WHEREAS, the United Nations General Assembly at its session in 1999 shall be electing five (5) judges to fill up vacant seats in the International Court of Justice;

WHEREAS, the Philippines is interested in putting up a candidate to the lone vacant seat for Asia, now held by Sri Lanka;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to create an interim body to select the Philippine candidate, to enable him/her to gain an early start in the campaign;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby create an interim body to select the Philippine candidate to the International Court of Justice at Elections in 1999. The interim body shall be composed of the following:

Secretary of Foreign Affairs	- Chairman
Secretary of Justice	- Member
President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines	- Member

Done in the City of Manila, this 10^th day of FEBRUARY, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety nine.

(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
President of the Philippines

By the President:
(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary