MANILA -- The country’s envoy to Hong Kong advised Filipino travelers to the Chinese territory to forego their plans if they are not confident of their safety following the hostage-taking incident in Manila.
Philippine Consul General to Hong Kong Claro Cristobal said it would be advisable to postpone travel since anxiety would prevent Filipino tourists from enjoying their trip.
“If they still feel scared, they better postpone their vacation for now because they will likely not enjoy their trip there,” said Cristobal.
Anger has been rising in Hong Kong since the August 3 carnage in which a disgruntled former Manila police officer took a busload of tourists from the Chinese territory hostage in a bid to win his job back.
Hong Kongers have blasted a failed rescue operation and botched negotiations that seemed to enrage the hostage-taker, who was eventually killed by a police sharpshooter.
Organizers said about 80,000 people marched in Hong Kong on Sunday, denouncing the Philippines and demanding justice for the dead.
The incident caused a crack in the once solid bilateral relations between Philippines and Hong Kong, which is a home to tens of thousands of overseas Filipino workers.
Filipinos in Hong Kong have already expressed fears that they might be terminated or maltreated by their employers in retaliation to the carnage at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
But according to Cristobal, there is a very little possibility that Filipino tourists will be bullied or assaulted by Hong Kong residents since the latter are "mature people."
“They (Hong Kongers) merely want a fair investigation,” said Cristobal, referring to the indignation rally last Sunday. (AMN/AP/Sunnex)