HK monks arriving in Manila to pray for 2010 hostage victims

MANILA, Philippines - Thirty Buddhist monks are arriving in Manila to pray for the souls of eight Hong Kong tourists who were killed in the 2010 Luneta hostage crisis, Mayor Joseph Estrada said yesterday.

In an interview with The STAR, Estrada said he will shoulder the air fare and hotel accommodations of the monks.

“The monks will stay at the Manila Hotel and the Fiesta Pavilion. They are coming here on Aug. 5,” he said.

He said the monks will pray at the site of the tragedy where the Hong Kong nationals and their hostage-taker, police officer Rolando Mendoza, were killed on Aug. 23, 2010.

The mayor will arrive today from Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong government conducted a separate investigation and concluded that the Philippine National Police bungled and mishandled the hostage crisis.

The incident led to diplomatic sanctions on Philippine officials whose privilege of 14-day, visa-free access to Hong Kong was scrapped last February.

Last April, the Hong Kong government announced the resolution of the hostage crisis following Estrada’s apology.