Hong Kong to review travel ban after talks with Philippine official

Dec 16, 2010, 9:11 GMT

Hong Kong - Hong Kong said Thursday it would review a ban on its citizens traveling to the Philippines, four months after eight tourists were killed after being taken hostage in Manila.

Security Secretary Ambrose Lee announced the move after talks between Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang and Philippines Tourism Minister Alberto Lim.

Hong Kong has maintained a black travel alert, advising residents to avoid all travel to the Philippines, since the Hong Kong tourists were shot dead on a tour bus hijacked by a former policeman in August.

At Thursday's talks in Hong Kong, officials were told disciplinary charges had been brought against five police officers found to have mishandled the August hostage crisis.

A sixth police officer, the brother of the gunman Rolando del Rosario Mendoza, faces criminal charges and the mayor of Manila is also facing administrative sanctions, Tsang and his colleagues were told.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Philippines tourism minister expressed 'deep regret' over the shootings and said compensation would be offered to victims' families.

'I can't discuss the amounts but I can tell you the first tranche will be in cash and there will be a second tranche that may be in kind, in scholarships or health or answering the victims' needs,' Lim said.

The Philippines police and officials were heavily criticized for their handling of the crisis during which Mendoza killed eight hostages following a 10-hour stand-off with police.

Lee said Hong Kong might adjust the black travel warning after considering the measures taken to improve security for tourists in the Philippines.

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