Naniniwala si Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra na posibleng ang reklamong inihain laban kay Chinese President Xi Jinping ang dahilan kung bakit naharang sa Hong Kong airport si dating Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

“I can't find any reason for this incident except former Ombudsman Morales' filing of a complaint against China's President Xi [Jinping] before the International Criminal Court (ICC),” sinabi ni Guevarra sa mga mamamahayag.

“Regardless of the reason, however, we may not question the action taken by Chinese immigration officials, as the entry of foreigners or the refusal thereof is the exclusive and sovereign prerogative of any country,” paliwanag ng kalihim.

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Ang nasabing reklamo ni Morales laban kay Xi ay kaugnay ng epekto ng pag-aagawan ng teritoryo sa West Philippine Sea sa mga mangingisdang Pinoy at sa kanilang kabuhayan.

Sinabi naman ni Dana Sandoval, tagapagsalita ng Bureau of Immigration (BI), na walang hurisdiksiyon ang kawanihan sa nangyari kay Morales.

Aniya, ipinauubaya na ng BI sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang usapin.

Kinatigan naman nina Senate President Vicente Sotto III at Sen. Koko Pimentel ang pahayag ni Guevarra na karapatan ng Hong Kong na pagbawalan ang sinuman na pumasok sa estado nito.

“It happens every now and then not only in HK but in other countries involving Filipinos. We sometimes cannot fathom other country's policies,” ani Sotto nang hingan ng komento ng BALITA.

“That's sovereign power of China-HK. Nothing we can do about it,” saad naman sa text message ni Pimentel said.

Gayunman, binatikos ng ibang senador ang nangyari, na inilarawan pa ni Sen. Richard Gordon na “boorish”.

“It is a clear warning and an obvious shot in the bow to all Filipinos who may be critical of China's actuations in the West Philippine Sea,” ani Gordon, na sinegundahan ni Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

Hinamon naman ni Sen. Risa Hontiveros si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na iprotesta ang apat na oras na pagpigil kay Morales sa Hong Kong airport nitong Martes.

“I challenge President Rodrigo Duterte's administration to defend one of the country's most accomplished public servants and bring this directly to the Chinese government, lest it be accused of siding with China against one of our country's own citizens,” ani Hontiveros.

“Bullying a 78-year old former public servant who is known for her sterling public service record is ludicrous. I call on the Chinese government to explain why it held for four hours without any explanation a former high-ranking Philippine government official and a senior citizen who simply went to Hong Kong with her grandchildren to have a vacation,” sabi pa ni Hontiveros.