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The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, today (March 3) met with the Consul-General of the Philippines in Hong Kong, Mr Claro S Cristobal, to urge the Philippine Government to take all necessary actions to assist the Hong Kong Coroner's Inquest into the Manila hostage incident.
Mr Tang pointed out that at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting in Yokohama last November, the President of the Philippines, Mr Benigno Aquino III, assured the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, that the Philippine Government would render assistance to facilitate the Coroner's death inquest. Subsequently, the Coroner's Court has issued summons to 116 Philippine witnesses to attend the hearing, but to date none of these witnesses have confirmed that they would attend the inquest in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been following up with the Philippine authorities on the witnesses' attendance at the inquest in Hong Kong. Noting that the survivors and families of victims have recently issued a joint statement, Mr Tang urged the Philippine authorities to give a prompt response and use their best endeavours to assist the Coroner's Inquest.
Ends/Thursday, March 3, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:11
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