Former DFA chief Del Rosario arrives in Manila after 6-hour ordeal in HK

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario arrives in Manila late Friday afternoon, hours after he was denied entry to Hong Kong. INQUIRER.net/Christia Marie Ramos

MANILA, Philippines — Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario was back in Manila late Friday afternoon, hours after he was denied entry to Hong Kong.

READ: Ex-DFA chief denied entry to Hong Kong

Del Rosario arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at 4:59 p.m., following six hours of being held and questioned at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by immigration authorities.

READ: Ex-Foreign Secretary Del Rosario held, questioned at Hong Kong airport

The Philippines’ former top diplomat went to Hong Kong to attend meetings of First Pacific’s board and shareholders. He was travelling alone.

Del Rosario’s ordeal at HKIA came barely a month after a similar incident happened to former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Last May 21, Morales went to Hong Kong for a vacation with her family. But immigration authorities there barred her from entering the country for being a “security threat.”

READ: Ex-Ombudsman Morales denied entry to HK for being ‘security threat’

To recall, Del Rosario and Morales filed a case against Chinese President Xi Jinping in the International Criminal Court (ICC) last March. The two former high-ranking Philippine government officials said the “atrocious actions of Chinese officials in the South China Sea and within Philippine territory” constitute crimes against humanity that ICC can take legal action on.

READ: Del Rosario, Morales sue China leader in ICC

(Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)