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Updated Thursday, February 24, 2011 11:44 pm TWN, AFP

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Philippines has failed to end Taiwan row: President Aquino

MANILA -- Philippine President Benigno Aquino said Wednesday the Philippines had failed to resolve a row with Taiwan over deportations, as Taipei threatened to stop hiring Filipino workers.

Aquino sent an influential private emissary to Taipei on Monday to explain why Manila had deported 24 fraud suspects to China last month — including 14 supposed Taiwanese — who allegedly victimized Chinese citizens.

“It appears the mission was not successful,” Aquino told reporters.

“They were asking for us to apologize and I don't believe that there is something we have to apologize for, given the circumstances,” Aquino added.

Manila had said it did the right thing by acting on an Interpol alert, arresting the suspects and deporting them to China after Taiwan and the suspects failed to produce identity papers showing they were from the island.

“China came to us and told us of the existence of these syndicates preying on their citizens. We arrested (the suspects) and we gathered evidence. We were sending a message that the Philippines was not a safe haven for criminals,” Aquino added.

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou expressed his anger Tuesday in a meeting in Taipei with Manuel Roxas, Aquino's unofficial envoy and head of the ruling Liberal Party, according local Taiwanese television footage of the meeting.

Labour Minister Wang Ju-hsuan later told reporters Taiwan was mulling a freeze on the hiring of Philippine workers in retaliation, although a final decision had yet to be made.

“If they freeze hiring, we will ... look for other places for employment. There are other territories for instance that have signified (their) desire to hire overseas Filipino workers,” Aquino said without elaborating.

Manila's economic and cultural office in Taipei will pursue efforts to resolve the deportation row, he added.

China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since the end of a civil war in 1949, although Beijing claims the island. The Philippines has formal ties with China only but maintains economic and cultural links with Taiwan.

Taipei has already raised the screening period for Philippine workers to a maximum of four months.

There are about 70,000 Philippine workers in Taiwan, sending home hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars a year.

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Comments

February 24, 2011 from.ph@

If there were "other places for employment", we would have gotten them long ago... as it is now, you screwed it up for all of us... again. thanks (and yes, I am being sarcastic).

February 24, 2011 diegosilang@

How come this guy (Benigno) became president, anyway???
He became popular because his mother (ex. president) hid underneath her bed when a failed coup or her sister (actress) slept with any guys she wishes or his father was ex-con.

February 24, 2011 kingsolomon@

Aquino should understand that the ruling administration in Taiwan is in a difficult position because of politics. The Filipinos (OFW'S in particular) should NEVER FORGET that the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) are the ones that are making this into an overblown incident at their expense. They are ALWAYS taking advantage of FREE ADVERTISEMENT on the news.

February 24, 2011 nung.yang723@

diegosilang@ wrote:
How come this guy (Benigno) became president, anyway???
He became popular because his mother (ex. president) hid underneath her bed when a failed coup or her sister (actress) slept with any guys she wishes or his father was ex-con.

GOD, forgive you for you don't know what you are talking about. Thou shalt not judge or thou shall be judged. You must have been away from home for so long not to know what we fight for during EDSA People Power I

February 24, 2011 geraldinedoxey@

I don't care what you say about Pnoy or her sister BUT I will not agree with you with your idea that slain Senator Benigno Aquino was plainly an EX-CON he fought for our country's freedom against the dictatorial presidency of late Ferdinand Marcos. I will choose him as the Phils. president if given a chance (and if I was already born those years!) and than be under the DICTATORSHIP of Marcos who put on jail or killed anyone who were against him! FREEDOM of speech, for one was also not an option by that time...I despise Marcos. And I will say this to you, I would rather prefer Pnoy than him. He might not be a good President but he cares and he's LEARNING! During Marcos regime, he doesn't care BUT cares only for himself and the money he was grabbing from the U.S. :)

February 25, 2011 kenneth.yutan@

Poor Filipinos! They elected a stupid and arrogant leader. Aquino is incompetent to lead their country.

February 25, 2011 carltanong@

@diegosilang
Correction plzzzz....
_President Benigno Aquino won the presidency because he was capable, honest with sincerity, NOT because of her mother Former President Corazon Aquino popularity.
_How do you know Former President Corazon Aquino hid beneath the bed?
_Senator Benigno Aquino the ex-con??? U must be the craziest human that had undergoes the brain surgery transplanted with animal brain in these world.
_Kris love her father, mother, brother n sister's so dearly up to the present. And Kris is a NICE LADY. Only a few understand her problems with trauma (after her father assassination) and feeling on how her father died by a single REAL bullet.

An advisory for u.
_U are unfit to used ur penname as "diego silang." Because Diego Silang and his wife Josefa Gariela died gallantly for the Filipinos Nation and the Filipinos peoples likewise Senator Benigno Aquino.

The AQUINO'S was BRAVED, unlike Corrupt CHEN SHUI BIAN n WIFE afraid even to stay in JAIL as CRIMINALS.

U should used ur penname either LEE TENG HUI, IWASATO MASUO, CHEN SHUI BIAN or WANG DAN.

Greenish (DPP'S) peoples are all Liar's. Only mastering politicking as their priority for power and corruption.

February 25, 2011 joesun369@

Both countries have different position but one thing’s for sure: Ma and Aquino are all pro-China. They don't want to upset China.

February 25, 2011 quanx_justine1979@

I'm really wondering why people voted for this kind of president. Wake-up advisers, u didn't even know that Taiwan is not part of China? Though China still claims that Taiwan is their island, the president of the Philippines didn't even think of those ofw's that are working in Taiwan.

February 26, 2011 joesyn369@

Ma and Aquino are frequently making apology to their people. Only this time they are asking apology from each other.

March 1, 2011 faguilar99@

joesyn369@ wrote:
Ma and Aquino are frequently making apology to their people. Only this time they are asking apology from each other.

You will REGRET, because the Aquinos are more corrupt than the Marcos. You didn't study your history, Benigno didn't fought for his country, he ran away from his country, and told the media he had a bypass surgery. He was gunned down because he resisted arrest for his crime (sedition).