High-level talks with HK to continue

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The Philippines and Hong Kong have agreed to continue high-level talks to bring closure to the 2010 Manila hostage crisis and lift the black travel alert that Hong Kong imposed on Manila.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang said yesterday both sides were able to clarify their positions on the issue and would now move forward.

President Aquino and Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying earlier found time to discuss the botched hostage rescue operation in Manila – which left eight Hong Kong tourists dead in August 2010 – on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bali, Indonesia.

The President again expressed the country’s regret and sincere condolences to the families of the victims during the meeting with Leung.

Meanwhile, Philippine officials no longer bothered to find out whether the Hong Kong journalists who “heckled” the President in Bali were also at the meeting.