Awwal 07, 1432, Feb 10, 2011, SPA -- Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said Thursday that he was planning to send an emissary to Taiwan in a bid to fix a diplomatic row over the deportation of Taiwan suspects to China, according to dpa. Aquino said the emissary would "explain why [the Philippine government] decided the way we decided." He did not identify the emissary. Taiwan recalled its chief envoy from the Philippines and tightened the screening of work permits for Filipinos after Manila deported 14 Taiwan suspects to China. They were deported to Beijing together with 10 Chinese accomplices. They were suspected of being members of an international telephone fraud ring that operated from Manila and reportedly swindled 20 million US dollars from people from China and Taiwan. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda reiterated that the deportation was done in the "best interest" of the Philippines. "We do not wish to be a haven of international crime syndicates," he said, adding that the suspects would be best prosecuted in China, where evidence against them was available. "We hope that this will not escalate to further strain the relationship," he said. The Philippines cut diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1975 to recognize China but maintains close trade ties with Taiwan.
