MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III Wednesday insisted his government had no need to apologize to Taiwan over the deportation of 14 Taiwanese nationals to China and said that should Taipei make good on its threat to stop hiring Filipinos, the workers could always be deployed to other countries.
The President said this before meeting with former senator Manuel Roxas II, the private emissary he had sent to Taiwan.
“It appears the mission was not successful,” Mr. Aquino later said, following his meeting with Roxas.
“They were asking us to apologize and I don’t believe that there is something that we have to apologize for given the facts and circumstances that we had when we were making the decision,” he said.
He said Roxas had told him that indeed the deportation row with Taiwan would result in a “slowdown” in the hiring of Filipinos by the self-governing island.
He said the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, the country’s de facto embassy in Taipei, would continue to “represent our interest” in this matter.
“I’m sure there will be a resolution. Perhaps not immediately but there will be a resolution in time,” the President said.
But should Taiwan make good its threat and stop hiring Filipinos, Mr. Aquino said he would direct the Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and other agencies “to look for other places” for Filipino workers.
“And at the same time, you do know my focus and that is if we can provide the jobs here,” he said.
Talking with reporters, Roxas said relations with Taiwan “had not worsened, there are communication links.”
He said Taiwan officials expressed “a strong position and serious concern regarding the unjustifiable deportation of 14 nationals” and had demanded an apology from the Philippines.
He said he did not apologize but “[expressed] deep regret for the damage of their hurt feelings that the incident might have caused the Taiwanese people.”
He described the meeting as “frank and difficult but respectful on both sides.”
Asked if it were true that he was not given dinner, Roxas said they provided “chips and brownies and a nonstop supply of tea before dinner was served.” He said he had no complaints.