Pinay in alleged $1.6M jewelry theft again fails in bail bid

 

Illustrative photo created with deevid.ai

A Filipina accused of stealing $1.6 million worth of jewelry from her employer’s sister, went back to jail after her offer of $13,000 in bail money was rejected by the Kwun Tong Court.

Acting Principal Magistrate May Chung rejected the bail application of Rogela M. Caalem, 33 years old and a domestic helper, because of the risk she will not return to court when it resumes her case, the fact that she has no place to stay in Hong Kong and the gravity of the offense.

She adjourned the case to August 27 for mention.

In her first court appearance last week, Caalem also tried to apply for bail but was unsuccessful.

PINDUTIN ITO PARA SA DETALYE

Magistrate Chung’s decision came after the prosecution cited the evidence they collected, such as pawnshop receipts, jewelry items still in Caalem’s possession and photos in her mobile phone showing her wearing some of the stolen jewelry.

Caalem is accused of stealing 19 pieces of jewelry, with a total value of HK$1,608,300, the property of female Mao Sara Guo Jing.

The theft took place between the January 1 and June 26, 2026 at Mao’s house on Fei Ngo Shan Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories,

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The theft charge in this case involved a breach of trust, the prosecutor said.

Caalem is charged with theft contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.

Also charged was Rosa Combo, 41 years old and also a domestic helper, who was remanded in jail after a hearing at Tuen Mun Court on two counts of theft involving cash and jewelry worth a total of HK$422,000.

Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang. Adjourned the case to September 4 for mention.

Combo is accused of stealing two gold rings, two bracelets, one baby gold necklace, one baby necklace with gold pendant, three gold necklaces, one gold bracelet, with a total value of $400,000, the property of Cheng Tsz-wing Vincent

The theft allegedly took place between October 8, 2024 and January 29, 2026, at a flat at Riva, on 1 Ying Ho Road, Pat Heung. Yuen Long, New Territories.

On the same place and time, she allegedly stole cash of $11,000 in Hong Kong dollars and $10,000 Chinese yuan, with a total value of HK$22,928,29, also the property of Cheng.

At Shatin Court, domestic helper Sharon Rose Brito, 44 years old, was accused of stealing cash of $4,000 Chinese yuan and HK$2,950, the property of female Suen Wai Kam, Ruby between May 1, 2026 and June 10, 2026 at a room in Hilton Plaza, at 3-9 Sha Tin Centre Street, Shatin.

Magistrate Raymond Wong set a bail $ 2,000 and told her to return on August 11.

 

Ignacio indicted with usurpation in P1.4 billion land deal but cleared of plunder; DMW to appeal

 

Ignacio at his last visit to HK as OWWA chief in April 2025

The Office of the Ombudsman has indicted former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Arnaldo “Arnell” Ignaco of usurpation of official functions in connection with the allegedly unauthorized purchase of a Php1.4-billion property using the OWWA trust fund.

However, in a resolution dated June 19, 2026 the Ombudsman dismissed the more serious allegations of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation of public funds and plunder, made by the Department of Migrant Workers against Ignacio and the property’s seller.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said they received a copy of the Ombudsman’s Resolution only last July 7, and will file a Motion for Reconsideration of the dismissal of the corrupt and plunder complaints against Ignacio and the seller.

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“What we plan to do is to file a Motion for Reconsideration because, in our view, the Resolution did not pass upon details that we submitted to the honorable Office of the Ombudsman,” Secretary Cacdac said.

He said those details included evidence that showed Ignacio overpaid the seller by Php198 million, because it included the price of 51 condominium units that were supposed to exist on the property but could not be found when OWWA conducted an ocular inspection.

Cacdac also said the two cheques used to pay for the property were issued and paid to the seller even before the deed of sale was completed.

We have duty to safeguard public funds, says Secretary Cacdac

The complaint against Ignacio stemmed from his alleged purchase of a P1.4 billion worth of property adjacent to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Sept. 12, 2024, ostensibly to be used for building transient lodgings for overseas Filipino workers, using the OWWA Trust Fund.

