Chip Tsao says sorry before RP execs in HK

M. UBALDE and S. DEDACE, GMANews

MANILA, Philippines – After admitting he crossed the line in calling the Philippines a “nation of servants" in his article, HK Magazine columnist Chip Tsao approached Philippine authorities in Hong Kong Wednesday night to personally extend his apologies, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

"Mr. Chip Tsao went to the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong last night and conveyed to consulate officials and Filipino community leaders his ‘most sincere apologies for the offense he had caused’," DFA spokesperson Eduardo Malaya said in a text message to reporters.

In his “The War at Home" piece published in HK Magazine last March 27, Tsao wrote that the Philippines was unworthy of claiming the Spratly Islands from China because "as a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter."

Tsao on Tuesday night apologized for his article in HK Magazine on Hong Kong television network ATV.

"I’m now aware that I’ve crossed the line and I offer my public apology," Tsao said.

In a separate radio interview Thursday, Malaya said that the representatives of Filipino groups present at Wednesday night’s meeting accepted his apology.

"Noong naganap ang meeting na ito, some people are calling it a reconciliation meeting [Some people are calling this a reconciliation meeting]," he told dzXL radio.

But Malaya said this would not automatically mean that the Bureau of Immigration’s blacklisting of Tsao would be lifted, adding that the prerogative belongs to the BI to determine whether Tsao’s move to approach Philippine Consulate officials was "sufficient."

Malaya, citing a report from the Philippine Consulate General, said Tsao insisted he never intended to demean any person or any group.

Present at the meeting were deputy consul general Kira Danganan Azucena and representatives of the household workers service sector, religious groups, NGOs and professionals. Representatives of media outfits were also present at the meeting, Malaya said.

"Ang member ng ating Filipino community, tinanggap ang apology ni Chip Tsao at in-acknowledge nila ang gesture ni Chip Tsao of visiting personally the Consulate General to convey his sentiments [The Filipino community accpeted his apology and acknowledged his gesture of visiting the Consulate General personally to convey his sentiments]," he said.

But Malaya said Tsao did not make a pledge not to repeat his "offense," even in satire.

"Di niya binanggit ang assurance na di niya ulitin. Pero alam natin sa kanyang pahayag, makita natin implied na yan [He did not say he will not repeat it but we can see it is implied]. I am sure there are lessons learned here for some people," he said. - GMANews.TV

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