Investigation team sent to Manila

Source: Global Times
[18:37 August 24 2010]
Comments

By Zhao Ran

Following the 10-hour hostage crisis that resulted in the death of eight Hong Kong tourists, China has already dispatched an investigation team to the Philippines to deal with the aftermath and personally look into the situation of the victims and survivors, citing Xinhua News Tuesday.

A spokesman from the Philippine government said Tuesday that the country’s president will deliver an apology to Donald Tsang, Hong Kong Chief Executive by phone and the government will dispatch a working team led by Filipino Foreign Minister Alberto G. Romulo to Hong Kong to make further clarifications as soon as possible.

Ma Chaoxu, the spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that related authorities will keep close contact with the Philippine side and the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and deal with the aftermath of the tragedy.

In addition, the Hong Thai Travel will pay insured victim’s families HK$1,000,000 ($128,620) in compensations as well as a pension of HK$20,000 ($2,572) per person, the company’s spokesman surnamed Fong told the Global Times.

“The Philippine government will submit an investigation report to China as soon as possible,’’ Liu Jianchao, Chinese ambassador to the Philippines said in a statement Tuesday morning.

A person close to the matter said that the two survivors will fly back to Hong Kong Tuesday night accompanied by officials. The bodies of the eight victims have not date to be repatriated.

Agencies contributed to this story