The relatives and a survivor flew to the Philippines for the anniversary of the Aug. 23 hijacking of a tourist bus and made tearful pleas to the government.
The group included the mother of slain tour guide Masa Tse, who told reporters “the Philippine government has not done anything.”
The tourists were hijacked by a dismissed policeman fighting for reinstatement. Hours of unsuccessful negotiations for his surrender turned bloody when he opened fire, prompting police to chaotically storm the bus. He was killed by a police sniper.
Lee Ying Chuen, 37, the only survivor to travel back to Manila, said she still feels angry.
“We never received any note, any word of apology from the government of the Philippines,” she said.
A Hong Kong inquest earlier this year concluded that Philippine officials contributed to or caused the deaths of the eight tourists. Philippine Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has said that police fire did not kill any of the hostages.
No one has been charged criminally for lapses in the police operation and only one official has been fired.
Although the government has not directly apologized to the victims, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said it has repeatedly expressed its regret. “How often does one have to apologize?” he told reporters last week.
Lacierda said the Philippine investigation resulted in the filing of administrative charges against four police officials and the creation of a special action force to ensure the safety of tourists.
The relatives’ request for a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III was rejected. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima instead met them Monday behind closed doors.
De Lima told reporters afterward that she promised to relay to Aquino the relatives’ demands, including reconsidering filing criminal charges against police and other officials involved.
“We recognize that there are lapses in handling the incident, that’s why the government is addressing these gaps,” she said.
“We ask for understanding on the part of the survivors, the families and the people of Hong Kong,” she added.
She said she was in no position to apologize for the government, but that she will relay that demand to Aquino.
Hong Kong legislator James To, who accompanied the relatives to Manila, said the meeting was useful.
But he said there was still no closure because a number of senior officials have not been punished, a suitable compensation has not been provided and an apology has not been made.
Lawyer Jonathan H.C. Man said the victims’ families have not discussed the specific amount of compensation they are seeking, but that it should be based on Hong Kong standards.
Addressing the demand for compensation, Lacierda said that “concerned private citizens” had established a solidarity fund, but that only one victim’s family had accepted the money.
