Hong Kong has finally made good on their threat to impose economic sanctions on the Philippines and cancel the visa-free access for Filipinos three years after the deaths of eight Hong Kong nationals touring the Philippines back in 2010.
President BS Aquino: Covering for his friends who bungled the hostage crisis?
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There are Filipinos who strongly support the notion that the whole country should not be punished for the act of one homicidal maniac. But is it really just the fault of one man? Not according to the official reports conducted by the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC).
Let us cut to the chase. The Philippine government is currently in no position to play games when it comes to dealing with any of its ASEAN neighbors especially since the Philippines is still very much dependent on Filipino overseas foreign workers to sustain its economy. After all, Hong Kong is temporary home to some 100,000 Filipino domestic helpers and is still one of the favorite holiday and shopping destinations of the Filipino people not just for its proximity and affordability but also for its sights and sounds. If Filipinos do not want to be “bullied”, they should not put themselves in a position where the other party has the upper hand.
Unfortunately, the patience of lawmakers on the island on China’s south coast have finally run out after waiting for three years for a formal apology from the Philippine government. Hong Kong lawmakers must have thought that their issuance of a top-level black travel alert for the Philippines was not enough to compel the Philippine President to consider admitting the country’s shortfall during the botched hostage rescue operations. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada’s apology was apparently also not enough to pacify the angry Hong Kong lawmakers and particularly the family of the victims.
Fatal incompetence: Manila SWAT team in action in 2010
The members of the Manila SWAT team who complained about not being able to see inside the bus to assess the situation because they did not even have flashlights, were “not only ill equipped but they were not trained in different kinds of situations”:
There was lack of equipment on the part of Manila SWAT to handle the situation. Although they had their basic weapons such as their armor vest (the effectiveness [of which] are already in deep question), their rifles, pistols and Kevlar helmets but still by standards, these are not adequate to address the hostage crisis situation. It is very evident that they were not even carrying with them flashlights but all of the time they were reporting and complaining that the interior of the bus was dark. The lack of equipment already put the breaching operation into a compromise. The element of surprise was gone that resulted into a stall that lasted for sometime thereby endangering lives. The doubt regarding the effectiveness of their armor vest contributed to the apprehension of the SWAT members to rush inside the bus during the assault.
The Manila SWAT was not only ill equipped but they were not trained in different kinds of situations. In fact they had to rehearse on the very day of the hostage situation. The trainings of the Manila SWAT as provided by the Manila Police District are not updated and simulated operations were conducted, if ever conducted, was a long time ago. They don’t even know the serial numbers of their guns at an instant query. They train on their own personal account. Skill acquired through trainings diminishes after some time and needs to be constantly updated.
Overstepped the bounds of responsible journalism: Erwin Tulfo
Filipinos who are crying foul over Hong Kong’s economic sanctions on the Philippines should read the IIRC report. It is easily accessible through the Internet even by the relatives of the eight Hong Kong tourist and Hong Kong lawmakers who have the power to make life for Filipinos who want to work and visit Hong Kong very difficult. The report highlighted the insensitivity and negligence on the part of then Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. Here are some excerpts:
Former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim with President BS Aquino in happier times
Mayor Alfredo Lim
As Chairman of the local CMC which exercised jurisdiction over the crisis incident, Mayor Lim failed to properly activate the CMC and render it fully functional to respond to the crisis as required under existing protocol. Based on existing guidelines, the CMC is charged with the responsibility “to take decisive action in emergency situations” and to integrate and orchestrate “government, military/ police and public efforts towards the prevention and control of (the) crisis incident” (4.3.1, 4.3.3, Crisis Management Manual).
Mayor Lim failed to observe the appropriate degree of attention required by the gravity and highly-volatile nature of the crisis, involving the hostage-taking of 21 foreign nationals, 3 Filipinos and one local Chinese by a fully-armed and distressed police officer, evincing gross failure to accord due importance to his role and responsibilities as head of the CMC in addressing the crisis.
As head of the CMC, Mayor Lim’s conduct bespeaks of a weak, if not anemic, response to the hostage-taking crisis, unmindful of its gravity and the urgency of its resolution as every moment of delay in ending the crisis increases the risk to the safety of the hostages, mostly foreign nationals, and the damage to the image of the country before the international community.
As such, Mayor Lim’s subsequent orders to handcuff, arrest and forcibly take SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza to “Tondo” was completely unjustified, improper, reckless and contrary to established protocols in negotiations. At that time, Mayor Lim was fully aware that the situation in the bus was turning extremely volatile in light of Mendoza`s outright rejection of the Ombudsman letter and his hostile action in firing his gun to express his frustrations with the negotiators whom he accused of having fooled him.
It was the height of irresponsibility for the Chairman of the CMC to abandon the command post and take along with him the ground commander to Emerald Restaurant on the lame justification that he was hungry and nothing was happening yet (“wala pang nangyayari”). At that time, the protracted 8-hour negotiation had already collapsed after the hostage-taker rejected the Ombudsman letter and resorted to a hostile action by firing his gun, indicating a highly-agitated mental state and obviously warranting close attention and immediate measures to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
The IIRC report also highlighted the incompetence and lack of urgency on the part of then Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno:
President BS Aquino’s ‘shooting buddy’: Former Undersecretary Rico Puno
Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno
It is the conclusion of the Committee that, the improper assumption by Usec. Puno of the functions of the Secretary of DILG as the chairman of the National Crisis Committee, in the light of his admitted lack of training and experience, may have compromised the readiness of the national CMC to take over the responsibility when it became apparent that the local CMC could not properly handle the hostage situation. That readiness could have been the immediate answer to the worsening situation. Puno’s failure to call upon the other members of the national CMC to be on standby reflects this lack of capacity. While he may have good intentions, rules must still be followed, and the organizational structure of the national CMC must be maintained.
