Aquino rejects call for apology for Hong Kong deaths

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/08/23/aquino-rejects-call-apology-hong-kong-deaths-174809

MANILA -- President Benigno Aquino III has expressed regret for the deaths of eight Hong Kong hostages who were killed in a botched police rescue last year but is rejecting the families' call for a formal apology.
Aquino said the lone gunman, a dismissed police officer, and not the state is to be blamed for the tragedy. "By the same token that some of our citizens have been affected elsewhere in the world, we don't blame the entire population."

He compared the incident to last month's attack by a "deranged gunman" who killed 77 people in Norway.

He said on the anniversary of the hostage-taking Tuesday that an apology connotes that the state harmed the tourists, which he said is not correct.
The tourists were hijacked by a dismissed policeman. Hours of unsuccessful negotiations turned bloody when he opened fire, prompting police to chaotically storm their bus. He was killed by a police sniper.
Aquino said the Philippine government has taken steps to address the needs of the victims of the Manila hostage crisis and to help them move on from the tragedy.
"We have tried to assist them to overcome this tragedy...Both public and private concerns of this country have really tried to assist them in their moving on," he said in an ambush interview after he inspected the newly-acquired BRP Gregorio del Pilar warship at the Pier 13 in South Harbor, Manila.

Aquino insisted that the government has already issued a public apology and has provided reasonable compensation to the victims' families and survivors.

In a meeting with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday, the victims' families insisted that they have not received justice from the Philippine government and sought a formal apology and financial compensation.
Several survivors and relatives of the bloody hostage crisis on August 23, 2010 held a simple Buddhist ritual at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, where the tragedy took place.
They flew to Manila Sunday night to commemorate the hostage crisis which killed eight Hong Kong tourists, including the hostage taker dismissed senior officer Rolando Mendoza.

"I think we have accomplished the two (demands) but the question is their definition," said Aquino. "We sympathized and we continue to sympathize with them. We really wish it did not happen. We hope we had performed better at that point in time."
Aquino said while the government understands the feelings of the families, he hoped that they will be able to understand also the reforms that the administration are doing to improve security and crisis measures.
He also hoped that the survivors and the families would learn to move on, noting that no one wanted the incident to take place.
The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, supported the appeal of the President of moving on saying that everyone should be at peace and "move forward."
Meanwhile, a Catholic bishop on Tuesday urged the Aquino administration to fulfill its promise and hold accountable those liable for the bungled rescue of the victims in the 11-hour hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
Bringing those liable to the bar of justice would be the best apology for the victims and survivors, Manila auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said in a separate phone interview. "Hold accountable those who are accountable," he said in Filipino.

REACTION:

The incident was in fact very tragic for both Filipinos and Hongkong nationals. It was very saddening knowing that it all took place in our country plus the fact that the catalyst is a Filipino. Such a shame indeed.

Reading this article would leave us with different opinions with regards to what President Noynoy said in his interview. Personally, I'm with Noynoy's stand point. But DON'T GET ME WRONG. It is very inappropriate for us Filipinos to be blamed for what had transpired during that day. Although we are partly to blame because of the fact that the person accountable for the tragic incident is a Filipino, it doesn't mean that every single Filipino should suffer the consequences. I like the way President Noynoy gave the event in Norway as an example. It just goes to show that a fault of someone doesn't necessarily concern everyone. Although I admit that during the Quirino Grand Stand Hostage Crisis, there was a lack of negotiation and arrangement done, but NOBODY wanted that to happen. It's not only them who suffered and mourned during that dreadful day, each and every Filipino was hurt and saddened.

However, I'm not really supportive of what President Noynoy said about not giving an apology, that's why I've said a while ago not to jump into conclusions right away with my opinion. We owe those victim's families one. Definitely. But the thing is, we Filipinos should not be held accountable for that event. It was only a doing of one guy, not everyone. It was not planned, it was not wished, more importantly, it was not us. Nobody liked that anyway, so why blame each and every one?

I just hope that the incident gave us realizations of our weaknesses and improve on that matter. Let's just stop the blaming and feud, instead let's focus on helping each other to attain justice. After all, it's not our race that matters, it's our one goal and heart.

And for President Noynoy? This one is for you: A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.