Security chief Lai Tung-kwok hangs fire on Filipino visa debate
Lawmakers will vote on a non-binding motion urging the government to scrap visa-free access in an attempt to turn up the pressure on the Philippine authorities to compensate victims of the 2010 incident, in which eight Hongkongers were killed and seven injured.
The city's security chief said he would address the question of whether to scrap visa-free entry for Filipinos after Wednesday's Legislative Council debate on the Manila hostage tragedy.
Despite "a bit of misunderstanding", the past few weeks had seen progress being made in talks with Manila city government representative Bernardito Ang, said Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok.
When asked about a possible visit to the city by Manila mayor Joseph Estrada, he said it was up to the mayor whether he to come.
"The trip that the mayor has been talking about is not our main consideration. Our main consideration is how we can reach results acceptable to the hostage victims," he said yesterday.
The victims and their families are demanding an apology, compensation, punishment for the officials responsible and improved tourist safety.