80,000 marchers demand justice
HONG KONG—Tens of thousands marched in Hong Kong on Sunday in honor of eight Hong Kong residents killed in a bus hijacking in Manila, denouncing the Philippine government for botching the rescue operation and demanding justice for the dead.
President Benigno Aquino III has “begged for understanding” and ordered a thorough investigation into the Aug. 23 bloodbath, but that has done little to stem growing anger in this wealthy southern Chinese territory where violent crime is a rarity.
About 20 Hong Kong legislators led the crowd gathered at an urban park in a short ceremony honoring the dead before setting off on a march to the central financial district. Police didn’t estimate the size of the crowd, but organizers said about 80,000 people took part, radio RTHK reported on its website.
“Today’s protest expresses our deep mourning and our strong desire for the Philippine government to take the matter seriously,” Jasper Tsang, president of the Legislative Council, told the crowd.
“That 80,000 people can show up in such a short period of time—it shows the anger and unity of the Hong Kong people,” lawmaker Cheung Man-kwong said.
Dismissed Philippine Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza commandeered a bus carrying a 22-member Hong Kong tour group visiting Manila last week, hoping to reverse his dismissal from the force on what he said were bogus robbery and extortion charges.
He released several children and elderly hostages early in the 11-hour standoff broadcast live on television, but later opened fire on the tourists. A police sniper shot and killed Mendoza—but not before eight tourists were killed in the gunfire.
The bloody ending stunned Hong Kongers, who blasted the Manila police for what they called an amateurish rescue attempt. They also accused President Aquino of indifference in angry online messages.
“Everyone saw how the Philippine government mishandled the situation before TV cameras and the chaos in the country. As a Chinese person, I need to demand justice,” 49-year-old worker Andy Wong said at Sunday’s protest.
“I am furious,” said 56-year-old Law Wai-hing. “I don’t think we will be ever told the truth when the President (Aquino) is as appalling as he is.”
Probe results in 3 weeks promised
Herminio Coloma, Philippine presidential spokesperson, said on Sunday that his government respected the right of the people of Hong Kong to express their sentiments. He promised to announce the results of a “comprehensive, fair and accurate” investigation in three weeks.
Survivor Lee Ying-chuen, who along with her mother escaped with light injuries, said in an article published in Ming Pao Daily News that the tourists thought about subduing Mendoza, but never acted because he seemed friendly and promised to release his hostages in the afternoon.
“If we didn’t wait for the police rescue operation and acted decisively, there might have been a different outcome. But the horrible thing is there are no ‘ifs’ in history,” Lee wrote.
Fears over backlash
There are concerns that local anger could boil over and the some 120,000 Filipinos working as live-in domestic helpers for Hong Kong families would face a backlash. So far, there have been no reports of violence.
Protest organizers urged participants not to target Filipinos in the former British colony.
“My feelings toward the Philippine people haven’t changed. This is not a problem concerning the entire Filipino race,” said protester Carl Chiu, a 20-year-old university student.
Solidarity
In a gesture of solidarity, local Filipino activists organized an interfaith service in memory of the victims earlier Sunday where they lit eight candles—one for each victim.
“We ask the Hong Kong people who are watching us not to blame us for what happened because we also did not want this kind of thing to happen. This is why we are holding this prayer—to send our sympathy and condolences to them,” said migrant worker Elma Oliva.
Philippine Vice Consul Val Roque said a text message was sent to members of the Filipino community asking them to “set aside what they are doing” and attend memorial Masses “to express their grief and sympathy.”
Roque downplayed fears of retribution against Filipinos, saying there had been no confirmed reports of harassment or physical abuse. But Filipinos in the territory said they had been warned to stay away from Chinese crowds.
“We are very worried to be living in a Chinese community now,” said Joy Fajardo, 30.
In a sign that feelings are running high, the message “Stop hiring Filipino domestic workers!!!” has sprung up on Facebook sites set up by Hong Kong people to mourn the hostage victims.
Frenzy of fear
A series of unconfirmed reports of Hong Kong employers trying to vent their anger by sacking or attacking their helpers has been widely circulating among Filipinos.
