Palace thanks Estrada for successful HK mission

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Despite Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras’ initial denial that he accompanied Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada to Hong Kong, Malacañang on Wednesday thanked the former president for his successful attempt to gain the forgiveness of families and victims of the 2010 Manila hostage crisis.

“We would like to thank former President and Mayor Estrada for his initiative that has contributed to the national government’s efforts to reach this desired outcome,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told media.

Estrada earlier announced that the Hong Kong government had accepted the apology of the Philippine government and had lifted its sanctions.

“I have just talked with Secretary Rene Almendras. He confirmed that the relationship between the Philippines and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is now back to normal,” Coloma said in a statement to media, minutes after the news broke out.

“We join the Department of Foreign Affairs in acknowledging the statement of Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y. Leung on the complete and final resolution of the Quirino Grandstand incident of 23 August 2010 and the lifting of the sanctions,” he added.

Coloma said President Benigno Aquino III “expressed satisfaction that final closure and a mutually satisfactory conclusion has been reached.”

Estrada on Tuesday left for Hong Kong to seek forgiveness, in behalf of the city of Manila, for the deaths of eight tourists in a hostage taking incident in 2010. President Benigno Aquino III has in the past offered compensation to the families and victims but has refused to give his apology, to the dismay of Hong Kong nationals, pointing out that only the hostage taker was to blame for the tragedy.

The Manila Mayor had claimed that Almendras, as a representative of the national government, will join him. But the Cabinet Secretary told media that it was not true and that he was just in Manila, attending meetings.

There were reports, however, that Almendras flew to Hong Kong on Tuesday night.

“Wala akong kongkretong impormasyon hinggil sa itinerary ni Secretary Almendras (sa Hong Kong),” Coloma said, hours before Estrada’s announcement.

(I do not have concrete information on the itinerary of Secretary Almendras in Hong Kong.)

He said all he knows is that Almendras is the point person when it comes to the victims of the Manila hostage taking incident.

After Estrada’s announcement, Coloma said Almendras will give a press briefing on Thursday about the latest development.

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