A year on, families of Manila hostages demand an apology
Source: Agencies |
August 23, 2011, Tuesday
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A YEAR after eight Hong Kong hostages were killed on a tourist bus in Manila, relatives and a survivor yesterday made tearful pleas for an apology and compensation from the Philippine government for the botched rescue attempt.
They included the mother of slain tour guide Masa Tse, who told reporters: "The Philippine government has not done anything."
The tourists were hijacked by a dismissed policeman fighting for reinstatement. Hours of negotiations for his surrender turned bloody when he opened fire, prompting police to storm the bus. He was killed by a police sniper.
Lee Ying Chuen, 37, the only survivor to travel to Manila, said she still feels angry. "We never received any note, any word of apology from the government of the Philippines," she said.
Although the government has not directly apologized to the victims, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said it had repeatedly expressed its regret. "How often does one have to apologize?" he told reporters last week.
Lacierda rejected demands for a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III. Instead, the government set up a meeting with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who said she would explain the steps it had taken to address the relatives' demands.
Hong Kong legislator James To, who accompanied the relatives to Manila, said a letter they wrote to Aquino carried four demands: a formal apology, compensation, proper accountability, and improved safeguards for tourists. They had not received a response.
Lawyer Jonathan Man said the victims' families had not discussed the amount of compensation they were seeking, but said it should be based on Hong Kong standards.
Lee said that during the 11-hour drama the hostages discussed whether they should try to subdue the gunman, but decided against it. They trusted the Philippine government to save them.
She said she and other wounded victims were taken to a hospital in an ambulance that had no equipment.
Lee also said it took weeks before eight Filipino witnesses presented videotaped testimonies for the Hong Kong coroner's investigation, and that none was a ranking official.
That inquest earlier this year concluded that Philippine officials contributed to or caused the deaths of the eight victims. Philippine Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has said that police fire did not kill any of the hostages.
No one has been charged criminally for lapses in the police operation and only one official has been fired.
Lacierda said the Philippine investigation resulted in administrative charges against four police officials and the creation of a special action force to ensure the safety of tourists.
On the demand for compensation, Lacierda said "concerned private citizens" had established a solidarity fund, but only one family had accepted the money.
They included the mother of slain tour guide Masa Tse, who told reporters: "The Philippine government has not done anything."
The tourists were hijacked by a dismissed policeman fighting for reinstatement. Hours of negotiations for his surrender turned bloody when he opened fire, prompting police to storm the bus. He was killed by a police sniper.
Lee Ying Chuen, 37, the only survivor to travel to Manila, said she still feels angry. "We never received any note, any word of apology from the government of the Philippines," she said.
Although the government has not directly apologized to the victims, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said it had repeatedly expressed its regret. "How often does one have to apologize?" he told reporters last week.
Lacierda rejected demands for a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III. Instead, the government set up a meeting with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who said she would explain the steps it had taken to address the relatives' demands.
Hong Kong legislator James To, who accompanied the relatives to Manila, said a letter they wrote to Aquino carried four demands: a formal apology, compensation, proper accountability, and improved safeguards for tourists. They had not received a response.
Lawyer Jonathan Man said the victims' families had not discussed the amount of compensation they were seeking, but said it should be based on Hong Kong standards.
Lee said that during the 11-hour drama the hostages discussed whether they should try to subdue the gunman, but decided against it. They trusted the Philippine government to save them.
She said she and other wounded victims were taken to a hospital in an ambulance that had no equipment.
Lee also said it took weeks before eight Filipino witnesses presented videotaped testimonies for the Hong Kong coroner's investigation, and that none was a ranking official.
That inquest earlier this year concluded that Philippine officials contributed to or caused the deaths of the eight victims. Philippine Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has said that police fire did not kill any of the hostages.
No one has been charged criminally for lapses in the police operation and only one official has been fired.
Lacierda said the Philippine investigation resulted in administrative charges against four police officials and the creation of a special action force to ensure the safety of tourists.
On the demand for compensation, Lacierda said "concerned private citizens" had established a solidarity fund, but only one family had accepted the money.
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