MANILA, (PNA) –Malacanang labeled as rude the actions of Hong Kong journalists who yelled questions at President Benigno Aquino III at the ongoing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders summit in Bali, Indonesia.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Aquino was on his way to attend a meeting, walking alongside Peruvian President Ollanta Humala when journalists aggressively shouted questions about the hostage crisis in Manila in 2010 that left eight Hong Kong people dead.
“I think hindi nga maganda ginawa nila. Ang sabi nga ni (Communications) Secretary (Ricky) Carandang… he was a former journalist, but it was bordering na on rudeness eh. Tayong mga Pilipino, hindi natin ginagawa ‘yun kapag may tanong. We observe protocol, we observe the proper way of questioning especially with heads of state,” Lacierda said at a media briefing.
The move prompted APEC host Indonesia to withdraw the accreditation of the Hong Kong journalists and ejected them from the event’s venue.
Lacierda said he was unaware if the Philippine delegation to the summit requested for appropriate action from Indonesian authorities after the incident.
“Kumbaga, tayo ang guest, ang feeling ng mga Indonesian ay nabastos ang mga bisita. Yun ang decision nila and they took appropriate measures… it’s a question of civility eh. The Indonesians felt it was not civil and it was not courteous,” Lacierda said.
Despite the incident, Lacierda said the government is not keen on declaring the journalists “persona non grata.”
“We don’t have such action being planned,” he said.