The Ombudsman found that the former administrator signed the contract to sell, deed of absolute sale, and its addendum, and subsequently approved the disbursement of the OWWA trust fund, without authority from the Board of Trustees.

The Resolution said Ignacio acted under the pretense of authority from the OWWA Board of Trustees, despite knowing he had no such authority, in violation of the law on Usurpation of Official Functions under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code.

Secretary Cacdac said that this criminal offence carries a penalty of six months to four years of imprisonment.

This is far less severe than the sentence of reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from public office prescribed for the crime of plunder under Republic Act No. 7080. This law provides that plunder is committed by any public officer (and his cohorts even if they are private citizens) who amasses or acquires at least Php50 million in ill-gotten wealth.

Cacdac said that in the Motion for Reconsideration, the DMW will reiterate the two important elements of plunder that may have been overlooked by the Ombudsman: the alleged undue advantage given to the seller and the damage or prejudice to the government.

He said the seller gained advantage because the institutional oversight, transparency and scrutiny by the Board of Trustees was bypassed. Second, the two checks covering the Php1.4 billion payment for the property were issued on Aug. 30, 2024 when the deed of absolute sale was signed only on Sept. 12, 2024.

“There were checks issued to the seller about 12 days or almost two weeks before the signing of the absolute deed of sale,” Cacdac said.

The DMW also presented a receipt showing that the seller acknowledged receiving the payment on September 11, 2024, a day before the deed of sale was signed.

“Natanggap na ng seller yung bayad bago pa nagpirmahan ng deed of sale. We wish for the honorable Office of the Ombudsman to take a second look at this item,” Secretary Cacdac said.

As to the second element of prejudice to the government, Cacdac said this was clear in the inclusion of 51 condominium units valued at about Php97 million that were included in the Php1.4 billion purchase price, but had apparently been demolished.

“The point here is the government paid for condominium units that no longer exist. That is the damage. That is the prejudicial part to the government,” Secretary Cacdac said.

Because of the inclusion of the non-existent condominium units, the property was overpriced by Php198 million, he said.

Secretary Cacdac said he is duty-bound to file the motion because the DMW has the responsibility of protecting public funds and ensure accountability.

“This is nothing personal to the parties,” he said.

 

Labour Dept revokes license of HelperFirst agency

 

Labour Department office in Sheung Wan

The Labour Department has announced the cancellation of the employment agency license of HelperFirst Limited, which used to operate at The Hive in Sai Kung at no 5 Tai Mong Tsai Road.

A statement issued by the Department on Thursday, July 9, said the cancellation was issued after it was found out that a person related to HelperFirst was earlier convicted of operating an employment agency without a valid license.

The agency appealed the cancellation of its license to the Administrative Appeals Board but failed in its bid.

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HelperFirst used to promoted itself as an ethical agency and offered as part of its services the matching of domestic workers with local employers. A check of their website said the agency was 

Under the Employment Ordinance the Commissioner for Labour may revoke the license of an employment agency if he is satisfied that the licensee concerned or a related person of the licensee has contravened any provision of the EO.

“The EO stipulates that the Commissioner may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke a licence, if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee, has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO, such as overcharging job seekers or operating an EA without a licence, or has not complied with the Code issued under section 62A(1) of the EO,” said the LD statement.

The Department reminded operators of EAs to carry out their business in accordance with law and the requirements set out in the Code of Practice at all times.

All matters pertaining to employment agencies including suspected violations of the EO or the Code of Practice may be relayed to the Employment Agencies Administration (telephone: 2115 3667; email: ea-ee@labour.gov.hk; address: Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon).

 

     

Another Pinay jailed six months for laundering $392K

 

Another Filipina has been jailed for six months because of $392K of money that came from crime that passed through her bank account, in a money laundering operation that took less than a month last year.

