss Universe Armi Kuusela and Filipino Gil Hilario in 1953. Pinoy community The DFA said there are close to 1,300 Filipino nationals who have integrated well into the Finnish society. Soini was quoted as saying that he has seen the successful integration of Filipinos, given their determination to adapt to the Finnish way of life, including the use of the Finnish language as well as their positive contribution to the country as a hard-working people. The DFA said Sta. Catalina also met with other key public officials in Finland, including the Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministries, the Parliament, the National Group of Finland for the Permanent Court of Administration, and academic legal experts to campaign for Santiago. In her series of presentations and calls, she highlighted the results of the Oct. 26 Independent Panel on International Criminal Court Judicial Elections, which assessed Santiago as "qualified" after its evaluation of the qualifications of all the 19 candidates for the December elections in New York. The active campaign in Finland includes presentations and meetings with Foreign Affairs Ministry Directors-General for Legal Services Päiva Kaukoranta and for Political Department Temmu Tanner, the DFA said. Sta. Catalina also met with members of Finland's National Group for the Permanent Court of Administration, with retired Justice of Finland's Supreme Court Hon. Gustav Möller, member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague member Professor Bengt Broms, and Permanent Secretary of the Justice Ministry Tiina Astola. She is also working with Members of Parliament through the so-called "Friends of the Philippines." - KBK, GMA News