HK solons OK withdrawal of Pinoys' visa-free entry

MANILA, Philippines - Hong Kong lawmakers on Thursday voted to pass an amendment withdrawing visa-free access to Filipinos into the city.

Chinese newspapers reported that the Hong Kong legislative council voted by 41 to three, with seven abstentions in favor of the entry ban seen as the region's retaliation for the 2010 Manila hostage crisis.

Hong Kong officials have long warned about possible sanctions including economic barriers against Manila if  the latter fails to meet demands of families of eight Hong Kong residents who died in the bungled police rescue.

The legislative ruling came after Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying issued an ultimatum threatening to spoil good relations with Manila for its failure to respond to the crisis led by a disgruntled former police officer in Rizal Park.

Leung urged Manila "to make a timely and concrete response, otherwise the incident will continue to stand in the way between the two governments and the peoples."

His stamp on the amendment is the last step to make the travel sanctions final.

Legislative Council official Lai Tung-kwok said in a China Daily report that suspension of the visa-free entry for Filipinos will not impact on Hong Kong affairs heavily.

In 2012, about 700,000 Filipino visitors spend about P16.73 billion in the administrative region. Over 1,100 Filipinos were also recorded to have arrived in Hong Kong last year to look for jobs, the report said.

Former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee then filed an amendment "to preserve Hong Kong people's dignity" in the travel sanctions against the Philippines.

Observers have said that trade sanctions would follow if government remains adamant on its view that the issue is close. President Benigno Aquino III had expressed regret over the incident, but  declined to issue a national apology to the distraught families.

Manila City Councilor Bernardito Ang visited Hong Kong last month to discuss the issue in a bid to appease the city's officials and residents.

Manila Mayor and former President Joseph Estrada also flew to Hong Kong last October in a bid to extend apologies in behalf of the local government for the botched 2010 affair.

The Department of Foreign Affairs had said that government is "working quietly to achieve a result that is mutually satisfactory." - with Associated Press