Cindy Salvan, 39 years old and former domestic helper who is now unemployed, was charged with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence contrary to sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

She pleaded guilty to Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang on Friday (July 10), who sentenced her to nine months as a starting point.

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Salvan was accused of handling $392,569.56 in her Tap & Go account with HKT Payment Limited between July 27 and August 15, 2025, “knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that property…  in whole or in part, directly or in indirectly, represented any person's proceeds of an indictable offence,” according to police.

Salvan’s was one of three money laundering cases taken up in the courts on Friday

At West Kowloon Court, Principal Magistrate Don So  transferred the case of Milani Bumagat, 55 years old, to the District Court on July 30, after the crime money that passed through her account in two online banks reached more than HK$3 million.

He granted her bail of $10,000.

Bumagat, a domestic helper, was accused of dealing with $1,288,088.23 in her account with Mox Bank Limited between the 10th and the 17th day of January, 2023.

She was also accused of dealing with $1,793,705.46 in her account with PAO Bank Limited between the 10^th and 20^th of January 2023.

In the third case in Kowl;oon City Court, Fe Palacay, 46 years old, and a domestic helper, was returned to jail after her money laundering case before Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi was adjourned to September 4.

Palacay is accused of dealing with $3,017,932 in her account with China Citic Bank between the 06th and the 14th of December 2022.

29 people arrested in new anti-illegal work raids

 

This woman appears to have been found working illegally in a restaurant

A week-long operation conducted by the Immigration Department to crack down on illegal work that ended on Thursday, July 9, led to the arrest of 29 people/

Those arrested included 20 suspected illegal workers, comprising nine men and 11 women, aged 29 to 69. Three of the men were non-refoulement claimants holding recognizance forms that prohibit them from taking up work, paid or unpaid, while two women possessed forged HK identity cards.

Also arrested were three overstayers, two men and a woman, aged 40 to 44.

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Six other people, two men and four women aged 39 to 53, who were suspected of employing the workers, were also detained for questioning. Immigration said an investigation into their operation is continuing, and further arrests are not being ruled out.

The arrests were carried out throughout the territory as part of Immigration operations codenamed “Twilight” and “Contribute.” Another operation was conducted jointly with the Hong Kong Police and was codenamed “Champion.”

Targeted during the operations were the usual hotspots like restaurants, warehouses and massage parlors. 

Immigration again warned that illegal work is a serious offence for which a jail term is prescribed.

Offenders, including tourists who are prohibited from taking up any work while in Hong Kong, and foreign domestic workers who are not supposed to work outside of their employers’ residences, could be jailed a maximum of two years and fined up to HK$50,000.

Overstayers and recognizance paper holders and illegal immigrants who are prohibited from working, could be jailed for up to three years and fined HK$50,000.

Possessing a forged HK ID card is a more serious crime, for which the penalty is a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

In addition to the prescribed penalties, the Chief Executive may issue a deportation order against an immigrant, and prohibit him or her from returning to Hong Kong at any time afterwards, if the offence committed is punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years,.

Employers who knowingly hired illegal workers or did not take prescribed precautions could be sentenced upon conviction to a maximum fine of HK$500,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years.

To report illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

 

Pinoy avoids jail for assault, intimidation

 

The offenses took place in one of the units here

A Filipino was convicted of common assault and criminal intimidation today but avoided getting jailed when he got off with a suspended jail sentence at Eastern Court.

J. Padilla, 50 years old and a driver, had pleaded guilty to the two charges before Magistrate Gary Chu, who sentenced him to two weeks’ imprisonment for common assault and four weeks for criminal  intimidation, to run at the same time.

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Since both sentences were suspended for two years, Padilla need not go to jail if he behaves in the next two years. But it leaves him with a criminal record.

The common assault charge, in violation of Common Law and punishable under section 40 of the Offences against the Person Ordinance, arose after he assaulted a Filipina, DJ Matuba on April 6, 2026, inside ther kitchen of a unit on 21 Horizon. Drive, Chung Hom Kok.

