Hong Kong imposes sanctions Against Philippines over 2010 hostage deaths

HONG KONG - Hong Kong (HK) has announced the removal of visa-free access for all Philippine diplomatic and official passport holders after Manila failed to issue a formal apology for a deadly hostage-taking in 2010.

The victims' families of eight HK tourists who were killed in the Manila shooting have demanded an apology and compensation, punishment for officials who dealt with the crisis and enhanced tourist safety, in a row that has soured ties.

Hong Kong and the Philippines have close economic relations, with more than 100,000 Filipino domestic helpers working in the city, but emotions still run high over the killing of the tourists on a bus by a sacked police officer who opened fire amid a bungled rescue attempt.

"The sanctions we just announced are just and justified. We welcome the continuation of dialogue between us and the Philippines to bring the matter to a final conclusion," Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying told a news briefing.

The sanction will take effect next Wednesday, when Philippine diplomatic and official passport holders will no longer enjoy 14-day visa-free access.

Source: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Hong_Kong_imposes_sanctions_on_Philippines_over_2010_hostage_deaths.html?cid=37840344

Please take note that "Ordinary passport holders" are people like you and me, and still not affected by this sanction. 

Official passport holders are diplomats or consular officers which are stationed elsewhere.

Hong Kong to scrap visa-free access for the Philippines

The South China Morning Post reported that Hong Kong lawmakers has voted 41-3 on a non-binding motion that will scrap the visa-free access of Filipino tourists to Hong Kong. They also passed a motion to impose sanctions to the Philippines.

Earlier Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong's chief executive said that the Hong Kong government will impose sanctions against the Philippines if there are no concrete steps taken to resolve the issue of the victims of the hostage-taking incident that happened in Manila, Philippines last August 23, 2010 were 8 Hong
Kong people killed and 7 injured.

The non-binding motion is expected to exert pressure not only on the Hong Kong government but also the Philippines.

The victims families wants an apology from the president of the Philippines, compensation, punishment for officials involved and implement measures to protect tourists’ personal safety.

The relevant sanction measures should include:

1. the Hong Kong Government to suspend the procurement of Philippine products;
2. the Hong Kong Government to suspend the new round of negotiations on areas such as air freedom rights and trade, etc.;
3. except for the hostage incident, the Hong Kong Government to suspend all its dealings with the Philippine Government;
4. the Hong Kong Government to suspend inviting Philippine cultural organizations to Hong Kong to participate in the cultural and arts activities organized by the Hong Kong Government;
5. the Hong Kong Legislative Council to suspend its friendship exchanges and liaison with theCongress of the Philippines; and
6. the Hong Kong Government to call on the Hong Kong community and commercial sector to suspend their commercial and cultural exchanges with the Philippines, and call on the public to boycott Philippine goods

The Council also proposes to implement the economic sanction measures in phases by amending the
Immigration Ordinance:

Phase one: from 1 April 2014 onwards, to forbid the issuance of employment visas to newly-employed Philippine domestic helpers, but excluding the issuance of employment visas for employment contracts
which are renewed with the same employers during the period from 1 April to 31 December 2014;

Phase two: from 1 January 2015 on wards, to forbid the extension of Philippine domestic helpers’ limit of stay;

Phase three: from 1 July 2015 onwards, to forbid the issuance of entry visas to Philippine passport holders.

Source: Motion Imposing economic sanctions on the Philippines and restoring Hong Kong people’s dignity.