HK Lawmakers vote to pass motion to cancel Visa-free entry to Filipinos

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Families of Manila hostage victims hail sanctions vote | South China Morning Post

Families of Manila hostage victims hail sanctions vote


Families of the victims of the 2010 Manila hostage killings welcomed a vote by lawmakers in favour of a motion pressing the government to impose sanctions on Manila and cancel visa-free access for Filipinos.

Lawmakers voted to pass a non-binding motion by People Power's Albert Chan Wai-yip calling on the government to impose sanctions. No breakdown of the vote was given.

They also voted by 41 to three, with seven abstentions, in favour of former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee's amendment calling for visa-free access to be scrapped.

A further amendment by Chan's party colleague, Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, calling for restrictions on Filipino maids was withdrawn after Ip's was passed.

The votes chime with a warning by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying this week that he would impose sanctions if Manila failed to meet the demands of the families of the eight Hongkongers killed by gunman Rolando Mendoza and the seven people injured in the bus siege and botched rescue attempt.

Families of the victims of the 2010 Manila hostage killings welcomed a vote by lawmakers in favour of a motion pressing the government to impose sanctions on Manila and cancel visa-free access for Filipinos.

Lawmakers voted to pass a non-binding motion by People Power's Albert Chan Wai-yip calling on the government to impose sanctions. No breakdown of the vote was given.

They also voted by 41 to three, with seven abstentions, in favour of former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee's amendment calling for visa-free access to be scrapped.

A further amendment by Chan's party colleague, Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, calling for restrictions on Filipino maids was withdrawn after Ip's was passed.

The votes chime with a warning by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying this week that he would impose sanctions if Manila failed to meet the demands of the families of the eight Hongkongers killed by gunman Rolando Mendoza and the seven people injured in the bus siege and botched rescue attempt.

Watch: Manila bus hostage-taking incident



Survivors and families want an apology, compensation and punishment for officials involved in the affair.

"The government now has a basis to change from being passive to taking the initiative to act," said Tse Chi-kin, brother of tour guide Masa Tse Ting-chunn, one of those killed.

Tse said he would accept only an apology from the Philippine government, not the Manila city government, which has made overtures to the families since flamboyant former president Joseph Estrada was elected mayor earlier this year.

Addressing the Legislative Council yesterday, Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok cited a public opinion poll that found 65 per cent of Hongkongers supported sanctions.

"I believe the whole Hong Kong public are united and … share one common goal - that is, that all [the families'] demands are satisfactorily met," Lai said.

After the vote, Lai said Ip's amendment would "bring inconvenience" to people from both places.

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Im not so familiar with how the hk govt works... pero kaning motion to cancel visa free access... does it need to be approved by the executive pa to be enacted or will the vote mean automatic na ni siya mu take effect?

[Nefarian]

Nag hinilas jud ning taga HK. Wala man gani mi mo reklamo nga giunsa na ninyo pag trato among mga DH diha. Tawn HK that's a good news kung inyo na buhaton aron wala nami reason mo anha ug manrabaho diha.

[judge3ni]

Murag e.approve pa but then since si CE Leung Chun-ying man ga.warning so e.approve jud na.. balos pud unta ang Pinas.. sila ra diay kabalo..

[Scott Bernard]

Dah, personally bahala ang HK. Dili man pod magsakit akong dughan kung dili nako maka adto didto. Daghan pang lain nasod pwede ko mosuroy.

[Renz8]

Pagka hilas na lang wala man sad mawala sa mga Pinoy kung dili mo anha sa HK naa man SG mas nindot pa.........

[TristanE]

The law will be called The Extreme Sourgraping Law.

[kit_cebu]

Murag e.approve pa but then since si CE Leung Chun-ying man ga.warning so e.approve jud na.. balos pud unta ang Pinas.. sila ra diay kabalo..

lisud man pod boss...pila raman HK citizen diri nya turista raman...pwede rang byahe laing lugar...

ang penoy kay tua sa HK, nanarbaho man...di ka-basta2x pod balhin ang existing kay laing kwarta napod for palcement and all...

[masakiton]

sala ni sa previous admin kai wala ma tarong train ang rescue team
na mana ra ang problema

[Bears Grill]

Are we too arrogant to apologize for f_cking up a hostage crisis and costing innocent tourists their lives? There would be no need to apologize if we handled that situation as professionally as we could, even if it still ended up in tragedy. But the issue is, we bungled that situation big time and embarrassingly.

Let's take the moral high ground and apologize. We're better than this. By not acknowledging our fault in this matter, it is we who are arrogant...not them. We did not lose innocent lives in that incident, they did. If that incident happened to our countrymen, we would feel the same way.

[judge3ni]

Are we too arrogant to apologize for f_cking up a hostage crisis and costing innocent tourists their lives? There would be no need to apologize if we handled that situation as professionally as we could, even if it still ended up in tragedy. But the issue is, we bungled that situation big time and embarrassingly.

Let's take the moral high ground and apologize. We're better than this. By not acknowledging our fault in this matter, it is we who are arrogant...not them. We did not lose innocent lives in that incident, they did. If that incident happened to our countrymen, we would feel the same way.

We will only feel the same way too but all these other countries can be arrogant all they want. The reason why we did not apologiZe? Accdg to Malacañang, our diplomatic "ruined relationship" is with China and not HK (as it is only a province) Innocent HK civilians suffered the political issue between China and Phil? I could not say with certainty.

The heck with these foreign policies that undermines the emotion of the aggrieved civilians. However, they cannot be too emotional about it. They too are involved in the same system. If it happened the other way around, are we assured that we will get compensation and apology?

Filipinos are compassionate and are quick to issuing apology (i.g. Gloria's I am sorry..haha) but come to think of it, we will apologize to China? (as they are the proper party to be given such as per foreign policy)

For Philippines to issue the apology and compensate HK, such bureaucratic impediment has to be ironed-out first. Whether they/we like it or not, that's a key issue that needs to be addressed before they will get their apology and compensation. Heartless it may be but we live in a world governed by LAWS, FOREIGN POLICIES, etc.