It is worth mentioning that Lim who is a friend of the Aquino family and Puno who is a close friend of BS Aquino, both belong to the President’s political party. Everyone should know by now how protective the President is of his friends and allies. No wonder Hong Kong’s request that officials who were negligent during the hostage crisis be made accountable will simply be ignored and dismissed. It should come as no surprise then why President BS Aquino refuses to apologize.
Filipinos who want to support the President’s stand on this issue should accept Hong Kong’s sanctions. They should avoid crying foul and acting like losers by speculating about China’s hand in Hong Kong’s decision. It’s an entirely separate issue from the ongoing standoff over the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. They should be careful about further angering the Chinese people with baseless accusations that could make them add further economic sanctions.
[Photo of Alfredo Lim with Noynoy courtesy GMA News.]
In life, things are not always what they seem.
Aquino needs to apologize for being President of a country with a police force that is about as efficient as a tuna net trying to catch sardines. Even the police “tuna net” here can never even catch the really big tuna such as Ruben Ecleo Jr. and the brothers from Puerto Princessa, the three of whom have been dubbed “the BIG 3” with rewards of P4 million placed on their heads. I have personally told numerous PNP officials that I know the whereabouts of Ecleo and I want my reward, but they are either too stupid to listen to me or afraid to do their jobs.
When a police agency allows its “secret” operations to be broadcast on TV so the hostage taker can watch their preparations live on the TV in the bus then somebody needs to be chastised, jailed and made to pay for the subsequent deaths of the Chinese tourists.
The police people who were in charge need to be jailed, the broadcasters jailed and the apology made. This country looks like a kindergarten class trying to attend Carnegie-Mellon University.
EZ Jerry, b-casting that you are trying to have a major criminal arrested could be tragic…..for you!
CMU? that’s a good one!
Like you said Ilda, Filipinos need to develop a sense of shame or guilt like the Japanese but not in the extent that they should kill themselves of course.
Ultimately, PNoy and the non-apology people are coming from that on trait that I am so sick and disgusted of hearing about: PRIDE. Logically, we can see that the national government was at fault here but no, we have to assign unfounded speculations instead of manning up and apologizing. For the nth time, we can’t see the forest for the trees. STUPID PRIDE.
Please put a stop to this embarrassment and let’s issue that apology now!!
We bungled the rescue with our Keystone Cops, Lim got hungry and took a break to eat, people got killed, responding ambulances were poorly equipped… The list goes on and on. Tama na!
PNoy is right. The country is not involved by a crime committed by one man. This is their loss, not ours.
Masarap maging iresponsableng inutil ano?
What is inutil in that? They will lose tourists and let us admit that it is only hatred that drove them to do it.
Oh please. It’s so obvious that Hong Kong can survive without Filipinos. There are so many tourists from all over the world who go to Hong Kong. And there are other people from third world countries who can replace Pinoys as maids. No one is indispensable.
Failipinos don’t understand the phrase “we need them more than they need us” or vice versa.
TROLL. 😛
@Ilda, Honesto is right. The HK-ers are hateful and spiteful and if they do not se that it was the act of one crazed Man, eff em.
HK-ers want to take out their sick needs on their domestic help, let em washy their own clothey.
Lim was the one who should have apologized, if any Filipino was to.NOW? Too late.
You miss the point. The apology should not be made for the actions of “one crazed man” but for the actions of an unprepared and incompetent police force and the failure to punish those officials responsible for the mess “resolving” the standoff.
Did the Chinese govt apologized when one Filipino lady doctor got killed on a terrorist attack recently in China ?
When a terrorist attack kills Chinese people in China and a foreigner happens to be killed as well, it is most certainly NOT the obligation of the attacked country to apologize for anything. In the case of the Chinese tourists, the attack occurred in The Philippines and could have been stopped by Philippine authorities if they had been in the slightest bit competent.
It IS the responsibility of the Philippine Government to apologize for its internal stupidity and lack of competence.
It ALSO IS the responsibility of the Philippine Government to both apologize for the bungled aftermath in which nobody was held responsible AND to even belatedly, rectify the failure to punish those responsible.
@gerry: Said the jonas’ doppleganger who is an anti-china warfreak.
@atozet: And yet the chinese criminals here committing a crime were sentenced to lifetime imprisonment according to this country’s law. It’s the law stupid and you have no choice but to follow their law.
@ Jerry, No…just because I did not say it doesn’t mean I missed it.
Do you see Barrack Obamma apologizing to Filipino’s for the Cops shooting an un-armed Filipina 6 months ago in a Maryland,USA super-market? Hell NO you don’t, and you won’t. I was down the block when the hostage crisis started and I knew it wasn’t going to end well.it sux that it happened and it should have been handled better, but it is not the Head-of-States place to apologise. It just is not. IDC, no one will change the way I see this. It is also too late for an apology.to do so now would be seen as in-sincere, a fraud. and that is exactly what it is if it is done now. Alfredo Lim, THE POS, should have apologized and maybe even been fired for the idiotic way he handled the negotiations, but that is as far up the food chain that it should go.