Fajardo said text messages had been exchanged saying that more than 30 Filipino maids had been sacked following the tragedy, including one whose contract was terminated allegedly because her family name was the same as the gunman’s.
On Friday, Fajardo said she received reports that three maids had been killed, with one of them having acid splashed over her face.
“We don’t know if these cases are true. But we are very scared,” she said.
Another Filipino worker, Julie, said her 60-year-old employer, for whom she has worked for 14 years, did not speak to her after the hostage crisis.
“She watched news on TV about the hijacking. She did not talk to me and did not give me dinner on Wednesday,” she said.
Berated on public transport
Many Filipino workers also complained about being berated on public transport in the aftermath of the siege.
The hysteria reflects the vulnerability of Filipino domestic workers, who underpin the city’s economy by taking care of the children and elderly relatives of working parents.
Under the law, a domestic worker must be paid a minimum salary of HK$3,580 (US$460) and a food allowance of HK$750 each month. They have to be given one day off every week.
“They do not want to return home because their salary in Hong Kong is higher than a police officer or a professor in the Philippines,” said Fermi Wong, founder of Unison Hong Kong, a group that helps ethnic minorities.
Deplorable conditions
Some domestic workers endure deplorable working conditions just to keep their job. These include being made to serve more than one family—a practice that is now illegal—and to live in uninhabitable quarters.
Wong said there were reports of workers being sexually or physically abused, and in one case, a Hong Kong employer banned his maid from using their washroom at night for “hygiene reasons.”
Cases of maids stealing from their employers or abusing their children behind their backs have raised levels of mutual mistrust.
“Filipino maids have a very low status in our city,” Wong said.
Yet Filipinos remain the largest group of domestic workers in the financial hub, because of their proficiency in English.
‘We’re not to blame’
Wong said she hoped Hong Kong people would not allow their anger and grief to transform into long-term hatred against the Filipinos.
“They were vulnerable even before the hostage siege. Now they feel even more vulnerable because they are guilty and ashamed. They feel they are morally responsible for what their government has done,” he said.
Diana Delossandos, a 30-year-old domestic helper, voiced the same hope.
“We are also shocked and angry with the way the Philippine government handled the hostage crisis. The reaction of our president is so disgusting, and our police are so stupid,” she said.
“But we are not supposed to be blamed.” Reports from Associated Press and Agence France-Presse
About 20 Hong Kong legislators led the crowd gathered at an urban park in a short ceremony honoring the dead before setting off on a march to the central financial district. Police didn’t estimate the size of the crowd, but organizers said about 80,000 people took part, radio RTHK reported on its website.
“Today’s protest expresses our deep mourning and our strong desire for the Philippine government to take the matter seriously,” Jasper Tsang, president of the Legislative Council, told the crowd.
“That 80,000 people can show up in such a short period of time—it shows the anger and unity of the Hong Kong people,” lawmaker Cheung Man-kwong said.
Dismissed Philippine Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza commandeered a bus carrying a 22-member Hong Kong tour group visiting Manila last week, hoping to reverse his dismissal from the force on what he said were bogus robbery and extortion charges.
He released several children and elderly hostages early in the 11-hour standoff broadcast live on television, but later opened fire on the tourists. A police sniper shot and killed Mendoza—but not before eight tourists were killed in the gunfire.
The bloody ending stunned Hong Kongers, who blasted the Manila police for what they called an amateurish rescue attempt. They also accused President Aquino of indifference in angry online messages.
“Everyone saw how the Philippine government mishandled the situation before TV cameras and the chaos in the country. As a Chinese person, I need to demand justice,” 49-year-old worker Andy Wong said at Sunday’s protest.
“I am furious,” said 56-year-old Law Wai-hing. “I don’t think we will be ever told the truth when the President (Aquino) is as appalling as he is.”
Probe results in 3 weeks promised
Herminio Coloma, Philippine presidential spokesperson, said on Sunday that his government respected the right of the people of Hong Kong to express their sentiments. He promised to announce the results of a “comprehensive, fair and accurate” investigation in three weeks.
Survivor Lee Ying-chuen, who along with her mother escaped with light injuries, said in an article published in Ming Pao Daily News that the tourists thought about subduing Mendoza, but never acted because he seemed friendly and promised to release his hostages in the afternoon.
