MANILA, Philippines ? Which is which?

After a Palace official expressed doubt Thursday morning that Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang telephoned President Benigno Aquino III to no avail at the height of Monday's hostage-taking drama, another Palace official was quoted in a Hong Kong-based newspaper as saying that Tsang did make the call.

In Thursday's edition of the South China Morning Post, a report said Tsang called Aquino twice on Monday ? at 4 p.m. and at 8 p.m. ? but "Aquino's aides did not tell the head of state that the Hong Kong leader needed to speak to him.''

The Hong Kong-based newspaper quoted Secretary Ricky Carandang of the Palace Communication Development and Strategic Planning Office as confirming that Tsang did call but Mr. Aquino was not aware of it because he was in a meeting.

Tsang's call also came in through the main telephone line of Malacañang without prior notice, the Hong Kong-based newspaper quoted Carandang as saying.

"Carandang said the caller was an aide of Tsang, and an aide of Aquino answered the phone. He said Aquino?s aide knew who Tsang was, but was unsure it was really from his office.''

The Chinese newspaper said Malacañang contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs so that it could "set up a phone call through Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, in what would be diplomatic protocol.''

The newspaper also quoted presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda as saying he called DFA spokesman Ed Malaya to convey the request to arrange a conversation between Tsang and Aquino.

"No word came back, so Lacierda tried to phone Malaya again three times but could not reach him,'' the newspaper said.

The paper's report contradicted the statement of Secretary Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications and Operations Group who told an early news program on Thursday that he doubted Tsang made the call to Mr. Aquino because the Chief Executive was "accessible all the time.''