HK bus hostage victims hit out at Philippines

MANILA, Philippines—Angry relatives of eight Hong Kong tourists killed in a Philippine bus hostage fiasco demanded Monday compensation and a direct apology from President Benigno Aquino.

In a press conference in Manila on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the hostage taking, Lee Mei-chun, whose son was among those slain, wailed in despair as she accused Aquino’s government of ignoring their pain.

“It has been one year, and I still cannot forget my son. Every night, I remember him,” she told a press conference held at a Spanish-era fortress that is now a tourist drawcard where the 11-hour hostage taking began.

“The Philippine government has not done anything and we cannot put it aside. I come here to fight for (justice for) my son.”

Her two other sons held up a group picture of the victims, including their brother, Masa Tse Ting-chunn, taken shortly before their bus was hijacked by an ex-policeman in a crazed bid to be reinstated.

As the drama unfolded live on television, police stormed the bus and shot dead the gunman, Rolando Mendoza, in a bungled rescue in which eight of the hostages were killed.

The hostage-taking triggered public outrage in Hong Kong, which maintains a travel advisory on the Philippines.

Aquino ordered an investigation into the incident, but came under fire after only minor punishments were handed out to four policemen, while senior officials accused of incompetence escaped without sanction.

Hong Kong legislator James To, who accompanied the relatives to Manila, said a letter had been sent to the Philippine government demanding that Aquino make a formal apology for each of the victims as well as facilitate compensation.

It also asked that Manila intensify police efforts to safeguard tourists as well as for officials who mishandled the rescue be punished.

The government has previously said the Philippine government had already apologized for the incident, and that there was no need for Aquino to meet with the victims’ relatives for the one-year anniversary.

While not commenting on the demands made on Monday, Aquino’s spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, stressed that punishments had been meted out against the four policemen.

“We recognize the grief that continues to burden the relatives of the victims and we remain committed to reforms and improvements that will move relations between our peoples forward,” he said in a statement.