The Judiciaries of Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines are looking to broaden their cooperation beyond judicial education and training towards a wider institutional partnership.
The development was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Supreme Court Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Alexander G Gesmundo on August 31.
Chief Justice Gesmundo was in Brunei Darussalam from August 29 to 31 for a working visit at the invitation of Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Chong. The visit was his first official visit to Brunei Darussalam and included a delegation from the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA).
The two Chief Justices discussed progress since their meeting in Manila in February, particularly the formalisation of cooperation in judicial education and training.
The discussions included the Working Proposal for the Implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Judicial Education and Training Unit (JET) of the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam and PHILJA on August 30.
The proposal sets out practical areas for cooperation and provides a basis for developing specific bilateral activities.
As part of the MOU’s implementation, the respective focal points are expected to identify priority areas and conduct an initial bilateral roundtable or knowledge exchange.
The two Judiciaries also discussed the possibility of developing a separate MOU between the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam and the Supreme Court of the Philippines to establish broader institutional cooperation.
The JET–PHILJA MOU, signed on August 30, provides a framework for judicial education, professional exchange, capacity-building, sharing of educational resources and collaborative initiatives.
Following the bilateral meeting, Chief Justice Gesmundo and his delegation visited the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Faculty of Law at Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA).
The working visit builds on the engagement between the two Chief Justices earlier this year, progressing from initial discussions on cooperation to the signing of the JET–PHILJA MOU and now towards its practical implementation and a potential broader institutional partnership.
The Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam said the engagement reflects the commitment of both Judiciaries to developing meaningful and substantive cooperation through the exchange of knowledge, experience and best practices.
The two Judiciaries also look towards strengthening professional relationships among judges, judicial officers and court personnel of both countries through long-term cooperation.