MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday, October 27, pressed for information on how the Chinese murder suspects in Cebu managed to get firearms despite “stringent requirements” to do so. 

“I’m curious as to how they managed to procure a firearm. Firearms for foreigners in this country, and even firearms to all our countrymen, are supposed to be subject to very stringent requirements,” Aquino said in a forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP). 

The two Chinese suspects, both diplomats, have been flown back to China to stand trial, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

During the lunchtime attack at a restaurant on Wednesday, October 21, China’s consul general in Cebu survived after being shot in the neck, but two of his staff members died.

In Tuesday’s forum, Aquino added that the the issue of diplomatic immunity – a controversial topic in the Cebu killings – “is not unique to the Philippines.” 

Chinese officials ‘quite professional’

The President said: “If the same situation happened to our diplomats anywhere else, we would want to have the same treatment done to our diplomats. Any limitation to their activities removes their ability to perform their functions.”

“So, like with anything made by man, it is not perfect. But, at the same time, all the participants – whether as alleged assailants and the victims – were all of a singular nationality. Therefore, we trust that justice will be served under their own system of laws and judicial processes,” he said.

He also pointed out that Chinese officials “were quite professional” in handling the matter.

Earlier, Jose defended the DFA’s decision to acknowledge “diplomatic immunity” for Chinese suspects in an attack that killed two employees of the Chinese consulate in Cebu.

Reacting to criticisms of his agency’s move, Jose asserted that the DFA is “the competent authority” to certify diplomats covered by diplomatic immunity. – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com