It is funny to see people here on GRP screaming hatred at one politician when they are all a bunch of lying thieving scumbags that are all in on the thievery together. Maybe when the Filipino’s realize that ALL of the politicians are thieves and need to be thrown in the garbage some type of real progress will be made in the improvement of the people’s lives. Until then, the country is a hopelessly divided mess that is just going further down the drain every single day that a real change does not take place.
MARK THESE WORDS:if something is not done NOW, to do what needs to be done. The same shit that has been going on since 1980 will be going on in 2043. YOU ALL HEARD IT RIGHT HERE!
In a country where everything, including the police and even elementary schools is/are “national” then it IS the job of the President to make apology for accepting the job of an inept organization.
I agree that Lim and all the police and the media players who interfered should have been jailed. What I don’t believe is that it is too late for an apology because this is Asia, not the west and it is an Asian mentality to demand the apology and accept it no matter how insecure it might be in reality. That apology would probably defuse the current situation and put things back to normal.
LIAR
Call me Bond, James Bond. Coz I might as well be, if you do not know how to get a fire-arm to protect yourself in a foreign country.
Nice one prick. Mirroring the sentiments or lack of sentiment and empathy of your moron boss and idol. Our tax money at work is you sprouting off BS endorsed by BSA .
He is not a moron, and I tell you, he has balls not to be intimidated by Hong Kong to pressure Him to give what they want. The same goes to China for invading our waters.
Well you could be right on PeNoy having the balls. But of course that doesn’t mean he’s having the brains. OR… Are Filipinos all bark no bite???? Though I hope PeNoy can back his mouth, otherwise the bully can clobber him till his blue and violet.
He sure does have THE MOUTH. But balls? But for sure he doesn’t have the brain. And oh we readily apologize to Taiwan when Taiwan threatens to sanction Pinas.
That is not having balls….that is all bark but no bite.
@ Honesto, RIGHT AGAIN. Fuck China, they are putting their own people to slavery for the West. and now are encroaching on Filippine resources for their own greedy ends. Make them pay for what they want out of the Shoals.
Never apologise for something that is not your doing.
First off, what business does a Filipino who can’t even spell “Philippines” correctly have making ANY comment whatsoever? When Filipinos say “Fuck China” it is like an infant saying “Fuck you Pacman, I’ll just kick your ass today because I don’t like your children’s crazy names.”
The Philippines is in no position to do anything to China other than whine and cry a bit because this country has no credible military and an even more incompetent national cop department. When all Chinese products are boycotted you will be back to eating rice (4 or 5 days a week), pancit and bananas only. You also will have to ditch all your TVs, PCs, cars (many of the parts for all brands are made in China), small & large appliances etc. In other words, you will have NOTHING left if you boycott Chinese goods. People need to do more than read Facebook and actually learn something before spouting off their mouths full of misplaced pride. Other than Pacquiao, Donaire and a HALF Filipino beauty contest winner, just exactly WHAT does The Philippines have to be so proud of?
He’s definitely a moron since he keeps letting you spout non-sensical propaganda. He’s a moron since he keeps a failure like you in his communications group.
@jonas’ doppelganger: Then don’t buy made in china products then. Hell you better stop buying Apple products. Btw it’s obvious that most of the gadget’s parts you are using for your idiotic posts here are made in china. Hypocrite.
yo Jerry, You talkin to me? I am not a Filipino and I spell Filippines the way I like to spell it and do not give a shit.
the analogy you make about the baby talking to Paquiao is about as assinine as it gets. You wanna trade insults? lets Rock! if not, don’t care. I have my opinion and nothing you say or do will change it.
The fail-ippines really doesn’t have much to be proud of but it doesn’t mean Aquino has to apologise as far as Mendoza shooting the hostages. It is beating a dead horse at this point to even think of issuing an apology. It would be seen as a knee jerk reaction to the sanctions against the domestics in HK. if the Chinese are too stupid to realize that it was the actions of one crazed individual and want to take it out on Filipino domestics, fuck em…let ’em wash their own clothes!
IDK why Asians are sooo bent on PROPER appearences/saving face. It is a loser mentality. the fact that this is still being discussed proves that.
it does still suck those people died. I was there and knew it was going to end badly.it did not have too, but it sure did. I have a snub-nose .38 7-shot revolver under my shirt at all times. if that idiot had taken me hostage? as soon as he turned his back he wudda got whacked, HA!
I’ve no idea who you really are, but spelling the name of a person or country intentionally just because you don’t respect them is asinine. To spell it “Fail ippines” may make a point, but to just spell it “Filippines” is nothing short of stupid.
The problem now lies with the Philippine Government which not only should have done things differently during the event, but then after the debacle should have apologized and sanctioned the assholes who “performed” as they did. It may be a bit late in the day for an apology, but the people suffering are not the Chinese, but the Filipino OFWs who may lose their jobs and people like my wife who wanted to go to HK with me so we could come back and get me a balikbayan visa while we did my 13-a. Now she has to travel to the Chinese embassy and apply for a visa instead of just jumping on a plane with me.
Oh, just in case you are ignorant of the laws of this country, you can be deported, after your release from prison, just for having that gun on your person. You, as the foreigner I presume you are, can never under any circumstances ever own or carry a firearm. Firearms here include air rifles and not just guns that use gun powder.
You also might learn that no matter how you view Asian culture and the face saving aspect of it, this IS Asia and not America where it sounds like you are from…just ask Alice and the Mad Hatter for their inputs if you doubt this is Asia and not Dorothy’s Kansas.