“If we didn’t wait for the police rescue operation and acted decisively, there might have been a different outcome. But the horrible thing is there are no ‘ifs’ in history,” Lee wrote.
Fears over backlash
There are concerns that local anger could boil over and the some 120,000 Filipinos working as live-in domestic helpers for Hong Kong families would face a backlash. So far, there have been no reports of violence.
Protest organizers urged participants not to target Filipinos in the former British colony.
“My feelings toward the Philippine people haven’t changed. This is not a problem concerning the entire Filipino race,” said protester Carl Chiu, a 20-year-old university student.
Solidarity
In a gesture of solidarity, local Filipino activists organized an interfaith service in memory of the victims earlier Sunday where they lit eight candles—one for each victim.
“We ask the Hong Kong people who are watching us not to blame us for what happened because we also did not want this kind of thing to happen. This is why we are holding this prayer—to send our sympathy and condolences to them,” said migrant worker Elma Oliva.
Philippine Vice Consul Val Roque said a text message was sent to members of the Filipino community asking them to “set aside what they are doing” and attend memorial Masses “to express their grief and sympathy.”
Roque downplayed fears of retribution against Filipinos, saying there had been no confirmed reports of harassment or physical abuse. But Filipinos in the territory said they had been warned to stay away from Chinese crowds.
“We are very worried to be living in a Chinese community now,” said Joy Fajardo, 30.
In a sign that feelings are running high, the message “Stop hiring Filipino domestic workers!!!” has sprung up on Facebook sites set up by Hong Kong people to mourn the hostage victims.
Frenzy of fear
A series of unconfirmed reports of Hong Kong employers trying to vent their anger by sacking or attacking their helpers has been widely circulating among Filipinos.
Fajardo said text messages had been exchanged saying that more than 30 Filipino maids had been sacked following the tragedy, including one whose contract was terminated allegedly because her family name was the same as the gunman’s.
On Friday, Fajardo said she received reports that three maids had been killed, with one of them having acid splashed over her face.
“We don’t know if these cases are true. But we are very scared,” she said.
Another Filipino worker, Julie, said her 60-year-old employer, for whom she has worked for 14 years, did not speak to her after the hostage crisis.
“She watched news on TV about the hijacking. She did not talk to me and did not give me dinner on Wednesday,” she said.
Berated on public transport
Many Filipino workers also complained about being berated on public transport in the aftermath of the siege.
The hysteria reflects the vulnerability of Filipino domestic workers, who underpin the city’s economy by taking care of the children and elderly relatives of working parents.
Under the law, a domestic worker must be paid a minimum salary of HK$3,580 (US$460) and a food allowance of HK$750 each month. They have to be given one day off every week.
“They do not want to return home because their salary in Hong Kong is higher than a police officer or a professor in the Philippines,” said Fermi Wong, founder of Unison Hong Kong, a group that helps ethnic minorities.
Deplorable conditions
Some domestic workers endure deplorable working conditions just to keep their job. These include being made to serve more than one family—a practice that is now illegal—and to live in uninhabitable quarters.
Wong said there were reports of workers being sexually or physically abused, and in one case, a Hong Kong employer banned his maid from using their washroom at night for “hygiene reasons.”
Cases of maids stealing from their employers or abusing their children behind their backs have raised levels of mutual mistrust.
“Filipino maids have a very low status in our city,” Wong said.
Yet Filipinos remain the largest group of domestic workers in the financial hub, because of their proficiency in English.
‘We’re not to blame’
Wong said she hoped Hong Kong people would not allow their anger and grief to transform into long-term hatred against the Filipinos.
“They were vulnerable even before the hostage siege. Now they feel even more vulnerable because they are guilty and ashamed. They feel they are morally responsible for what their government has done,” he said.
Diana Delossandos, a 30-year-old domestic helper, voiced the same hope.
“We are also shocked and angry with the way the Philippine government handled the hostage crisis. The reaction of our president is so disgusting, and our police are so stupid,” she said.
“But we are not supposed to be blamed.” Reports from Associated Press and Agence France-Presse
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