HK, PH issue joint statement on Manila hostage crisis

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Philippine government issued a joint statement on the Manila hostage crisis on Tuesday.

According to the statement, C Y Leung, the chief executive of the HKSAR, met with Philippine President Benigno S Aquino III on the sidelines of the APECsummit in Bali, Indonesia on Oct. 7, during which both leaders agreed to work towards a mutually satisfactory solution to the Manila hostage-taking incident.

The two leaders designated Director of the Chief Executive's Office Edward Yau and Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras as their representatives respectively to address the four demands of the victims and their families, and interactions between the two sides commenced immediately thereafter, the statement said.

It said following his visit to Hong Kong on Oct. 21, 2013, Almendras returned to Hong Kong on Nov. 19, 2013 for further discussions with Yau and the Secretary for Security, Lai Tung-kwok. In the meetings, there were in-depth and constructive exchanges, and Almendras updated the HKSAR government on progress made in finding a satisfactory response to the four demands.

The statement said Aquino, having heard of the urgent need of Yik Siu-ling for surgeries, instructed Almendras to turn over to the HKSAR government an additional token of solidarity to defray the cost of imminent surgeries, citing it was made available through donations from Filipino businessmen as a manifestation of the Filipinos' humane consideration of the plight of the victims and their families, without prejudice to the ongoing ministerial level discussions to address the four demands.

The statement also said both sides are confident that through continuous efforts, the discussions will achieve the objective set out by C Y Leung and Aquino, and both sides reaffirmed their agreement to report the outcome to their people when substantive progress has been achieved.

Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung said on Nov. 5 that the city government would take necessary actions unless substantial progress is made within one month by the Philippine side in responding to the four demands of victims and bereaved families.

Eight Hong Kong tourists died after a dismissed policeman took a busload of tourists hostage on Aug. 23, 2010 in Manila. A botched police rescue attempt prompted him to open fire on his hostages before he was himself gunned down.

Following the hostage crisis, Hong Kong demanded an apology from the Philippine government, compensation for the victims and bereaved families, punishment of the officials responsible, and improvement for tourist safety.

The Philippine president has consistently refused to make an open apology, saying it is against the Philippine culture to apologize for mistake of individuals.