@ J. Lynch, U must think I am an idiot, or an American, or both. LMAO.
I have travelled thru the country w/ that very same weapon, on planes , trains and auto-mobiles. it is not ‘mine’ but is NEVER far from me. my ‘partner is trained and licensed to carry any firearm wherever he/she may want to take it.there are two nasty-as-shit-getzs Rottweiller dogs that are never far from my side as well. I mind my own business but protect mine own business from others who may want to make their business mine, see?in 8 years not a single person has ever known I was carrying what was under my shirt, not one! When I decided to carry it.at other times it is never more than 5 feet away from me. So you see, you are not talking to a newbie.
IDK who you are and IDGAS either, if you have the misfortune of being carried by six(you won’t know it but it will be YOUR problem, not mine!), I will have the luxury of being judged by twelve…and will be able to PAY for that luxury as well. I know very well how the law works in every country I have ever entered, and the Fillipines is not the first nor will it be the last. I spell it like I see fit. respect? it must be earned. I have been shown not much in S.E.Asia and do not really care either, I remain a Gentleman. In person: I am a Man of few words. I let my actions speak for me, and I do that very well. Oh yes I do.
Well then, who or what the fuck are you that allows you to carry ANY gun on an airplane? If you are a foreigner in The Philippines you are NEVER allowed to carry a firearm or even an air gun. Perhaps if you are active duty military on official business you might. If you are going to make such cryptic remarks you should explain your circumstances. If your personal identity must be kept secret then the internet is certainly the place you can make such statements with impunity.
@ Lynch, since you have devolved this into an insult-a-thon, I’ll tell you this:
you could take a firearm on any aircraft in the country, probably the free world. if you are too dense to figure out that the firearm/projectiles must be surrendered at the entry to the passenger terminal and it/they are picked up at the “Firearm” booth located at the destination terminal, you need to have everything spelled out for you? maybe I should use single syllable words?
Firearms are transported legally by law-biding citizens across the globe on a constant basis, just because you might not be one of them doesn’t mean it is my job to tell you how it is done, even though I practically told you step by step.
if you want to tell people who you are and use your real name, I could not care less. if you name is jerry lynch or Sebastian Smith? it doesn’t matter to me who the FUCK you are.
There is a big (huge in fact) difference between “carrying” a firearm onto an airplane and putting it in checked baggage where it will always be more than the “never more than 5 feet away” you claim. In the luggage hold it might as well be on Mars if you need it while flying.
I don’t really give a rats a** who you are but it seems you are hiding behind a bogus ID, or no ID whatsoever. Should you come to my place in Mindanao with a weapon on your body, not only would it be sniffed out by the ordinary guys on my street, but taken from you by them long before you traversed the 100 yards from the main street to my house.
I’m going to add one more thing to my last reply. If you are a foreigner in The Philippines you cannot take a gun on a plane, even checked, because you are not permitted to carry it (or own) any place in the country, let alone into the airport where you are screened upon entry into the terminal building.
If exactly the same thing happens to us in a foreign land and the head of that land doesn’t apologize at the very least, I wonder how we Filipinos would respond, considering our famed “Pinoy pride”? Whatever happened to the golden rule?
“This is their loss, not ours.”
– What arrogance! Is that any way to treat one’s guests?
What is arrogance in that? It is their tourist arrivals that will be affected by what they have done. They will force our kababayans to change their travel plans this season.
TROLL. 😛
Hong Kong does not need a single Filipino tourist in order to survive or do well. The Philippines NEEDS Hong Kong to employ the 100K + maids and housekeepers in order to get the remittances from them. When HK restricts bvisas and stops employing Filipinos they can hire maids and domestics far cheaper from Pakistan and Indonesia.
Tell that to the Americans and Europeans who are still visiting Hong Kong not just for tourism but also for business. What will you gonna do? Promote the “it’s more fun in the philippines” crap to them so that they will go to this country instead of Hong Kong? Hindi sila mga dakilang uto-uto na kagaya mo para maloko sila tungkol sa kaguluhan at mga malalaking issues ng bansang ito kahit marami ditong mga magagandang beach resort.
@ Chrissie, a Filipina émigré to the USA was recently shot to death by the Police who responded to a call about a distressed woman in a Maryland, U.S.A. super-market. Do you see the President of the U.S.A. apologizing? the cops were ‘doing their job’, Mendoza was not.
Indeed it was Mendoza’s crime. BUT GROSSLY MISHANDLED BY AQUINO or whoever is responsible. Clearly Mendoza could have been taken down by single sniper shot.
Negotiations took place but Mendoza is the one that broke it, hence his fault.
It is still what it is. MISHANDLED.
Oh BTW your stupid. You don’t expect criminals to be honorable right?
I can’t believe it what you just have said. A criminal broke his word that’s why it’s his fault?!! This is like a statement of a toddler!
it was Lim who was in charge and he handled it like an idiot and should have been removed from office by Aquino. that would have gone a long way towards healing relations w/HK-ers.
it is just not Aquino’s job to handle a local hostage situation.it really wasn’t.
When you put Filipinos in-charge of a difficult situation (heck even the easiest situation) they are bound to fcuk-up. I mean retards doesn’t have the capacity to resolve complex problem – so what do you expect.
It is not only bound to Filipinos, but to human kind as well.
TROLL post detected. 😛
Multiple times.
