Key facts
- Two Hongkongers remained in Philippine custody for months after their prison terms ended.
- The Chinese embassy in Manila has expressed concern over the cases.
- Tang Lung-wai, one of the individuals, returned to Hong Kong on September 29, 2026, after serving 26 years for drug offenses.
- Tang was arrested in 2000 and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011.
- His release was expedited by a new good behavior deduction system implemented in the Philippines.
- The Hong Kong government, Chinese diplomatic missions, and Philippine authorities collaborated on the repatriation.
Two Hong Kong residents remained in Philippine custody for months after completing their prison sentences, prompting concern from the Chinese embassy in Manila. The Immigration Department confirmed on Friday night that it was handling the two cases following an appeal from a former lawmaker and a Hong Kong man who returned to the city on Tuesday after serving 26 years in a Philippine prison for drug offenses.
Tang Lung-wai, 29, was arrested in Manila in June 2000 and accused of possessing 8 kilograms of methamphetamine. He was detained for 11 years before being sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011. His family and supporters had long maintained his innocence, alleging he was framed by police. In 2018, then-Chief Executive Carrie Lam wrote to the Philippine President to address the case. Despite the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines coordinating efforts and Philippine immigration records indicating Tang had not yet entered the country on the date police claimed to be monitoring him, his appeal was rejected by the Philippine Supreme Court in 2020.
Under a new good behavior deduction system implemented in the Philippines in 2024, Tang became eligible for early release. He was freed on September 29, 2026, and returned to Hong Kong accompanied by immigration officers. The Hong Kong government stated that it attaches great importance to cases involving its residents detained overseas and worked with Chinese diplomatic missions and Philippine authorities to expedite his repatriation. Tang expressed gratitude for the years of assistance from the embassy and the HKSAR government.