Taiwanese women stage lightning rally at Malacañang compound

A group of Taiwanese women wearing mourning attire slipped past presidential guards and managed to hold a lightning rally inside the Malacañang compound in Manila Saturday.

The 13 women brought a streamer demanding a public apology from the Philippine government for the death of a Taiwanese fisherman in an encounter in disputed waters on May 9.

During their demonstration, presidential guards and anti-riot police had a hard time escorting them out of the compound but eventually allowed them to finish their activity peacefully, radio dzBB's Divine Caraecle reported.

One of the demonstrators was a former Taiwanese councilwoman, according to a GMA News "Flash report."



Presidential guards and police eventually allowed the demonstrators to read the contents of a letter seeking an apology.

The dzBB report said the Taiwanese also asked President Benigno Aquino to heed their call for a public apology and to resolve the issue soonest.

For his part, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office head Ramon Carandang was quoted in the GMA News Flash report as saying the Philippines is focusing on the investigation of the incident.

Tension remains between the Philippines and Taiwan over the May 9 incident, although both sides have agreed to a parallel investigation on the incident. — LBG, GMA News