Panelo says del Rosario should have informed HK about his visit

June 21, 2019

Despite having a diplomatic passport, Malacanang on Friday said former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario should have written  Hong Kong authorities regarding his visit to the country.

In a TV interview, Panelo said the ex-secretary's diplomatic passport is useless if the country he is visiting considers him as "security threat".

"You know even if you have a diplomatic passport, if the country said you are a security risk, your diplomatic passport is useless. We cannot question there... they (Hong Kong) are the ones who decide what is their security risk. But actually we still don't know why he was stopped (from entering). We can only speculate," he said.

Del Rosario was stopped at the Hong Kong airport upon arrival Friday morning.

According to the lawyer of Del Rosario, they informed the Philippine Embassy in Hong Kong he will be attending a business meeting.

Panelo asked the camp of Del Rosario if they are blaming the government over the incident.

"He should follow up on what happened to his information. In other words he is waiting for the response of the government. Then my question is: if there is no response, does that mean it's okay for him to go there?" said Panelo.

"You should have the initiative to go to the Department of Foreign Affairs and ask from them what happen to your request. Second, I will not limit myself with the Department of Foreign Affairs, I will write directly to the Hong Kong authorities considering that there was a situation before," he added.

Panelo said that is the action of a "responsible" former government official.

Del Rosario is the co-complainant of former Ombudsman Conchita Morales in the case they filed against Chinese President Xi Jinping. Morales was barred last month from entering Hong Kong because of being a "security threat" to them.

Panelo said it's the right of Hong Kong government as they have the power to question anyone who wants to enter their country.

"We cannot question the authority, the right ot a country to stop or to investigate any guest or visitor wanting to enter that particular country. That's their exclusive domain," he said adding that the immigration in the country also decides on this kind of matter and foreign countries cannot do anything on the decision.

"That’s absolute authority for a particular country to deny entry to their country," Panelo added.

Panelo then questioned the visit of Del Rosario knowing what happened to Morales.

"Now, with respect to Albert Del Rosario, I cannot also understand the good Ambassador, why he knew from the very start that the Hong Kong authorities have 'detained' former Ombudsman Morales," said Panelo.

"Of course, we can only speculate that it could have been in relation to the case filed against China. But having said that, because if I were Del Rosario, I would have not gone to Hong Kong because I would be—I’m sure, I would have anticipated, that I would be going to the same ordeal like the former Ombudsman did. Now why did he go there? That’s my question to him," he added.

Panelo said the Consul General in Hong Kong helped the former secretary.

In an earlier statement, the officer-in-charge assigned by President Rodrigo Duterte, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Del Rosario should have learned from the experience of Morales.

Guevarra said he asked the DFA to find out what happened and give the necessary assistance the secretary needs.  Ella Dionisio/DMS