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The criminal intimidation charge, contrary to section 24(2)(1) of the Crimes Ordinance, arose after he threatened Matuba with injury to her person, with intent to alarm her on the same date and place.

Some 1,000 HK restaurants open doors to dogs

 

Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Tse Chin-wan (second left), LegcoPanel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene chair Chan Hoi-yan (second right) and vice-chair Yang Wing-kit (first right), visit a permitted restaurant to observe and confer with customers with dogs

Starting Thursday, July 9, more than 940 registered restaurants allowed their customers to bring in their dogs when they dine.

The first batch of permitted food premises can be found in the dedicated webpage of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department through this link: (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/dog_restaurants/index.html)

All the permitted outlets must display the "Food Premises Permitted for Dog Entry" signage designated by the FEHD at a conspicuous place at the main entrance at all times for identification.

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Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Tse Chin-wan, visited one of the permitted premises at the West Kowloon Cultural District this afternoon to observe how the new measures are being implemented, and was pleased with what he saw.

"The restaurant has made thorough preparations in terms of hygiene facilities and seating arrangements, and we can see customers bringing dogs were co-operative. Everyone was beaming, feeling that this is a remarkable breakthrough,” Tse said.

He also spent the day conferring with restaurant operators and customers.

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He said he expects the premises to strictly abide by the laws and licensing conditions, while customers who bring dogs are expected to properly control their pets while enjoying meals and to respect other customers.

Joining the visit was the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Irene Young; the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Albert Yuen; and the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of the Legislative Council, Chan Hoi-yan and Yang Wing-kit.

A uniform signage must be displayed by the door of all permitted restaurants at all times

A statement from the FEHD said the vetting and approval process for the initial quota of 1,000  restaurants in the first phase had been smooth. But some successful balloting applicants did not complete the procedures to amend their licenses, so their quotas will be allocated to waistlisted applicants.

An updated list of approved food premises will be progressively uploaded to the dedicated webpage after completion of the procedures.

To help restaurant operators and staff adapt to the new measure, the FEHD has deployed 90 staff to visit each premises. They provided the persons-in-charge with detailed explanations on the statutory requirements, licensing conditions and other compliance arrangements.

Over the next month the FEHD team will step up visits to the permitted premises to observe how the new measure is being implemented, and to lend a hand to operators if needed.

The FEHD has released earlier the Guidelines and Code of Practice for the new measure, which cover points to note for restaurant operators, customers bringing dogs, and those without dogs, for the reference and guidance of all parties.

Pinay in $4M money laundering case faces another charge

 

The District Court today put off the hearing of a Filipina for laundering $4 million in proceeds from crime, after his lawyer found out that another criminal case had been filed against her.

Judge Ada Yim thus granted the request of the lawyer for Daisy Pueyo, 44 hears old, for adjournment to Aug. 8 for further legal advice, although details of the new case were not divulged.

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Judge Yim also ordered her returned to jail.

Pueyo had been charged with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to section 25(1) and (3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

The charge arose from the deposits and withdrawals of $4,001,813.35 in her account with Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited between January 15, 2024 and April 30, 2024.

Basahin ang detalye!

She is accused of dealing with the hot money, together with a person known as Shiela Marquez, “knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that property… in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented any person's proceeds of an indictable offence.”

 

Deadline for Likha Global business plan contest for OFWs extended to Jul 15

 

Last year's OFW qualifiers from HK Shenny, Marilou and Darren, pose for a photo
with Labor Attache Cesar Chavez, Jr

“𝐾𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑎 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎…

𝐾𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑝 𝑘𝑎𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑢𝑢𝑤𝑖 𝑠𝑎 𝑃𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑠…

𝐻𝑢𝑤𝑎𝑔 𝑛𝑎 𝑝𝑜 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑏𝑎𝑛.”

(If you have a long-cherished business idea, if you have a dream that you want to bring back with you the Philippines, take action now).

