Brinkmanship

Some officials in Hong Kong seem to be engaging the Aquino administration in a brinkmanship game in an effort to extract an official apology for the hostage-taking crisis three years ago that left eight Chinese tourists dead. Those Hong Kong officials have been putting pressure on the Philippines with a series of “threats” aimed at hurting the economy in general and the thousands of Filipinos working in the Chinese territory in particular.

Early this week, legislators in Hong Kong called for the suspension of the visa-free entry of Filipinos to the Chinese territory. The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that a motion had been filed by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council proposing the withdrawal of Filipino visitors’ visa-free access. It said the lawmakers wanted to “put pressure on the Philippine leadership and the Manila city government to compensate families of eight Hongkongers killed by sacked policeman Rolando Mendoza, as well as the injured.”

On Aug. 23, 2010, Mendoza hijacked a bus carrying 22 Hong Kong tourists in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The disgruntled former police officer is believed to have killed the eight victims before police shot him dead. Philippine authorities drew Hong Kong’s anger for the bungled rescue operation.

A few weeks ago a Hong Kong political party, called People Power and described as “a radical pandemocratic group,” proposed legislation to halt the employment of Filipino domestic workers until Hong Kong receives a formal apology from the Aquino administration for the deaths of the Chinese tourists. But the proposal has been “met with reservations” by other Hong Kong officials and even relatives of the victims concerned about its possible impact on the city in general, the South China Morning Post reported. The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs was also quick to reply that the status of thousands of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong should not be used as leverage in the Chinese territory’s demand for an official apology from the Philippine government. Some 160,000 Filipinos are employed as domestic workers in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong media also reported that a Democratic Party lawmaker, Sin Chung-kai, had proposed that the Hong Kong government “stop buying Philippine products, halt negotiations on air routes and trade, and urge the public to boycott Philippine goods.”

Hong Kong has likewise maintained a black travel alert on the Philippines since the 2010 hostage-taking crisis, advising residents against all kinds of travel to any part of the country.

President Aquino himself faced Hong Kong’s demand for an apology during the recent summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Bali, Indonesia. Hong Kong journalists raised the issue in a way that upset the Indonesian organizers, and they were barred from the event for disrespecting the Philippine leader. Mr. Aquino made no apology during a meeting with Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chunying on the sidelines of the Apec summit, but again offered the Philippines’ condolences and regret over the killings.

It is commendable for the President to stand firm on the position that no national-government apology would be extended to Hong Kong because “the act of one individual should not be construed as the act of the entire nation.” The President has early on expressed regret over the killings; he has also repeatedly said that he considered the issue closed and that it was not appropriate for the Philippine government to apologize because the state was not responsible for the tragedy.

The lack of an apology and consequent payment of compensation continue to deepen tensions between Hong Kong and the Philippines. It is well to note that the Philippines, through various channels like Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, continues to work with the Hong Kong government to find a solution to the impasse. However, the issue will not be resolved by threats. As in many brinkmanship cases, the cost can be huge for both sides. It is best for those Hong Kong legislators to find a diplomatic solution to this emotionally charged issue. And the Aquino administration is correct in not engaging those officials in a tit-for-tat game.