Malacañang has asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to provide assistance to former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales who was held by immigration authorities at the Hong Kong airport.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said he contacted Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella about helping Morales, citing the government’s commitment to help Filipinos in need regardless of political affiliation.
“I already called up Usec Abella as Sec. (Teodoro) Locsin is in Myanmar, and requested him to give assistance to former Ombudsman Morales and her family. He already replied and said they are already on it,” he said.
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said the denial of entry of Carpio- Morales in Hong Kong, China, was presumably due to the case that they jointly filed before the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Today, with the holding of former Ombudswoman Conchita Carpio-Morales by Immigration authorities in Hong Kong as a security risk presumably due to the ICC case that we had filed, we are experiencing more of the same,” Del Rosario said in a text message sent to journalists.
The former DFA chief explained that one of the reasons they filed the case against the Chinese leader before the ICC is to be able to “push back against bullying and harassment that we have been encountering from our goliath of a neighbor.”
Del Rosario said they are “grateful” to the DFA for efforts to help Carpio-Morales.
The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong reportedly communicated with Hong Kong authorities about Carpio-Morales’ denial of entry but to no avail.
The 78-year-old former Supreme Court associate justice flew to Hong Kong on Tuesday together with her family and was barred from entering the former British colony. She was set to be deported to Manila Tuesday night.
Although Morales was the only one barred from entering the Chinese administrative region, her family members decided not to push through with their vacation and would instead join the former ombudsman in returning to the Philippines.
In March, Carpio Morales and Del Rosario charged President Xi before the ICC for alleged “crime against humanity,” citing the Chinese government’s assertive actions in the volatile South China Sea which they say, deprived thousands of Filipino fishermen of their livelihoods and destroyed the environment, as well.
The complaint was filed even though the Philippine government has withdrawn as a signatory of the Rome Statute which created the ICC.
President Duterte earlier told Chinese officials that the government had nothing to do with the ICC complaint against Xi but it could not prevent anyone from pursuing such move.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Chinese government has the right to block the entry of the former Ombudsman.
Guevarra said he has received no information as to why Morales was not allowed entry into Hong Kong.
“Regardless of the reason, however, we may not question the action taken by Chinese immigration officials, as the entry of foreigners or the refusal thereof is the exclusive and sovereign prerogative of any country,” he explained.
It was her legal counsel, lawyer Anne Marie Corominas, who received a call from Morales informing her that she has been held by immigration authorities at the Hong Kong airport. (Genalyn Kabiling, Roy Mabasa, Jeffrey Damicog)
