PHL, HK officials to discuss Manila hostage fiasco

Nearly four months after the bloody Manila hostage crisis that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead, Philippine Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim will try to smooth the country's relations with Hong Kong by meeting with its Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, on Thursday. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Lim is now on a "goodwill mission" in Hong Kong and will meet with Tsang and other officials to "reaffirm the close ties" between the Philippines and China's special administrative region. "During the meeting, Secretary Lim will personally convey to Chief Executive Tsang the solidarity felt by the Filipino people with the families of the victims of the tragedy. He will also inform Chief Executive Tsang of the measures taken to enhance the safety of tourists in the Philippines," the DFA said in a statement posted on its website Wednesday. The DFA said Lim will also inform Tsang of the progress in the administrative and criminal cases filed against law enforcers and several government officials accused of bungling the negotiations. It said Lim will also assure Tsang of the Philippine government's continued cooperation in the Hong Kong government's inquiry, through its Coroner's Office, on the August 23 incident. The Aug. 23 incident strained ties between the Philippines and Hong Kong, with Hong Kong issuing a black travel advisory discouraging travel to the Philippines. Last Dec. 13, Hong Kong updated its black travel advisory, this time citing terrorist threats. The DFA said the Dec. 13 update was not a new black advisory. The DFA said Lim's goodwill mission will reaffirm the "close friendship, forged many years ago, and productive relations, founded on important historical ties, dynamic people-to-people exchanges and a solid economic partnership, being enjoyed by the peoples and governments of Hong Kong and the Philippines." The hostage-taker, dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza, was killed in an assault by a police SWAT team. - KBK, GMANews.TV