Two badly wounded survivors of the Manila bus siege massacre say they have only received between HK$5,000 and HK$8,000 each from insurer Chartis Insurance.
Joe Chan Kwok-chu, who was hit in the hands by a bullet from ex-policeman Roland Mendoza's M16 assault rifle, was responding to a press statement issued on Wednesday by Chartis, which said it had paid out HK$350,000 in total in respect of both of the survivors. Chan said he had never received the HK$350,000 mentioned in the statement.
He said had only received HK$7,000 to HK$8,000 compensation. His friend Yik Siu-ling, whose thumbs and lower jaw were shattered when the gunman shot her in the face, received only HK$5,000 to HK$6,000, according to Chan.
The statement from Chartis Insurance said Chan and Yik had received compensation as stated on the travel insurance policy.
'[The insurance includes] a medical charter flight sending them back to Hong Kong, doctors accompaniment, hospital reimbursement, early journey cancellation reimbursement and loss of luggage reimbursement. The total amount of the above mentioned reimbursements is HK$350,000,' it said.
Chan said Chartis' mention of HK$350,000 was misleading because it also included the cost of the charter flight. 'This is a tragedy seen by the whole world. How can they refuse to compensate [further]? ... It (Chartis) really does not have any corporate conscience,' he said.