THE EXECUTIVE Committee of University of the Philippines Diliman opposed the nomination of Palace Spokesman Harry Roque as a member of the International Law Commission.

The ILC is a United Nations body that helps create rules and legal norms to be adopted by UN member-states.

Roque is an alumnus and former UP professor.

The university’s executive committee said that Roque “has a very poor track record of promoting, defending, and fulfilling human rights and the rule of law” especially during the tenure of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Therefore, his inclusion in the Commission would not serve its purposes but instead diminish the reputation of the body,” it said in a statement.

The committee is composed of the campus chancellor, vice chancellors, deans, directors, and other university officials.

While Roque said that he respects the opinion of the committee, he stressed that “there are some sectors who will do everything to besmirch my good name, reputation and integrity.”

“It is unfortunate that some members of the UP academe would conveniently ignore and erase over 30 years of hard work and concrete accomplishments simply because our politics do not align,” he said in a statement.

He lamented that his nomination to the ILC had been politicized.

“For over 30 years, I have been an advocate of human rights, having spent most of my professional life as a member of civil society and as a public interest lawyer representing persons and sectors who have needed to be championed,” he said.