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MOFA ‘optimistic’ about visit plans by
Philippines envoy
By Vincent Y. Chao / Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it was optimistic about Manila’s
plans to send an emissary to Taipei to explain how 14 Taiwanese suspects were
deported to China after being arrested in an international fraud ring.
Calling the move a “gesture of goodwill,” the ministry did not say whether the
visit would repair deeply strained relations between the two countries.
Taipei has recalled Representative to the Philippines Donald Lee (李傳通) over the
incident.
The ministry did not specify if any further punitive measures would be levied on
Philippine citizens, after Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添) said
last week he would not rule out a second round of restrictions.
“We are closely watching developments and when Manila formally makes an
announcement [on the envoy], we will conduct another review and discussion [of
the case],” ministry spokesman James Chang (章計平) said. “At this point ... we are
optimistic.”
The ministry’s remarks could up the ante for Philippine President Benigno Aquino
III, who announced on Sunday he “could” send an emissary to explain to Taipei
“why we decided the way we decided,” the Philippine Star has reported. Aquino
has denied that the emissary would be acting in an official capacity, possibly
out of fear of angering Beijing.
“It might even be a set of people. It will most probably be private citizens, as
you know there are restrictions in the ‘one China’ policy,” Aquino told the Star
yesterday.
Philippine newspaper opinion pieces have asked their government to formally
apologize to Taiwan, which employs an estimated 80,000 to 90,000 Philippine
domestic helpers.
The Manila Times quoted a court insider as calling the incident “fishy,” after
the hasty deportation ignored earlier orders from the Philippine Court of
Appeals that asked the Immigration Bureau to “produce the living bodies” of six
of the Taiwanese suspects.
The court was prepared to rule the bureau and the Philippine Department of
Justice in contempt over the “apparent fiasco,” the Manila Times wrote, adding
that by making the deportation, the Philippines had unwittingly intervened in
cross-strait relations.
“It doesn’t serve Philippine interests to take sides,” the Times added in an
editorial.
Chang said Philippine government agencies involved in the affair neither
followed legal procedure nor gave Taiwan adequate communication regarding the
criminal case and subsequent deportation.
The punitive measures last week, which tightened visa regulations for Filipinos
aiming to work in Taiwan and canceled visa-free privileges for some Filipinos,
were a reflection of Taiwan’s fury over the case and were needed to uphold the
country’s sovereignty, he said.
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