`Secure Filipinos in HK’
Credit to Author: BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO| Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2019 16:18:43 +0000
Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay has called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) to start taking steps to ensure the safety of Filipinos in Hong Kong, as tension continues to escalate in the special administrative region with the reported deployment of Chinese troops to its border.
Binay sounded the alarm amid reports that Beijing has sent the People’s Liberation Army to the Hong Kong-China border.
The senator on Thursday said China’s news outlets recently released a video showing military vehicles, including tanks, massing near Hong Kong’s border.
She called on the agencies to “prepare for the worst” and activate their contingency plans as soon as possible so that Filipinos would not become casualties in case the situation in Hong Kong deteriorates further.
Binay also urged authorities to touch base with Macau in the event that a mass evacuation is required.
“We’re still not sure if Macau would be affected. But perhaps it is better to explore the possibility of using Macau as exit point if the situation worsens,” she said.
“Hindi na siguro kailangan pa ng gobyerno natin na maghintay bago pa lumala ang krisis sa Hong Kong (Our government need not have to wait for the crisis in Hong Kong to worsen),” Binay said. “Umaasa akong may plano na ang DFA at POEA sa pagtitiyak ng safety ng mga OFW (overseas Filipino workers) natin (We’re hoping that the DFA and the POEA have plans to ensure the safety of our OFWs).”
Binay proposed that the Philippine government coordinate with Filipino communities and organizations on immediate action and evacuation plans should the political situation worsen.
“We have a sizable Filipino community in the city, close to 200,000. No one should be left behind if things take a turn for the worse,” she said.
Binay recalled that in 2014, when Hong Kong was rocked by pro-democracy protests, the government shut down telecommunication networks.
She assured Filipino workers in Hong Kong that the government is ready to extend help and that Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. can handle the situation.
Concerns
The United States expressed concerns on Thursday over Chinese security force movements on the border with Hong Kong and urged Beijing to honor the territory’s autonomy as pro-democracy
protests continued.
A day after President Donald Trump appeared to take a hands-off position on the protests, a State Department spokesman voiced concerns about the “continued erosion” of Hong Kong’s autonomy and expressed “staunch” support for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the territory.
Senior members of Congress declared their backing for the protestors, blaming Beijing for a violent crackdown by the Hong Kong government.
“The United States is deeply concerned by reports of Chinese paramilitary movement along the Hong Kong border,” the spokesman said.
“The United States strongly urges Beijing to adhere to its commitments in the Sino-British Joint Declaration to allow Hong Kong to exercise a high degree of autonomy.”
Inciting ‘chaos’
Top legislators, who normally have access to internal US government intelligence, were more directly critical of the Hong Kong government and Beijing.
“Images of Beijing-backed forces brutalizing civilians speak for themselves,” tweeted Mitch McConnell, the powerful Republican Senate majority leader.
“Millions of Hong Kongers protesting the Chinese Communist Party’s encroachment know the truth about exactly who is responsible for ‘inciting’ chaos. The rest of the world knows too,” he said.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, called the use of force “perpetrated against” the demonstrators “extremely alarming.”
“The pro-Beijing Chief Executive and the Hong Kong police forces must immediately cease the aggression and abuse being perpetrated against their own people,” she said in a statement.
Trump, who is locked in a tense showdown with Beijing over trade relations, has taken a milder approach to the Hong Kong protests, drawing criticism from US-China experts and legislators.
He called the situation “very tricky,” adding, “I hope it works out for everybody including China. I hope it works out peacefully, nobody gets hurt, nobody gets killed.”
WITH AFP