Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, along with Filipino judges and SC officials, recently participated in major international meetings in Singapore to strengthen cooperation among countries in protecting children involved in cross-border disputes.
Joining Justice Lazaro-Javier were other members of the SC Committee on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns: Court of Appeals Associate Justice Angelene Mary W. Quimpo-Sale; Judge Sita Jose Clemente, Branch 16, Regional Trial Court (RTC), Malolos City, Bulacan; Judge Maria Josefina G. San Juan-Torres, Branch 79, RTC, Morong, Rizal; Judge Sittie Laarni R. Umpa, Branch 9, RTC, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur; SC Deputy Clerk of Court and Judicial Reform Program Administrator Atty. Laura C.H. Del Rosario; and SC lawyers Atty. Marchellene B. Caday-Atitiw and Atty. Edrea Jean V. Ramirez.
4th IHNJ Global Meeting
The Philippine delegation attended the 4th Global Meeting of the International Hague Network of Judges (IHNJ), held in Singapore from May 19 to 21, 2025. They joined more than 50 judges from 34 member countries of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) to share updates and best practices on protecting children in cross-border cases.
The meeting had 18 sessions with expert presentations from 20 countries, including the Philippines.
Judge Clemente highlighted key Philippine developments, including Department of Justice Circular No. 010 issued in February 2022 to speed up the return of children wrongfully taken or kept abroad. It outlines the roles of agencies and encourages mediation and voluntary return. The SC also issued A.M. No. 22-09-15-SC in October 2022 to implement the Hague Convention on Child Abduction, ensuring quick judicial action in these cases.
The SC also updated its Rule on Family Mediation in November 2024 to include international child abduction cases among those that can be resolved through family mediation. The Rule also mandates mediation in cross-border cases involving child support, custody, visitation, guardianship, and other civil matters related to children between Filipinos and citizens of other ASEAN countries.
Justice Quimpo-Sale co-moderated a session on the various roles of IHNJ judges, alongside Judge Hiram Puig-Lugo of the United States. Topics included direct communication between judges of different countries and how to handle simultaneous asylum and return proceedings.
HCCH Judicial Roundtable, 3rd ASEAN Family Judges Forum
On May 22, 2025, the Philippine delegation also attended the HCCH Judicial Roundtable and the 3rd ASEAN Family Judges Forum, held at the Supreme Court of Singapore. It was the first joint forum between IHNJ judges and ASEAN family court judges, with 65 participants.
Justice Lazaro-Javier, Co-Chairperson of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ) Working Group on Cross-Border Disputes Involving Children (WG CBDIC), presented alongside Justice Teh Hwee Hwee, Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts of Singapore. They gave an overview of the Working Group’s initiatives.
Justice Lazaro-Javier explained that the CACJ had adopted a common set of values and principles for resolving cross-border child cases in ASEAN, which support international standards, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Hague Convention on Child Abduction.
She also discussed the Country Profile tool, which maps out each country’s mediation options and processes—from the time a child is taken abroad to the final court decision. The country profiles enable the WG CBDIC to identify areas where member countries may require assistance or training. Additionally, the Resource Page for Mediation helps parents and legal representatives find qualified mediators in ASEAN countries and understand each country’s mediation process.
Justice Lazaro-Javier then highlighted the Code of Ethics for Mediators under the Working Group, which ensures that mediation is done with fairness, competence, and the child’s best interests in mind. It promotes trust, confidentiality, and neutrality in cross-border cases.
She underscored the Philippines’ support for the CACJ’s initiatives, noting the country’s contribution to the Compendium of Agreed Frameworks, which outlines the ethical and procedural standards for cross-border family cases. She shared that accredited family mediators in the Philippines will also be listed on the ASEAN Judiciaries’ Portal so they can be quickly appointed when such disputes arise.
Justice Lazaro-Javier expressed confidence that the participants’ combined expertise and commitment will help build a better, more responsive justice system for children facing cross-border family disputes.
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, Co-Chairperson of the ASEAN Chief Justices Working Group on Cross-Border Disputes Involving Children (WG-CBDIC), delivers a report on May 22, 2025, at the HCCH Judicial Roundtable and 3rd ASEAN Family Judges Forum at the Supreme Court of Singapore. (Photo courtesy of the Office of SC Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier)
11th Meeting of CACJ Working Group on the Cross-Border Disputes Involving Children
On May 23, 2025, Justice Lazaro-Javier and Justice Teh presided over the 11th Meeting of the CACJ WG CBDIC, held at the Family Justice Courts of Singapore. The members discussed possible topics for the 4th ASEAN Family Judges Forum on Therapeutic Justice, such as restorative approaches to improve family relationships, sharing of best practices from member countries, and case studies on how these best practices and restorative approaches are applied.
They also proposed developing a shared, non-binding ASEAN perspective on therapeutic justice to guide future work on cross-border family disputes. (Press release courtesy of the SC Office of the Spokesperson)
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier (front row, sixth from right) and Court of Appeals Associate Justice Angelene Mary W. Quimpo-Sale (front row, fourth from right) with other ASEAN representatives at the 11th Meeting of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices Working Group on Cross-Border Disputes Involving Children, held on May 23, 2025, at the Family Justice Courts of Singapore. (Photo courtesy of the Office of SC Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier)
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier (center), together with Justice Teh Hwee Hwee, Presiding Justice of the Family Justice Courts of Singapore (second from right), presides at the 11th Meeting of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices Working Group on Cross-Border Disputes Involving Children, held on May 23, 2025, in Singapore. (Photo courtesy of the Office of SC Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier)
Originally published by the Supreme Court Public Information Office.
