Del Rosario on HK ordeal: I sort of expected it; I wanted to test it

Former Foreign Affairs chief Albert del Rosario: We tested it and this was the result

MANILA, Philippines — Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario admitted that he “sort of expected” what had happened in Hong Kong, adding that he “wanted to test it.”

Del Rosario, who filed a communication against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court (ICC), was barred from entering Hong Kong on Friday.

Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Del Rosario’s co-complainant, went through the same ordeal last May 21.

READ: Morales suffers 4-hour ordeal in Hong Kong

“I sort of expected that might happen. But I wasn’t sure and I wanted to test it. So we tested it and this is the result,” Del Rosario told reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport when he arrived from Hong Kong Friday afternoon.

He was supposed to attend the meetings of the First Pacific’s board and shareholders in Hong Kong.

“I had to pursue it since I have a business in Hong Kong. There’s no way for me to get around it. The avenue for me of moving forward is to try to see how I can make my obligations there and being received by the Hong Kong authorities,” he explained.

READ: Former DFA chief Del Rosario arrives in Manila after 6-hour ordeal in HK

The former foreign affairs chief noted that the Hong Kong authorities were not able to give him a concrete answer as to why he was denied entry to that country.

“Every time I ask ‘What are we here for? Why are we being detained?’ Their response was it’s an immigration reason,” he said.

“The honorable ombudswoman nor I have had any problems with Hong Kong immigration in the past. Until we filed that case,” he further said.

READ: Del Rosario, Morales sue China leader in ICC