Hatred toward Filipinos ‘smacks of racism’ — HK daily

A newspaper in Hong Kong on Wednesday sought to ease the reported resentment felt by Chinese nationals toward Filipinos in light of the hostage crisis in Manila that left eight tourists from China’s special administrative region dead.

In its editorial Wednesday, the South China Morning Post said Filipinos are the “wrong targets" of the collective anger although it described the police force that handled Monday’s hostage situation as “incompetent."

“The actions of a unit of police commandos were not [the Filipinos’] doing. Tarring them with the same brush of incompetence isn’t right," the editorial read, adding that venting anger toward Filipinos “smacks of racism."

The editorial also scored the Hong Kong government’s response to the tragedy after placing the Philippines on its travel blacklist. 

Hostage Crisis: A tragedy day for all.

Recently, there have been a major hostage crisis in the Philippines. At least 8 Hong Kong tourists were killed during a dramatic hostage siege in Manila lsat Monday.

The Local Government Secretary said that 4 out of 5 hostages who were brought to the Hospitals (Manila Doctors) were dead. It is not clear whether they were dead on arrival or expired at the hospital and the other one is in critical condition.

Four other hostages brought to 3 other hospitals--2 in Ospital ng Maynila, 1 in San Juan de Dios, 1 in Philippine General Hospital--were also killed, reports from radio station (DZMM) and the Manila Health Department said.

At least 7 of 15 hostages who remained on board the hijacked tourist bus as the hostage ended were being treated in 4 hospitals.