(Eagle News)–Why did he go there?
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo posed this question to former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, after he was detained in a Hong Kong airport upon his arrival on Friday, June 21.
Panelo, in an interview over CNN Philippines, noted Del Rosario, after all, was aware of former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales’ experience in the territory on May 21.
Morales, who was supposed to go on vacation, was also held at the HK airport.
She was subsequently allowed entry but she opted not to enter.
Morales and Del Rosario are the complainants in a communication filed before the International Criminal Court against Chinese President Xi Jinping over China’s activities in the disputed South China Sea.
“I cannot also understand the good ambassador. Why? He knew from the very start that the Hong Kong authorities have detained former Ombudsman Morales. Of course, we can only speculate that it could have been in relation to the case filed against China,” Panelo said.
According to Panelo, “if I were Del Rosario, I would have not gone to Hong Kong because I’m sure, I would have anticipated, that I would be going [through] the same ordeal like the former Ombudsman did.”
Panelo said in the first place, “kahit na may diplomatic passport ka, pag sinabi ng isang bansa na you are a security risk, wala iyong mga diploma-diplomatic passport na iyan.”
He said no one could question the right of a country to deny entry to someone it deems a security risk.
“Is it deliberate on his part, so that he will have the same situation where he can use it as a forum for his advocacy?” Panelo asked.