Hong Kong's cancellation of visas would have been avoided: Singson

By Mar T. Supnad

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur -- Rep. Ronald Singson (First District, Ilcos Sur)  blamed Monday the  national government for Hong Kong's  cancellation of visa-free entry privelege of Philippine officials and diplomatic passport holders, saying this would hve  been avoided had the government issued an apology for the 2010 Manila hostage crisis.

Singson, told this correspondent that what the Hong Kong leaders just wanted was for the Philippine government to issue an apology.

News reports said starting Feb. 5 as part of its sanctions against the Philippines in connection with the 2010 Manila hostage crisis, diplomats and lawmakers will no longer be afforded special privileges as announced by Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to media.

It was learned that at present, Filipino holders of official and diplomatic passports enjoy 14-day visa free status when visiting Hong Kong.

In his privelege speech, Singson asked members of the House of Representatives to come up with an apology for the Luneta shooting incident to retain the good rapport between the Philippines and Hong Kong.

A son of former governor Chavit Singson, the young Singson expressed fear   that the Philippines might lose its strong ties with Hong Kong for failure of the executive branch to issue apology for the killing of eight Hong Kong nationals and injuring nine in Luneta incident.

 Singson appealed to his fellow congressmen to extend apology for the Luneta incident last August 23, 2010.

 “If the Philippine President, who is the head of the Executive Branch of the national government, doesn't want to issue this much-requested simple apology to the people of Hong Kong, we in the Philippine Congress, as representatives of the Filipino People and as a separate branch of the national government, are willing to issue an apology for this misunderstanding, between Filipinos and the Hong Kong people, to finally close its chapter,” Singson said.

 “I would like to call your attention regarding a place where many of us Filipino politicians, business leaders, and hundreds of thousands of OFWs have travelled, while seeking rest and recreation for our families, transactions for our growing businesses, and opportunities for high- paying overseas employment. I am talking about a neighboring overseas location populated by a peace-loving and hardworking people we all know as Hong Kong. “