HONG KONG: Tens of thousands are expected to join a rally in Hong Kong on Sunday to demand justice for victims of the Manila hostage bloodbath, as the city`s Filipino community holds an all-day memorial.
The rally, which organisers said could draw as many as 50,000 people, will be a rare show of unity among Hong Kong`s pro-Beijing and opposition groups which are jointly staging the march.
"It is a cross-party rally. The main theme is to express our condolences to those who died in this tragedy and call on the Philippine government to conduct a full, fair and independent investigation," Albert Ho, chairman of the city`s Democratic Party, told AFP.
Tempers have flared in Hong Kong over the Philippine government`s handling of Monday`s hostage standoff in Manila, which left eight Hong Kong tourists dead, while the city`s Filipino community has voiced fears of retribution.
There are as many as 200,000 Filipinos living in Hong Kong, the vast majority working as low-paid female domestic helpers.
Philippine vice consul Val Roque said a text message was sent to members of the Filipino community asking them to "set aside what they are doing" and attend memorial masses on Sunday.
"The masses are the Filipino community`s way to express their grief and sympathy in relation to the tragedy in Manila," Roque told AFP.
"Being mostly Catholic, it was the best way for us to express our solidarity with the people of Hong Kong."
Roque downplayed fears of retribution against Filipinos, saying there had been no confirmed reports of harassment or physical abuse.
"We trust our friends in Hong Kong would not do anything untoward against Filipinos here... But we understand the anger must be released. We hope as the days go by that anger will dissipate."
Sunday`s rally follows a memorial for the siege victims attended by the city`s Chief Executive Donald Tsang.
The rally starts at 3:00 pm (0700 GMT) while Filipino groups are staging a day-long event nearby with a candlelight vigil at 6:00 pm.
A Facebook site to remember the victims has attracted thousands of signatures, and a flood of criticism aimed at the Philippine government.
Critics have cast doubt on whether Manila`s probe would be impartial.
"None of the survivors has been asked to give an account of the event. The investigation report is bound to be one-sided and unconvincing," lawmaker Cheung Man-kwong told AFP on Friday.
The crisis began when disgraced ex-policeman Rolando Mendoza, armed with an assault rifle, hijacked a busload of Hong Kong tourists in an apparent bid to win his old job back and be cleared of extortion charges.
Eight tourists and the gunman were killed in the final stages of the 12-hour ordeal, when ill-equipped police launched an assault on the bus as the events were broadcast live around the world.
A Philippine police spokesman said initial findings from their investigation showed that the bullets that killed the tourists likely all came from Mendoza`s weapon and not from the police rescue team.
However he said the police probe was still ongoing, and further results were needed from ballistics tests.
Hong Kong undersecretary for security Lai Tung-kwok said Saturday autopsies had been carried out on all eight victims, which may lead to an official inquiry.
But Hong Kong coroner`s court does not have the authority to compel the Philippine police to testify or hold them accountable for mistakes, critics say.
Five senior Manila policemen who took part in the assault have been suspended as a probe into the bungled rescue operation intensifies. Their commanding officer also took leave.
BDST: 1111 HRS, August 29, 2010
