Sri Lanka and Philippines Hold Successful Negotiations on Legal Treaties in Manila
The Philippines and Sri Lanka have made significant progress in their legal cooperation by hosting negotiations for a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and a Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TTSP) in Manila. The discussions, organized by the Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), also covered the framework for an extradition treaty between the two nations.
The negotiations concluded with both sides signing the agreed minutes, witnessed by the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Philippines, Chanaka Talpahewa. The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe (Jnr.), with key contributions from Additional Secretary (Legal) Piyumanthi Peiris of the Ministry of Justice and Assistant Legal Adviser Sanjika Kammanankada from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On the Philippine side, the delegation was headed by DoJ Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin Chan, supported by Assistant Chief State Counsel Mildred Bernadette Alvor and a team of state counsels, along with DFA officials.
The negotiations were productive, and both parties tentatively agreed to reconvene for the next round of discussions in Colombo next year. This meeting marks an essential step in strengthening the legal ties between Sri Lanka and the Philippines, promoting mutual assistance in legal matters and facilitating the transfer of sentenced persons between the two countries.
