Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang on Thursday expressed hope that the Chinese territory’s relationship with the Philippines can now move forward after the hostage tragedy last August, which left eight of their residents killed after a botched rescue attempt. In a meeting with Tourism secretary Alberto Lim on Thursday, Tsang thanked the Philippine government for sending a representative to Hong Kong to reaffirm the country’s ties with the special Chinese territory.
“I am grateful for your visit. The Hong Kong people are friends of the Philippines for many, many years and we share many values. We hope that your visit will go a long way in moving our relations forward," Tsang told Lim on Thursday.
Hong Kong, just a two-hour trip by air from Manila, hosts some 160,000 overseas Filipino workers, including 23,000 permanent residents, according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas as of December 2009. Tsang also said that the search for justice for the victims of the hostage tragedy is a “common goal" of both the Philippine and Hong Kong governments. Last August 23, dismissed police officer Rolando Mendoza hijacked a tourist bus carrying 25 people, including 20 tourists from Hong Kong, in an attempt to get his job back. The 11-hour hostage drama ended in a bloody carnage, killing eight Hong Kong nationals and the lone hostage taker in a bungled police rescue. (See: Massacre in nation's heart: Timeline of Manila bus siege) Tsang earlier expressed disappointment over the Philippine government’s handling of the incident and demanded an immediate and thorough probe on the hostage fiasco. (See: China condemns attack on Hong Kong tourists in Manila) As a result, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III formed the Incident Investigation and Review Committee during the hostage fiasco’s aftermath, which later recommended the filing of charges against more than 10 police and civilian officials who supposedly mishandled the crisis, leading to the death of the Hong Kong tourists. However, Aquino ordered only administrative charges to be filed against four police officials involved in the incident, as well as Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzales III. (See: Aquino holds police liable for hostage tragedy but not Puno)
Lim: ‘We feel pain of HK people’
Lim, who was sent by the Philippine government on a “goodwill mission" to Hong Kong, meanwhile once again expressed to Tsang the condolences to the families of the victims of hostage-taking, saying that the incident was a very unfortunate event.
"We feel the pain of the Hong Kong people and the affected families over the incident," he said.
He likewise assured the Hong Kong government of the Aquino administration’s continued concern for the families who lost their loved ones during the tragedy.
The Philippine tourism chief also told Tsang that the Aquino government is doing its best to ensure that the country is “conducive and safe for foreign visitors." (See: HK tourism may rise, Tsang hopes)—With Andreo C. Calonzo/JV
