HK apology? No way, says Aquino

[Krueger]

2/5/14

CHALLENGING CHINA. In a New York Times interview, President Benigno Aquino III reiterates the Philippines will not apologizes to Hong Kong, nor will it surrender the West Philippine Sea to China.

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – In his first public response to Hong Kong's "first phase of sanctions" against the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III made it crystal clear: there will be no apology to Hong Kong from the Philippines.

In an article in the New York Times published on Wednesday, February 5, Aquino reiterated his stance that the Philippines would not apologize to Hong Kong for a 2010 hostage crisis in Manila that led to the death of 8 Hong Kong tourists.

The article was released the same day Hong Kong's sanction on visa-free entry for Philippine government officials and diplomats takes place. Starting Wednesday red and blue official passport holders will have to apply for visas to visit Hong Kong.

Aquino told the Times that an apology to Hong Kong could create a legal liability, adding China has not paid compensation to the families of Filipino victims who died in the mainland.

In a separate statement, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said Manila has "done everything possible to resolve the issue and reach agreement."

"We call on the Hong Kong authorities to be sober and to reflect rationally on this issue," DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said. "In line with Philippine foreign policy, we are committed to protecting and promoting the interests and welfare of overseas Filipinos in Hong Kong."

Earlier this week, the Palace said it will continue to work with Hong Kong to find a solution acceptable to both sides.

Challenging China

In the Times interview, Aquino also appealed for international support against China, in the two countries' dispute over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Aquino compared the Philippines' situation to that of Czechoslovakia's in World War II. The latter lost Sudetenland in 1938 to the demands of a much stronger Germany, because of what Aquino reasoned was the West's failure to support it.

He insisted the Philippines will not surrender its territory to China.

“If we say yes to something we believe is wrong now, what guarantee is there that the wrong will not be further exacerbated down the line?” he was quoted by the article as saying.

He added, “At what point do you say, ‘Enough is enough’? Well, the world has to say it — remember that the Sudetenland was given in an attempt to appease Hitler to prevent World War II.”

The Times called Aquino's statement "among the strongest indications yet of alarm among Asian heads of state about China's military buildup and territorial ambitions."

As early as 2012, Aquino warned his country's neighbors they should fear Beijing's growing aggressiveness over its claims in the South China Sea. At that time, Manila and Beijing were locked in a standoff over Scarborough, a group of islands in the South China Sea.

China uses the 9-dash line, a demarcation mark, to claim virtually the whole South China Sea.

The 9-dash line overlaps with the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippines has the sovereign rights to explore and exploit, and conserve and manage natural resources, among others, within its EEZ.

 

[Raphael]

This is to be entirely expected. A race that is incapable of feeling shame obviously has no intention of expressing remorse.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

I'm going to go and bully my Filipino maid now.

Just kidding.

Chinese territory is Chinese territory, nothing that the Philippines (or anyone else) does or says will ever change that.

 

[Krueger]

Reasons why the Philippines won't apologize to Hong Kong

February 5, 2014

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration is adamant in its refusal to formally apologize to Hong Kong over the Manila hostage crisis in 2010, saying the the Philippines' expression of regret is enough.

The issue is brought to the fore anew following Hong Kong's termination of Philippine officials' 14-day visa-free access. Ordinary Filipinos, meanwhile, are spared from the diplomatic sanctions which take effect starting Wednesday, but some observers say that the Chinese city can still impose further penalties if demands continue to be ignored by the government.

But why does the government refuse to apologize for the botched police rescue attempt at Quirino Grandstand?

In an interview with The New York Times on Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino III said a formal apology from him would create a legal liability for Manila.

China, for its part, had neither compensated Filipino families left by victims who have died in past years' incidents in the mainland, he said.

Aquino's statement somewhat confirms a senior Beijing diplomat's views as reported by the South China Morning Post.

"(President Aquino) is afraid that once he makes an apology, the Hong Kong victims' families, who also have a strong legal sense, will take action to sue the government for misconduct and seek compensation. That would be a big burden for a poor country," the senior diplomat, who requested anonymity, said.

"President Aquino has a strong sense of legal awareness because many of his officials are lawyers," he added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stressed that the Philippines is a "sovereign nation" and is not prepared to consider Hong Kong government's demands upon revival of the negotiations.

"Our Nation has already expressed its deepest regret and condolences over the incident and we are preparing to reiterate this," Foreign Affairs assistant secretary Raul Hernandez said.

DFA also feels the issue has met "substantive closure" three years ago before the administration of current Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying.

"A renewed appeal for compassion was directly made to our government last October 2013. We responded to this appeal without equivocation and in a most generous manner," Hernandez said.

Hong Kong's demands

The expired deadline for the Philippines to meet the demands of the Hong Kong body and the victims led to the imposition of visas.

Leung said that Manila has not expressed any desire to extend the deadline, signifying that it has no plans to grant the following:

1. An apology from Aquino
2. Compensation for survivors, their families and the families of the deceased in amounts greater than the Philippine government's compensation for families of killed Filipino soldiers.
3. Local officials involved in the failed rescue operation be held accountable

Filipino businessmen, however, have donated huge sums for the Hong Kong families "as a manifestation of the Filipinos' humane consideration of the plight of victims."

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras flew to the Chinese region in November to hand over the amount to Yik Siu Ling, one of the survivors.

Yik needed an urgent survey that would cost P2.28 million--the first payout from the Philippines in connection with the 2010 tragedy.

Hernandez added that further recompense is being extended to the families of the victims.

"To bring the issue to its final conclusion, the Philippines remains committed to manifest compassion for the victims and their families and is ready to turn over the additional tokens of solidarity from the Filipino people," Hernandez said.

"We hope that we will be able to do this as soon as possible," he added.

 

[Zero_wing]

Filipino businessmen, however, have donated huge sums for the Hong Kong families "as a manifestation of the Filipinos' humane consideration of the plight of victims."

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras flew to the Chinese region in November to hand over the amount to Yik Siu Ling, one of the survivors.

Yik needed an urgent survey that would cost P2.28 million--the first payout from the Philippines in connection with the 2010 tragedy.

Hernandez added that further recompense is being extended to the families of the victims.

"To bring the issue to its final conclusion, the Philippines remains committed to manifest compassion for the victims and their families and is ready to turn over the additional tokens of solidarity from the Filipino people," Hernandez said.

"We hope that we will be able to do this as soon as possible," he added.

And yet they continue to politicized the whole thing and fail to act on their own short comings face it its not about justice anymore its about covering their own arrogant racist blunders and to save their individual political futures heck if this city was interested in justice they should sack their own stupid politicians and police for not helping and protecting foreign workers and denying what is due to workers and their families denying basic humanitarian Courtesies etc we say get off your high horse arrogant jerks