Another Ex-Philippine Official Who Sued Xi Barred from Hong Kong

(Bloomberg) -- Another former Philippine official who sued Chinese President Xi Jinping before an international court was barred from entering Hong Kong.

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario was deported Friday after being held for hours by immigration officials at the Hong Kong airport, his lawyer Anne Marie Corominas told ABS-CBN News Channel.

The diplomat -- who accused Xi of committing crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court -- flew to the Chinese territory for a business meeting but was denied entry due to “immigration reasons,” his lawyer added.

China has the right to control foreign visits to Hong Kong, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a briefing, adding that del Rosario should carefully read the international treaty on diplomatic relations.

Del Rosario’s co-complainant against Xi, former Philippine Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, was held and denied entry from Hong Kong last month. They alleged Xi of a “systematic plan to control” the South China Sea whose claimants include China and the Philippines.

To contact the reporter on this story: Andreo Calonzo in Manila at acalonzo1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Cecilia Yap at cyap19@bloomberg.net, ;Ruth Pollard at rpollard2@bloomberg.net, Clarissa Batino, Siegfrid Alegado

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