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This was the last-minute call issued by the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong for all overseas Filipino workers who have worked abroad for at least five years to join the 2026 Likha Global Business Plan Competition organized by the Department of Migrant Workers.

The deadline of submission of entries to the contest where cash awards of between Php100,000 to Php500,000 are at stake, has been extended by another month, or until July 15 this year.

Likha or the Linangin ang Kakayahan sa Kabuhayan Award or Likha Global Business Plan Competition is organized annually by the Department of Migrant Workers as part of its reintegration program for OFWs.

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Business plans submitted as entries to the contest will be judged according to the following criteria: Presentation, 40%; Quality of business plan, 30%; and Feasibility of enterprise, 30%.

To register, click this link: https://sites.google.com/dmw.gov.ph/likha-ofw/hom

Last year, three OFWs from Hong Kong, Shenny, Marilou and Darren, each won Php100,000 in seed capital for the business they plan to start in the Philippines on their return home, after hurdling the preliminary round of the competition.

An OFW from Qatar, Marisol Amihan, won the top prize of Php700,000 for her sustainable farm development proposal. First runner-up Catherine Espiriti, a domestic worker in Kuwait, received Php500,000 for her business plan for goat raising while second runner-up Jimmy Chavez, Jr. won Php400,000 for his nipa palm wine project.

Thirty-eight finalists, including the three domestic workers from Hong Kong, each took home Php100,000 for their respective business plans.

All OFWs who made it to the final round were provided free travel to Manila so they could attend the Likha Global bootcamp where they received mentoring, and asked to present their business plans to experts.

To qualify, one has to be currently working abroad, has at least five years’ experience as an OFW, is documented in the latest deployment, an active member of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and is not yet operating a business in the Philippines.

All applicants who make it to the preliminary round are required to attend the boot camp in the Philippines, and if they fail to participate, will not be allowed to claim their cash prize immediately. They will still have to attend business mentoring sessions in the Philippines within a year, and pay their own travel expenses.

Likha Global for land-based OFWs is part of the DMW’s reintegration boosters, which also include Likhang Marino for seafarers, and Likhang Kababaihan which is exclusively for women would-be entrepreneurs. Each worldwide competition offers the same Php500,000 cash reward for the top winner.

All information on these contests can be found in the DMW’s Reintegration One-Stop Shop, a website that features the programs that OFWs can take advantage of, as well as OFWs who have since turned into entrepreneurs (click here to go to the page: https://dmw.gov.ph/reintegration

SSS members get high gains from Pension Booster

 

Social Security System (SSS) members who pay more than their regular membership contributions, through a vehicle called SSS Pension Booster, earned 6.2% return on their savings from January to May this year, the SSS reported.

SSS noted that the 2026 performance is slightly lower than the 6.83 percent return in 2025, mainly due to changes in interest rate policies of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, but it surpassed the prevailing 91-day treasury bill rate which had a year-to-date average of approximately 4.77 percent.

In 2025, contributions to SSS Pension Booster rose 21.8 percent to P699 million from P574 million in 2024, reflecting growing member confidence in the program, it said. With the SSS waiving the one percent management fee on Pension Booster accounts from 2025 to 2028, members fully enjoy their investment gains.

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The program is one of the retirement savings options for Filipino workers.

People who put their savings in Pag-IBIG Fund (otherwise known as Home Development Mutual Fund) earned 6.62 per cent last year for Pag-IBIG Regular Savings, and 7.12% yearly for Pag-IBIG MP2 Savings.

The 2025 rate for Pag-IBIG regular savings, which comprise the monthly membership payments that open up a wide variety of housing and cash loan schemes, was the highest since 2020. The rates stood at 6.60% in 2024, 6.55% in 2023, 6.53% in 2022, 5.50% in 2021 and 5.62% in 2020.

