Last February 5, the territory of Hongkong shall have begun the first of what it says is a series of sanctions for the Philippines that is expected to ‘convince’ the Philippine President to announce this country’s apology for the Luneta hostage- taking incident of 2010 that killed 8 Hongkong nationals and hurt 7 more, also from that Chinese territory.
Though the Philippine government has tried to apologize in various ways ( apologies by Mayor Erap of Manila and Vice Pres. Binay), it is still the official apology of the Philippine President which Hongkong officials demand.
At present, Pinoys are allowed to stay in Hongkong for 15 days without visa. 700 to 800 government officials including diplomats are reported to visit Hongkong every year on the visa- free system.
Relations between Hongkong and the Philippines have been testy after the 2010 incident. A big number of kababayans working in Hongkong have advised and even pleaded with the President to heed the demand of the Chinese in extending the nation’s apologies as a sincere gesture of deepest sympathies and likewise to repair relations between Hongkong and Manila.They were afraid that their jobs will be negatively affected as the incident, of which negotiations and aftermath were broadcast ‘live’ on Philippine radio and television incensed Hongkong residents because of the ‘inefficient’ way the incident was dealt with by local authorities. Meantime, the City of Manila, upon the unanimous vote of the city council authorized the Manila Mayor to extend the city’s apologies since the incident took place within the city. Hongkong was not assuaged. Earlier on, our Vice President wished to meet with Hongkong’s high officials to send in the country’s regrets. He was not given the honor of meeting with the highest official, though. At least one of the living victims has received a compensation package from government (through a donation from a Fil- Chinese businessman) as a form of amends. Early on, the Philippine government also shouldered burial and hospitalization expenses for victims.
Why is Hongkong so adamant to seek an apology from the mouth of our President? Tayo mismo daw suffered the loss of many countrymen in a number of countries because of incidents of crime, rebellions or other forms of anarchy- we did not ask for any President’s apology on those incidents. I am also not aware of any country asking for this kind of redress when any of their nationals die or are victimized by lawlessness.
Many therefore suspect that the continued demand is China- inspired to embarrass and belittle the whole country. Hongkong is a Chinese territory and though it may act autonomously in many ways, it also has a duty to do what mainland China bids. Up to now, tension is high between this country and ours due to the sea dispute both are involved in (together with some more Asian nations) and many have taken note of ‘little’ forms of harassment done by China to its smaller co competitors in the ‘ownership’ of parts of the waters surrounding the involved countries’ boundaries.
But the President and his government are not jumping in fear at this form of bullying. At stake here after all, is our pride and dignity as a nation.
The Luneta incident was an unfortunate one that caused pain and sadness to victims- families of those who died, victims who lived and their loved ones, too. We felt sad for them, too for the loss of lives and the trauma it has caused victims- no one would want to see a fellowman going through such terror and eventually getting killed in the end.
But rationality insists that the incident was not instigated by our government or this nation- it was the creation of one deranged individual. Police action may not have been effective but the wish to put an acceptable solution to negotiations with the hostage- taker was evident. Everyone prayed for an ending without bloodshed. But the unfortunate happened.
We advise Pinoys to find other alternative places to seek work in or tour to.
I don’t think PNoy and the government will buckle down to mouth the Hongkong apology. Not when China has started occupying the islands around the China Sea. And not even when China authorized its patrol boats to stop any non- China vessel from entering what it says are China waters.
And when the nation is strongly behind his decision. The public support became evident in the recent Social Weather Stations findings from a study made in December of last year where 81% of respondents supported the Philippine decision to challenge China’s territorial claims and to allow an arbitration body of the United Nations to officially settle the waters dispute.
And though I was not a respondent in this survey, I too, strongly agree.
THANK YOU, TORONTO!
