Erap, Cabinet exec off to HK to apologize for Manila hostage crisis

MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATED) Former President and now Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada left for Hong Kong on Tuesday to apologize for the 2010 Manila Hostage crisis and offer compensation to the victims worth about P110 million.

In a phone-patch interview with Mornings@ANC, Estrada said the trip is a joint effort by the national and local government since he will be accompanied by some Manila city councilors, Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima and Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras.

Almendras later denied Estrada's claim that he will be joining the trip on Tuesday, saying that he was attending meetings in Manila.

Read: Gov't hopes Estrada's visit to HK brings closure to hostage crisis

Estrada said they will be meeting with Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung.

"I am apologizing because it happened in Manila," Estrada said. "In behalf of the people of Manila, the city council and myself extend our apology for the unfortunate incident more than three years ago."

The Manila mayor said he will also offer some sort of compensation worth around 20 million Hong Kong dollars or over P110 million for the victims of the hostage crisis.

He said he is doing this for the overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong, whose working visas might not be extended due to the Philippine government's lack of apology.

"I have to do something. Nakakaawa naman yung ating mga kababayan doon," Estrada said. "I'm trying my best to apologize for them for that unfortunate incident even if it was not during my term as Mayor of Manila."

A sign of PNoy's apology?

President Benigno Aquino III has maintained that he will not apologize for the act of the disgruntled policeman who took as hostages and killed several Hong Kong tourists near the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta in 2010.

While Aquino has repeatedly offered the government's condolences, he said the act of one individual "should not be construed as the act of the entire country."

But with the reported presence of Almendras and Purisima representing the national government, Estrada believes that this is already a "sign" of the President feeling sorry over the deadly incident.

"That is already a sign... because the President is being represented by his own cabinet member," Estrada said.

However, Estrada said former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and not the President is the one at fault for the hostage crisis.

He pointed out that the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo even recommended Lim's suspension.

"There was a written recommendation. In short, the President has nothing to do with this. It's purely local," Estrada said. -Louis Bacani