Cebu City (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Two Chinese nationals were detained after one of them grabbed the husband of Philippine President Aquino's eldest sister by the collar on board a Cebu Pacific flight to this city Saturday morning.
Han Yang, 33, and Xxx Mailiyasi, 31, were held at the Police Center for Aviation Security (PCAS) office at Mactan Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City for at least seven hours. Authorities later decided to transport them to Manila for deportation proceedings for unruly conduct in the aircraft.
The President's sister, Maria Elena "Ballsy" Aquino-Cruz, and her husband, Eldon Cruz, did not file a formal complaint against the two men, said Senior Superintendent Arturo Evangelista, PCAS deputy director for administration.
Evangelista said Yang and Mailiyasi were among 12 online travel writers from Beijing who flew to Cebu on the invitation of the Department of Tourism to help promote the city in China.
Their 10 companions were allowed to proceed with the tour because the report filed by the airline concerned only the two.
Wedding guests
The Chinese travel writers took Cebu Pacific Flight 5J563, which was scheduled to land at 9:15 a.m. Saturday. Among the passengers were the Cruz couple, who were to attend a wedding.
Ballsy Cruz told the Inquirer that she and her husband were seated at Row 2 of the aircraft.
This was how she recounted the turn of events:
Yang and Mailiyasi kept walking on the aisle to take photos of the two flight attendants who were then conducting the airline's in-flight games.
The Cruz couple noticed that the two men appeared not to mind hitting anyone.
Eldon Cruz was prompted to tell the two to be careful not to hit anyone. He also said their camera might fall.
One of the two grabbed him by the collar and said: "Why?" And then: "Sh-t."
Eldon Cruz instinctively elbowed the man.
No security detail
Ballsy Cruz said she was initially afraid that her husband and the Chinese might come to blows.
The Cruz couple had no security detail and were traveling with a friend who was also invited to the wedding.
Ballsy Cruz said her husband decided not to make a fuss and kept quiet because he didn't want to cause a commotion in the aircraft.
It was the other Filipinos on board who expressed outrage at what they witnessed.
One man sitting behind the couple said in a loud voice that the Chinese were so arrogant and should be arrested.
"There was a Filipino-Canadian on my right who said, 'Oh, my God. Grabe siya. Why did he do that?'" Ballsy Cruz said.
A flight attendant went to the couple to ask what had happened.
Eldon Cruz told her that he had merely reminded the Chinese to be careful, but was grabbed by the collar.
Witnesses available
Ballsy Cruz said the captain of the plane apologized to her and her husband. The flight attendant also told them that they would ask airport security for assistance once the plane landed.
Someone who was taking the group to Cebu tried to explain to the couple that the travel writers were only taking photos of the flight.
"It doesn't really matter to me what they were doing, but why did he have to do that?" Ballsy Cruz said.
She did not file a complaint, she said, but added that she was grateful to the other passengers. "I could hear them telling the flight attendant, 'This is my name and number. Contact me if you need witnesses.' I didn't ask them anymore. I just said thank you."
She said she was happy that there were other passengers who saw what had happened because the story could be turned around. She added that the airline crew were also helpful.
Ballsy Cruz said that while she did not file a formal complaint, "I don't like this happening to others. I don't like foreigners treating our own citizens this way."
'Appropriately handled'
"They said they were invited, and we want tourists to come, but don't be naman feeling siga in our own country," she added.
When reached for comment, Ethan Sun, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Manila, said: "The incident has already been appropriately handled in the spirit of good will and mutual understanding by the parties involved."
Reports reaching Camp Crame indicated that Yang, 31, and Mailiyasi, 33, were being disruptive during what was supposed to be a "fun game" in the aircraft, which resulted in an altercation with Eldon Cruz.
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez said he had yet to receive reports about the incident. With reports from Ador Mayol, Cebu Daily News, and Philip C. Tubeza and DJ Yap in Manila
