DFA: Alleged bullying of Pinoy Azkals fans in Hong Kong 'unfortunate'

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday expressed concern over reports that Filipino fans of the Philippine national football team were bullied by supporters of the Hong Kong squad after its team lost to the Philippines in a friendly match on Tuesday, calling the incident “unfortunate.”

Hong Kong fans reportedly threw trash and hurled invectives against the Filipinos, mostly women and children, after the match.

Some reports claim the alleged racial abuse experienced by Filipinos in Hong Kong was rooted in the August 2010 botched Manila bus hostage-taking incident where eight Hong Kong tourists died, angering its nationals and government officials.

“We are concerned about some unfortunate events that happened during the friendly football match between the Philippine Azkals and the Hong Kong team. However, we believe that this is not reflective of the general sentiments of the Hong Kong community,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a press briefing on Thursday.

The Azkals beat the home team 1-0 on Tuesday at the Mong Kok Stadium in Kowloon, Hong Kong – its first victory over Hong Kong in an international match.

 “Sports is one of the best avenues in fostering mutual respect and understanding between communities and we hope that future activities will further strengthen the friendship between the people of the Philippines and Hong Kong,” Hernandez said. - VVP, GMA News