HONG KONG - A Hong Kong inquest into a Manila bus hostage incident which left eight Hong Kong tourists dead started on Monday, though most key Filipino witnesses refused to come to testify.

Five jurors were selected in the morning session of the public inquest held at Hong Kong's Coroner's Court to examine the cause and circumstances of the victims' deaths, after which a host of Hong Kong witnesses began to provide their testimony.

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The Coroner's Court has summoned a total of 150 witnesses, including more than 30 Hong Kong residents and 116 Filipinos, said the Coroner's officer earlier.

Out of total Filipinos summoned to testify in Hong Kong, at least 70 would not attend the public inquest, including Manila's current mayor, former Manila police district head chief superintendent and the travel bus driver, according to Hong Kong media quoting Philippine Justice Secretary Leila De Lima's words last Friday.

On August 23, 2010, a sacked Philippine police officer hijacked a bus with 21 Hong Kong tourists in Manila. The 11-hour hostage crisis ended in a bloody carnage, with eight Hong Kong tourists killed and the hostage taker shot in a bungled police rescue.

Last Saturday, a spokeswoman for Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said an investigator would attend the hearing in Hong Kong and present the Philippine's investigation results into the incident.

The inquest in Hong Kong was expected to last about 25 days, according to the Coroner's officer.

At present, Hong Kong still has a "black" travel advisory for the Philippines in force, urging its residents against visiting the Southeastern Asian country.