Manila hostage survivors, fatalities' kin arriving Sunday evening

Survivors and relatives of those who died in last year's Manila hostage tragedy are expected to arrive in Manila from Hong Kong Sunday night to mark the first anniversary of the incident. A dzBB report said the survivors and relatives of those killed are to board a Philippine Airlines flight from Hong Kong at 6 p.m. and arrive in Manila at 10 p.m. While in Manila, the relatives and survivors are to hold a press conference on Monday before marking the first anniversary of the tragedy on Tuesday. A separate report on Radio Television Hong Kong said they are to meet with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who will represent the Philippine government. Manila is to hold a ceremony at the site of the bloody hostage drama on August 23 last year. Eight Hong Kong tourists died along with their hostage taker, dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, during the 11-hour standoff. Mendoza took the busload of tourists hostage to demand his reinstatement to the police force. A botched police rescue try led him to open fire on the hostages before he was gunned down. The incident prompted Hong Kong to impose a “black" travel advisory discouraging all travel to the Philippines. As of Saturday afternoon, only the Philippines and violence-hit Syria are in the “black" list, the most severe of Hong Kong’s three-level outbound travel alert system. Earlier on Saturday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Malacañang was “hoping" Hong Kong would downgrade the advisory on the Philippines soonest. But a brother of a Hong Kong tour guide killed in last year's Manila hostage crisis wants Hong Kong authorities to ensure Manila has improved safety measures for tourists, before downgrading its "black" travel advisory on the Philippines. Tse Chi-kin, brother of slain tour guide Masa Tse, wants independent experts to assess Philippine tourism protection measures. — LBG, GMA News