Two years after hostages aboard a Hong Kong tourist bus were killed in Manila, families and survivors are still searching for answers.
Marking the second anniversary of the hostage crisis, in which eight Hong Kong tourists were killed, families of the victims gathered outside the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong demanding an ‘overdue’ apology from the government, AFP reports. The group, dressed in black, carried placards with the words “justice” and “undone”. A minute’s silence was observed before they handed a petition to the Philippine Consulate while chanting “We will never forget”.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino ruled out an apology but expressed regret. The incident drove a wedge between Hong Kong-Philippine relations. Hong Kong maintains a travel warning for the Philippines and has conducted a separate investigation on the incident.
The Manila hostage crisis was one of the most dramatic in the Philippines, putting the country on television screens worldwide. The incident raised concerns about how authorities handled the incident. Former senior inspector Rolando Mendoza hijacked the tourist bus in front of the Quirino Grandstand in a desperate bid to get his job back. Mendoza was outraged when he found out his brother was arrested by the police and opened fire on the passengers, killing eight and wounding others.
