Statue honouring Second World War sex slaves removed in Philippines

A horse-drawn cart, catering to tourists, passes by a statue of a "Comfort Woman" or Filipino sex slaves, which was erected along a scenic Baywalk in Manila, Philippines Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

MANILA, Philippines -- A statue honouring women who were forced to work in Japanese military brothels during the Second World War has been quietly removed from a busy seaside promenade in the Philippine capital, angering women's groups.

Manila City Hall says the bronze statue of a blindfolded Filipina, unveiled alongside Manila Bay in December, will be returned once drainage work is completed. It gave no time frame for the project, alarming activists who suspect that the Japanese government pressured the Philippines to take the monument down.

Japan's Cabinet minister expressed regret over the construction of the monument in January. According to Kyodo News service quoting the Japanese Embassy in Manila, the Philippine government had notified the embassy of its intention to remove the statue.