Advertisement
Advertisement

Governor's envoy to visit HK pair in Manila prison

AN official delegate from Governor Chris Patten has been granted permission to visit jailed tour guide Paul Au Wing-cheung and factory worker Wong Chuen-ming today.

Mr Patten's deputy private secretary Kim Salkeld requested approval, through the British Consulate, to make the visit after attending a meeting yesterday between the Governor and Philippine President Fidel Ramos.

Government sources said Mr Patten had gauged the tone of the breakfast talks before deciding an official visit would not be viewed as 'interference' in the Philippines' judicial affairs.

'He will be relaying the concerns of the community in Hong Kong, not least the Legislative Council, who have raised the issue a number of times, and he will be undertaking to keep in touch with Mr Au and Mr Wong,' Mr Patten said yesterday.

An appeal date has still not been set for the two men, jailed for life in December 1991 after they were arrested for smuggling 34 kilograms of the drug 'ice' into Manila airport.

The breakfast talks had ranged from the two leaders' work in the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, the economic, trading and investment relationship between the territory and the Philippines, and the future of Filipino domestic workers.

'We also talked about the importance of concluding negotiations on the air services agreement between Hong Kong and the Philippines, and some bilateral issues of that sort,' Mr Patten said.

'I pointed out there was one shadow on our relationship . . . mainly because of substantial concern for two Hong Kong citizens who have been imprisoned in the Philippines for four years.

'I underlined the fact that none of us in Hong Kong were in any way questioning the judiciary or the judicial process in the Philippines . . . but we were worried about the length of time it's taking to bring these matters to a conclusion,' Mr Patten said.

'The President said he understood that concern and worry, and that he would speak with his Justice Ministry about what could be done to expedite the case, and he would let me know what the conclusions were.' But Mr Patten reacted angrily to suggestions he could have raised the possibility of a presidential pardon with Mr Ramos.

'It would have been wholly improper of me, without proper consultation, to have suggested two citizens of Hong Kong should drop their appeals,' he said.

'The President and I are not in the business of haggling or negotiating on these men's fate.' Mr Salkeld is expected to visit Muntinlupa National Prison and report to the Governor on the two prisoners' 'state of mind and about what they're thinking' before the party returns to Hong Kong tonight.

Mr Ramos had expressed appreciation for Hong Kong efforts to improve the lot of Filipino domestic workers, and was aware of the establishment of various service centres, the Labour Tribunal and employment terms, Mr Patten said.

After meetings with Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jaime Sin and National Security Council director-general Jose Altmonte, the Governor addressed about 100 members of the Hong Kong business community over lunch. Editorial - Page 18

Post