MANILA, Philippines – Vice-President Jejomar Binay has expressed confidence that a visit of a high-level Philippine government delegation to China and Hong Kong will push through as both Manila and Beijing await the full report on the August 23 hostage-taking incident. 

Binay said in a statement Friday that the delegation will explain to Chinese and Hong Kong government that the tragedy “is an isolated incident.”

“Ito naman (ay) napaka-abnormal. Extra-abnormal ito kaya isolated case na sana huwag maulit mangyari," Binay said. "Iyong report lang sa investigation na kabuuan sa pangyayari at kapag yan handa na pwede na tayo tumungo sa mga liderato ng China at ang final report dadalhin natin," he added.

He will lead the high-level delegation, which is now awaiting finalization of arrangements with respect to the calls and meetings that it will hold in China and Hong Kong. 

The delegation will only leave for Beijing and the former Crown colony once it has the full report on Monday's incident.

Binay also urged national security officials to create a pool of expert negotiators to lead and handle negotiations during hostage-taking incidents.

"Inuulit ko ang aking mungkahi noon pa na magkaron sana tayo ng pool of negotiaors sa buong Pilipinas para pag may pangyayari. Sa America bawat estado mayron sila pool of negotiators na sanay. It would have been better kung yung mga nagsanay ang makipag-negotiate, ang humawak ng negotiation," said Binay, a graduate of National Defense College who holds a Master’s degree in National Security Administration.  

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), meanwhile, explained Friday that the postponement of the visit of a senior Chinese official to Manila was not connected to the hostage-taking incident. 

DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya said the Philippine embassy in Beijing was informed by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the postponement of the visit of Vice- Premier Li Keqiang several days before the August 23 hostage-taking incident.

"The visit was postponed in view of the natural disasters that have recently beset China, which resulted in many casualties and destruction.  The embassy received the notification 20 August," Malaya said.

 The DFA said Li's visit to two other Asian countries were also reset.