China slams flag on Mendoza coffin

MANILA, Philippines - China expressed strong indignation yesterday over the “irritating” act of draping with the Philippine flag the coffin of dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza who was shot dead after holding hostage Hong Kong tourists that resulted in the death of eight hostages.

The complaint prompted the removal of the flag.

In a strongly worded statement, the Chinese embassy described Mendoza as a cold-blooded hostage taker and draping his coffin with the Philippine flag is a smear on the dignity of the flag.

The embassy was upset over television reports that showed Mendoza’s remains laid in a coffin draped with the Philippine colors at his house in Tanauan, Batangas.

Tanauan Mayor Sonia Torres Aquino said the flag had been removed from Mendoza’s coffin.

Mendoza’s sister Cathy said the flag was sent to them by Mayor Aquino last Thursday morning, apparently to be placed on her brother’s coffin.

But after the reported outcry from the Chinese embassy, Mayor Aquino reportedly sent an emissary to retrieve the flag.

The unidentified man arrived at the Mendoza residence in a red-plated government vehicle yesterday, raising tension at the wake of Captain Mendoza.

“Would you want us to also remove our brother’s uniform?” one of Mendoza’s siblings was quoted as saying in Filipino.

One of Mendoza’s relatives shouted: “It was just sent by the mayor that’s why we placed it on the coffin.”

“The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines condemns the brutality of the criminal and expresses its strong indignation over this irritating act,” the embassy said.

Mendoza, who was dismissed from the police force last year for extortion, commandeered last Monday the Hong Thai Travel tourist bus in Intramuros and held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipino guides for several hours in front of the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park in Manila.

The suspect, armed with an M16 rifle and a pistol, had released several hostages before the SWAT team assaulted the bus resulting in the death of the hostage taker and eight tourists.

“The person who deserves a national flag at funeral should be someone of heroism, decency and integrity, not someone who inflicts atrocity on innocent lives. This is nothing but a smear on the dignity of the Philippine national flag,” the embassy said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the draping of Mendoza’s coffin with the Philippine flag does not conform with existing protocol and rules.

“There are rules and protocol with respect to the manner of display of the Philippine flag and we do not consider the display of the Philippine flag in this particular instance conforming with existing rules,” said DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya.

As the Philippine government completes an investigation of the hostage-taking incident, the DFA reiterated its condemnation of the violence perpetuated by Mendoza.

“Nothing could ever justify the senseless act of holding hostage and threatening and carrying out physical violence on innocent civilians, including children,” the DFA said in a statement.

“The Department shares the outrage and indignation of the Filipino nation and all peace-loving peoples over this criminal act,” the DFA said.

The Philippine government continues to cooperate with the governments of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the People’s Republic of China to bring justice to the victims and their families.

“We believe that the strong and long-standing ties of friendship and cooperation between the governments and peoples of the Philippines and China and Hong Kong shall overcome this sad episode,” the DFA said.

China said on Thursday that the most urgent task of the Philippines is to complete the investigation on the hostage-taking incident as soon as possible.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Jiang Yu responded to a question about the high-level Philippine delegation to visit China and Hong Kong in relation to the hostage incident involving Hong Kong tourists.

“The MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) has emphasized China’s positions to the Philippine side many times. On your query, both sides are keeping in close coordination,” Jiang said.

He said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Philippine embassy in Beijing have kept in constant touch.

The high-level delegation led by Vice President Jejomar Binay, through the DFA, said that the government is awaiting finalization of arrangements with respect to the calls and meetings of the delegation that will proceed to the People’s Republic of China and thereafter to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

While the delegation is ready to leave anytime, the delegation said there is an understanding between both sides that the Philippines will bring a full report of Monday’s incident.

Binay said the visit of the Philippine delegation to China and Hong Kong would push through but they are waiting for the complete report on the incident.

Binay told radio station dzRH that the delegation would explain to China and Hong Kong officials that the hostage crisis was an isolated incident. 

“Concerned Philippine authorities are now conducting a proper investigation with a view to completing the report as soon as possible,” the high-level delegation said in a statement. 

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said on Wednesday evening that the departure of Binay and the delegation to meet with Chinese and Hong Kong officials would be rescheduled.

In a related development, commercial flights from Hong Kong and Taiwan going to Laoag International Airport (LIA) have been cancelled yesterday.

The airlines that stopped operations at LIA were Hong Kong Express and Mandarin Air from Kaoshiung, Taiwan. Both carriers fly twice a week to LIA.

Martin Valera, regional director of the Department of Tourism, told The STAR that the suspension of flights at LIA would affect the tourism industry in Ilocos Norte and neighboring provinces.

Valera said that around P50 million in monthly income will be lost by local tourism industry operators and workers because the Hong Kong and Taiwan flights have been bringing in at least 200 foreigners weekly, mostly Chinese.

“The cancellation of flights is part of the travel ban advisory of the Hong Kong government. This will surely result to the loss of income of hotels, resorts and restaurant operators in the north,” Valera said.  With Delon Porcalla, Arnell Ozaeta, Jun Elias