It’s very obvious that you are now doing the victim card.
true dat barbero.
@barbero ang @gerry, hmmm… if your not a Filipino then you should come to Philippines specially Cebu city and observe what you call retards, try and fool them like retards if you can. And you can see that they will act as retards if they have to just to fool you.
Lim is a weasel, it was his job to apologise. Rico Puno stole the Peso’s fir NCR cops bulletts.
Face it, the Philippines wants to be world class but the thievery taking place is making proper military assault training of police professionals impossible.
Mendoza throwing the tear gas canister back at the SWAT team was just as tragic as it gets, and those people should not have died. foreigners beware, you won’t like the way you are treated in the Philippines. Just ask the hostages, oh wait, ya can’t…coz their dead!
Whatta dump Manila is. Lim is a POS, and Estrada apologizing is just a shrewd politician making a play!too little/too late/tuff shit!
joe america makes good points here in his article on the issue:
http://joeam.comm/2013/11/06/why-mayur-estrada-is-wrong-on-hong-kong/
After reading I still feel that regardless whether an apology should be made or not I think it is more interesting to know what actually happened to the people responsible for this tragedy (like the media, officer in charge of the operation, etc)?
Okay maybe there are valid points to not issuing an apology to Hongkong but the least our President could have done is have these people take some responsibility. And I think that our President has some responsibility too because some of the people involved are under him.
hongkong has an aging population and low birth rates. they will be weeded out and become extinct so who cares why should we kneel down to them?
Because da pinas govt mishandled the situation. Because there are 160,000 OFWs in HK – unless you have jobs waiting for them in da pinas.
On the flipside, the Philippines can’t control it’s growing, uneducated kiddy population because the morons there think wearing rubber is “sacrilege” against God.
No, they can’t afford condoms.
And yet they can buy cp load, liquor and spirits, packs or even reams of cigarettes…people still up to their old vices including sex and yet they could not buy a single pack of condom…I guess that’s what you can call choice..they choose not to even if there’s a choice when you can.
Funny how they can’t “afford” condoms, that’s just an inconvenient excuse…whatever happened to the RH Bill that everyone seems to be so hot about almost a year ago huh? what now? where’s the FREE condom?
I guess maybe no one even bothered distributing it..or maybe if it was there nobody actually thought of getting one(because they can’t feel it and it is better skin-to-skin or bolitas is much better) 😛 or maybe these condoms never really existed..:D
So much for my tax pesos~ anyway the problem here is everyone is getting the brunt of this issue due to the incompetence of our own government that we the people voted for..even if I didn’t vote the president or anyone in their party..sadly it won’t change the facts that it and sh*t already happened.
The “free condoms” have not been distributed because just just as in America where the tea party idiots are trying their best to stop implementation of a law (Obamacare) that was passed in 2010; some of your more idiotic legislators and the ever-meddling Catholic Church are doing their best to derail implementation of the RH Bill.
Well, I’ll be damned so that’s why. So..what’s the point of passing a bill that is still being blocked on all ends? I guess eventually…everything is a freakin’ deakin’ circus.
the RH bill was just another Filipino scam to spend billions of peso’s to furnish politicians kids with cars in the countries where they go to school.
You really think that apologizing for a mishandled situation is “kneeling down”? Just where do you get your logic? It is called being a HEAD OF STATE.
Or if you still cannot get it, try this analogy: your kid broke something in a department store, you as a parent (head of the family) will apologize to the store owner and pay for whatever damages. IT IS SO SIMPLE. Was that kneeling down to the store owner? It is more of being a RESPONSIBLE head of the family. Following your reasoning, what you will do is leave your kid behind since it’s not your fault, it’s your kid’s fault. What an ijet.
Not apologizing to Hong Kong is already equivalent to not taking responsibility for what happened under this administration. Malacanang idiots like you really need to face the truth that nobody here will ever listen to you.
Still not very bright are we, concernd a.k.a sendonggirl?
I actually agree with your statement, but even though it is now the responsibility of the national government to take responsibility for the debacle, it should not have been the responsibility of Aquino to micro-manage the situation personally. The police should have been properly trained and it is not the job of the president to manage such things that should be Standard Operating Procedure or SOP.
Tell that to the Americans and Europeans who are still visiting Hong Kong not just for tourism but also for business.
When it comes to the USA than Filipinos become sensitive loud mouth right fighters. When it comes to China than Filipinos become the opposite. China is a bully and Filipinos fear it. What is the moral of the story?
Treat Filipinos nice and they will abuse you or don’t be nice just abuse them, make them fear you and they will respect you.
And that’s the problem with da pinoys and their misguided pinoy prayd: they always demand respect because they always think they’re far more better than the rest of the world.
Yep….and they are not.
What the hell is “prayd?”
Right again.
The Norwegian government apologized to it’s people for it’s incompetence in handling the Breivik 2011 attacks. So why can’t we apologize for the government’s incompetence as well? Not a single soul has been made accountable for the handling of the tragic event.
This is certainly bad news for me, since I have already made reservations months ago for the ticket and the hotel to Hong Kong. For this issue to creep up again just spoils the fun, I guess I made a dumb mistake then which really sucks because my mom and dad were so looking forward to the trip. I guess next time I will book elsewhere then. Thank you to our esteemed government 😀 You’re the best! PROUD TO BE PINOY WOOHOO~!
