UPDATE: Former Ombudsman Morales barred entry to Hong Kong
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Tue, 21 May 2019 09:35:25 +0000
FORMER Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales was barred from entering Hong Kong on Tuesday, prompting Malacanang to order the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to offer assistance.
Morales, who arrived with her family at past noon, was finally allowed entry at about 3 p.m. but decided to go home instead, booking a flight back to Manila at 6 p.m., said Deputy Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan in a live interview on radio dzMM.
It was not clear why Hong Kong barred Morales, said Usudan who learned of the incident through the former official’s daughter.
Morales herself texted what happened to an unidentified staff.
In Filipino, Morales said that she was denied entry to Hong Kong and was asked to board the 6 p.m. flight of Philippine Airlines (PAL).
She said authorities cited “immigration” as the reason.
Morales said she was with her husband, son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.
Morales said she and her family decided to return to Manila and PAL was making arrangements for them.
In a text message shared to reporters, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said he called up DFA Undersecretary Ernesto Abella and asked him to give assistance to Morales.
He said that Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. was in Myanmar.
Panelo said that Abella assured him that the department was “on it.”
“Yes. We will render assistance to every Filipino in need of assistance abroad regardless of their political persuasion,” he added.
Morales, along with former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, filed a communication against Chinese President Xi Jinping in March before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for “implementing a systematic plan to control the contested sea and violating the rights of Filipino fishers.”
The two officials also said that Xi and other Chinese officials committed crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC.
The complaint also accused Xi and other Chinese leaders of crimes against humanity by causing devastating environmental damage across nations.” RALPH VILLANUEVA
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