Getting that out of the way, I’d like to hear your opinions on these ones..I think it is still on-topic with the issues about Hong Kong and Philippines. I guess as much as we have issues here with our government and representatives well, they’ve got issues of their own too. In one of the articles there, I believe it says some of the politicians are using this tragic issue for their own ends, given the declining popularity of some of their leaders in which it’s just about the same as with our own leaders..and because of this..both people of these places suffer the brunt. In the end, it is the people that lose the most. Sucks being just one of the people, eh? 🙁
I know it is just one site since most of the other topics about this weren’t written in English so there you go, I just want to hear your opinions on this.
http://scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1351255/aquino-apology-call-reaches-fever-pitch-manila-sanctions
http://scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1339718/madness-anti-manila-brigade
http://scmp.com/comment/article/1350937/shame-politicians-using-manila-tragedy-their-own-ends
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1352211/filipinos-set-snub-hong-kong-after-visa-threat-manila-hostage-row
http://scmp.com/news/article/1334635/hong-kongs-little-bubble-self-importance
I guess anyone traveling to Hong Kong may have to look at this too.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/334700/pinoyabroad/news/traveling-to-hk-monitor-official-websites-phl-foreign-official-suggests
I don’t understand why the country is making enemies left and right when it is not even capable of protecting the interests and safety of its people. What now? Are they going to cry to Uncle Sam because Hong Kong is being a big meany to them?
It is always in the interest of self-interest. nuff said. Both parties aren’t popular with their own people..I’ve read the side of the Philippines and the side of Hong Kong..this is pretty much a deadlock so far.
Some say an apology is not needed. Perhaps. But I say Filipinos in authority should admit that they bungled things, and actually part of that bungling owes itself to corruption (such as protecting Puno, who earlier admitted to corruption). So if we kowtow to those who say an apology is not needed, Aquino can certainly admit failings on the Filipino side this without apology. All it needs is a dropping of the “Pride” we are notorious for and the heart to say, “we have shortcomings.” Problem is, all that he did right after that infamous event happened displayed the classic Filipino insensitivity to others’ plights (check out what he recently did on the Tacloban typhoon crisis).
I’m sure the Yellow propagandist goes by the name of ‘honesto’ will rustle his jimmies when he reads this:
“Anybody that says Pnoy shouldn’t apologize for the slaughter of a bunch of Foreign Tourists in Manila, by a former Philippines National Police Officer, in Uniform (which the authorities never took off him after he was fired) using Police Issued Firearms (which the Authorities never took off him after he was fired) because of the Government inexcusable incompetence and bungling during the entire operation….are complete idiots! All you who equate this to the random act of a sole lunatic in China (not HK) are also..complete idiots. If this is the calibre of reasoning and stupidity that is a hallmark of one of the Philippines “Seats of Higher Learning” then it’s no wonder the Philippines is in the sh#t state it’s in with crooks and criminals running the country. I guess the fact that the Ombudsman’s Office asked for a bribe in Mendoza’s case or the fact that the idiot Lim who escalated the situation and Pnoy the Pointless were enjoying a meal at a Chinese Restaurant with the Scene Commander when everything went to pot is equally excusable to you simple minded fools. Lets not even get started on the media interfering in the crisis, or the complete lack of containment by the authorities.
The reason this ended in a massacre has everything to do with incompetence and bungling on behalf of the Government, any fool can see that. I really pity this pathetic country, driven by false pride and run by incompetent fools and criminals…. God help you all, because your obviously incapable of helping yourselves or saving yourselves from your fellow Countrymen.
I hope HK severs ties with you all, maybe it will be a wake up call for you. You need other countries help because your economy is based on OFW Remittences, HK doesn’t need you, neither does anyone else. And the way your going, you are going to be even more isolated. Bravo Proud to be Pinoys!
“I personally could have ended this crisis with a Remington 700 and one well aimed shot, and the Government could have ended this with a letter of reinstatement followed by the release of the hostages and the immediate arrest of Mendoza for Hostage Taking. Idiots! The massive incompetence was played out on International TV for all to see, followed by trophy pictures of the massacres scene by Filipino Government Officials, Media and members of the Philippines NATIONAL Police, who were allowed to trample all over the crime scene…I’ve never seen a more disorganized rabble in my life…shocking and shameful…disgraceful. A full apology and compensation are well overdue.
Lim and the PNP should be sued, but knowing the pathetic Philippines justice systems, it will take decades to come to trial and the results will depend on who pays the judge to most money…appeal to the ombudsman? They even asked Mendoza 250k to look at his case…Justice…Pinoy Style…pathetic.”
YIPEEEEE! honesto is proud to be Failipino!
Damn it, Noynoy! I wanted to go to Hong Kong again in peace! >.<
Sadly that’s the problem..now we the people have to pay a hefty price from that tragic incident.
Apparently, it appears not all in HK agrees to continue with this kind of problem. It also appears that their premier is continuing to throw more fuel to the fire due to his dwindling popularity among the masses there, and since it isn’t the HK we knew ever since it was given back to China…sadly they look more of a puppet to me now. 🙁
I think HK is not really asking us to apologize. I think what they really want is justice. After the bungled operation, Pnoy should have jailed tulfo and rogas for “crossing the line”. They should have taken out Lim as mayor and gave Puno some sort of a sanction, they should have taken out the whole police force…pNoy should have admitted himself in a mental ward for giving that awfully awful smirk during inspection…
I get the feeling that this country isn’t the best place to ask for something called ‘justice’. 🙁
Wait anong nangyari doon sa mga tao pinadala ni Erap? I thought all was good already.
I smell backfire, reading the links I posted here which was a link to the SCMP, it seems that some of the officials may have not liked the gesture or the intent. Because they knew about what happened to Erap in the past, they may have judged him according to that..because they wouldn’t be reacting like this if they were satisfied with what he did.
Try reading that Kemeo, it seems the politicians in Hong Kong are kind of in the same hot water as the politicians in the Philippines and they both have dwindling positive ratings from the people which is bad for their publicity. So that’s why they are doing this so that they can retrieve a little bit of what’s left of their popularity.
The idiots: Pinoy Aquino was hiding in a closet in Malacanang. Alfredo Lim was feasting in the Emerald Restaurant. The SWAT Team tried to enter the door of the bus.
A lone SWAT sniper with night vision or heat scanner vision would had killed the insane policeman.
The U.S. Navy Team seal rescued the Captain of a hijacked ship that way. By killing the hostage takers (Somali Pirates).
“There was lack of equipment on the part of Manila SWAT to handle the situation.”
There’s always lack of equipment in every Philippines Government agency.
From Political leaders to agency officials down to almost every government employee is a thief and an arrogant liar.
There’s an evil kind of spirit that possesses almost every person that is employed by the Philippine government whether directly or indirectly.
Almost everyone of them have the same facial and gesture aura that by just looking at their faces one could almost be certain that the person he’s looking at is a government personnel. They posses the faces of presumptuousness and brazen arrogance. Even some of their family members even behave as if they’re also government employees and tend to assert to people around them some authority.
They could never afford any new kind of equipment because they save almost every centavo allocated in each government’s annual budget for themselves.
As for Pnoy asking for apology to Hong Kong would be a “mortal sin” against the “Pinoy Pride” culture.
We need to remember that Pinoys “never make mistakes on their own”. For Filipinos, whatever mistakes they make is made by somebody or circumstances around them and influence their actions.
Their inherent culture supersedes whatever education they have attained: They are devoid of ever taking responsibility for whatever action they make.
Why should we apologise? This Hongkis need to move on. They’re just being bullies thinking that every Flipino is a goddamn DH. Most of my relatives and friends travel to HK regularly for business and shopping and sometimes take a weekend trip to Disneyland. I have never been to HK because I’m just not interested even though I love learning Cantonese food and eating South Chinese food. I’d rather travel to the mainland and visit Guangzhou and Xiamen. Hongkis are extremely racist to Filipinos, they just have this collective sentiment against us. I would really be happy to see less DH in that pseudo-country. There are so many better opportunities available for our countrymen if only they hone their skills with the support of our goverment.
“if only they hone their skills with the support of our government.”
Wake up, man! Government cannot do crap if these OFWs went home. Maybe a few, which they will showcase to the media as a success story.
So many opportunities huh? Explain then the rising unemployment and poverty.
The thing here, Katun, is…PRIDE will not feed the families of the jobless, nor will it give any job to the returning OFW.
And also, hindi lang po DH ang OFW, a lot of us are highly spcialized which the Philippines cannot accommodate kahit na magpagulong gulong ka pa sa session road.
@jerrylynch. FILIPINOS DO NOT NEED HONG KONG CHINKS. Who are you anyway? Why do you post shit here like you are God and you know what the Philippines need? Why don’t you keep you subjective opinions to yourself. I would rather have all Filipinos get the hell out of Hong Kong and look for jobs elsewhere. I am Filipino / Canadian – born in Canada. I am sick of Chink bullies. They are all over the world. They have a delusional sense of superiority – I am not sure why they think this way. I am proud to be Filipino and very happy I am not Chinese. THANK YOU
Said the hypocrite who actually buys made in china products especially eating at the filipino-chinese owned Jollibee. Proud to be a Filipino you say? What a load of bullshit. May I remind you that most of our ancestors are chinese?
Someone is missing the point.
Thank you because you went FULL RETARD with what you wrote.
If you don’t like China then why are you clearly using a product that’s MADE in China?
let it be that the sanction impose in all the filipino,OFW well go home.and see who is the God of phillipine people. filipino should learn how leave in what they.c’mon!these people are realy talented and skillfull
filipino ka ba? baka naman hindi! baket mag apologise ang ating pangulo na siyang nag rerepresinta sa ating bansa? that was not intended to happen they were just at the wrong place and at the wrong time… walang may gustong mangyari yun… the president is right and we filipino have balls…
@ Dolores
Mga tanong na dapat mo sagutin bago ka mag emote.
1. Saan ba nangyari yung krimen? Sapilipinas yun di ba?
2. Sino ang mga tao na dapat rumisponde sa pangyayari? Mga kapulisan di ba, na sa kabuuan ay nasa kaninong kapangyarihan? Tama ba yung mga hakbang na ginawa nila?
3. Sa tingin mo mas sulit pa ba yung mga taong mawawalang ng oportunidad magtrabaho sa HK at sa Pilipinas sa hindi pagbigay ng paumanhin ng pangulo mo?
Marami pa sanang iba e, kaya lang tinatamad na ako mag eksplika sa mga kagaya mong madrama.
Inutil kang gago ka.Wala kang paninindigan.Isa ka sa mga dahilan kaya lugmok pa rin ang karamihan sa kahirapan.Utak mo kasingliit ng mata ng chinese na iyong pinagtatanggol.Di ka kailangan sa Pilipinas….
“Inutil kang gago ka.Wala kang paninindigan.Isa ka sa mga dahilan kaya lugmok pa rin ang karamihan sa kahirapan.Utak mo kasingliit ng mata ng chinese na iyong pinagtatanggol.Di ka kailangan sa Pilipinas….”
Pansin mo ba, kinopy & paste ko lang yung sinabi mo kay joeld? Kasi bagay na bagay iyan sa inutil at maliit mong utak. At gagawa ka lang ng account, nilagyan mo lang ng “gay” ang pangalan ni joeld sa huli para lang may masabi ka sa kanya?
Hindi bagay sa katulad mong utak-squatter ang site na ito. Bumalik ka na lang sa paglalaro ng DOTA o paghithit ng shabu.
“We dont need to follow international standard” – regarding the bunkhouses for typhoon yolanda victims, that’s what our b.s, president said, he basically announced to the world that we are a nation of substandards, we don’t have pride in our work, we have no pride in our country, tapos bigalng di magsorry dahil may pride daw tayo?
Should a war break out between China and the Philippines, our country will definitely lose. But let this be a stern warning to all those whose sentiment favors that of China and Hong Kong- you are all in our “death” list. Your crime- collaborating with the enemy. Be careful with what you write, traitors! We will remember you all, should that day come.
Riight, so why should we be afraid of some troll like YOU? Hmm?
Even my bunny slippers won’t be scared by your “threats”.
Besides, it’s Mr. Aquino’s fault in the first place why we are being “bullied” by china and hongkong in the first place so get your facts straight first, TROLL
I was barricading the door.
I’m sure you’ll just jump at the enemy’s side immediately…just like the MAKAPILIS in order for you to save your own ass.
Pathetic excuse for a human being, you are.
Why do you consider those who criticise how the President is handling the diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines “traitors”? Please explain.
That’s probably another Yellowtard being paid to promote his “saintly idol for a president” and his “unflawed logic.”
Add that to his inability to come up with such facts.
Definitely another yellowtard that thinks acting tough online would “intimidate” those who speak against his master in malacanang.
Quality and intelligence is definitely lacking of the trolls that they hire.
@Johnny Derp
A keyboard gangster, that’s what it’s called. Someone who feels macho at the comfort of his own home. I bet if a real gangster(mafia men, not those punks in the streets) cuts one of his fingers’ off, he’ll never put on a tough guy act ever again.
Nah, he’s more of a mewling quim since his “threats” are hardly threatening. Another epic failure from the malacanang morons group.
@Johhny Derp
Tru dat. Cheers!
i love u Ilda…..Anyways why cant Filipinos work and earn ia lving, in their country, and stop relying on foreign employment, support and money….The citizens must be subjective about the underlying issue of poor governence, inherent class system that subjects the working class to exploitation by the wealthy and must rid itslef of this poppycock angle of christianity and catholic dogma. The are so many fantastic opportunities in the Philippines, it has enormous potential and wealth but the country must rid somehow rid itself of the issues above…btw may i apply to court u
Should war break out, it’s all because of the arrogant anti-Chinese sentiments the President and his deluded supporters had been upholding since that bungled hostage crisis.
Critics are on the side of humility, which none of the pro-Aquinos have since they are much too overtaken by pride. This means that we believe on pushing through for a proper apology to the families who died on that bus as well as for a peaceful resolution on the Spratly Islands affair (and that doesn’t include comparisons between Nazis and the Chinese people, like what your dear leader Aquino had just embarrassingly did recently).
we believe in*
had just embarrassingly done*
Dang, gotta type slower.
Should war break out, it will ultimately be Mr. Aquino’s fault and that is a fact which the noytards will deny to death.
Maghunos-dili kayo! Baka isang araw, tabihan na lang kayo ng riding in tandem habang nagmamaneho kayo..
Anong punto mo?
Riight, and that’s supposed to scare us how??
Acting like a tough guy here definitely won’t impress us, little twat.
Your point or you’re an obvious whiny asshurt.
Cool it guys! 🙂
First of all, ang masasabi ko lng is “WALANG KWENTA ANG GOBYERNO NATIN!!!” WAG KAYO UMASA SA KANILA, JUST DO WHAT YOU CAN!!!
Pero sa issue na to, hindi rin naman kasi pwede na basta sumunod nlng tayo sa anong gusto nila, “WALANG INAAPAKAN KUNG WALANG NAGPAPAAPAK”, tama ba???. Baka kung ano2x pa ang hihingin pag ka tapos, at baka lalong makakasama pa sa atin.
Uulitin ko “INUTIL GOBYERNO NG PILIPINAS” lalo na sa public service na di sila direktang nakikinabang. Two big examples are tragedy ng “Princess of the Star” na barko, may naitulong ba ang “GOBYERNO”???? Sa “Yolanda” tragedy, ang ibang ahensya ng “GOBYERNO” nakinabang pa sa mga donations para sa mga victims, and even put their names and faces on the wrapper ng mga goods na hindi naman sa kanila. isipin mo, gumastos pa sa pag print ng mga mukha nila sa wrapper????. Kakahiya talaga!!!
I truly believe that not all Filipinos are like that, and most of the Filipinos if not all, are very smart and skilled, that’s why hindi matapos tapos and KORAKOT sa Pilipinas. They know when to stand and where to hide. At pinapalayas ang mga magagaling na hindi nila kakampi. “Always reducing the enemies firepower” kung baga. (off topic ba? hehehe, sorry! di ko lang mapigil sarili ko!)