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“The continued strong performance of the SSS Pension Booster underscores our commitment to protecting the financial future of Filipino workers. Through prudent management of members’ funds, we are helping build a more secure and dignified retirement for every Filipino,” Finance Secretary and Social Security Commission ex-officio Chair Frederick D. Go said.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro added: “The strong performance of the Pension Booster demonstrates disciplined and professionally managed savings. We remain committed to providing members greater financial security during retirement.”

The Pension Booster is open to all SSS members to build additional savings for their retirement. It allows individuals to save starting at P500, with no maximum contribution limit, through their My.SSS account.

Contributions are pooled and invested in government securities, corporate bonds, fixed-income instruments, equities, and money market instruments, with tax-free earnings credited proportionately to members’ accounts.

De Claro urged members to start investing early to maximize returns through compounded growth. “Planning and saving for retirement should begin early. The longer the members stay invested, the greater their potential returns,” he said.

PCG warns of rise in surrogacy-for-pay offers to HK OFWs

 

Consul Ferrera says 5 cases of ex HK OFWs being recruited as surrogates have been recorded

Officials of the Philippine Consulate General and the Migrant Workers Office have expressed alarm over the number of reported cases of abuse committed against overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong being recruited as surrogate mothers abroad.

During a Filipino community meeting last Sunday at the OFW Global Centre, Deputy Consul General Von Ryan Ferrera said the Consulate has already recorded five such cases involving former domestic workers in Hong Kong over the past year.

Surrogacy, or the arrangement where a woman (a surrogate) agrees to get pregnant and give birth to a child on behalf or another person or couple, is outlawed in many places like the Philippines and Hong Kong, especially when it is done for a fee.

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The ex-OFWs had reached out to the Department of Foreign Affairs after they were abandoned or driven away by their recruiters because their pregnancy did not go as planned, or they were found afflicted with some ailment.

Consul Ferrera said the OFWs were promised payment of up to Php1million - but that was contingent to them getting pregnant and successfully deliver babies according to the terms set by their recruiters, or to their liking.

Labatt Chavez say some surrogates were not paid because their babies were ugly or disabled

Labor Attache Cesar Chavez, Jr. who was also at the meeting, bluntly described the situation some of the surrogates found themselves in: “Ayaw silang bayaran kasi pangit ang bata o may kapansanan” (They were not paid either because the baby was ugly or had some disability).

Chavez said there could be many more OFWs from Hong Kong who were trafficked to places where surrogacy is not outlawed, mainly in Balkan states, but have escaped their radar. Many seek help from Philippine authorities only when they run into trouble.

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“These are only the reported cases, I am sure yung mga unreported cases mas marami,” (there are many more unreported cases), he said.

He warned it would be too risky for any OFW to get into such an arrangement because they are not documented or may not even hold proper visas in the places they end up in, so they cannot go to local authorities for help.

He appealed to all OFWs in Hong Kong to reject any such offers despite the promise of a hefty reward or a chance to move to another place for work and higher pay.

Surrogates are offered up to Php1million for carrying babies for other people

In a warning issued by the Consulate only in April this year, it was said that a number of Filipinas contracted to become surrogates had reached out to the Department of Foreign Affairs after their recruiter refused to pay them after learning they were afflicted with some ailment.

At the same time, their recruiter’s handlers were trying to drive them away from their boarding houses but would not give them money for their return air fare. The women were also warned that the police would be tipped off about their whereabouts if they did not leave.

The first case of reported abuse of an ex-HK OFW-turned-surrogate was reported in May 2024 after a 36-year-old Filipina sought help from the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, saying she was being held captive by her abuser who was also forcing her to abort a six-month-old baby in her womb.

The OFW said she was tempted to accept the surrogacy offer after she was terminated by her Hong Kong employer and was offered a reward of US$11,800 over nine months to carry an implanted egg in her womb.

Her recruiter secured a tourist visa for her in Georgia, to where she flew directly from Hong Kong. After she sounded out the alarm she was rescued from her captor but was able to fly back to the Philippines only after giving birth in Tbilisi.

According to the PCG then, a syndicate appeared to be targeting terminated domestic helpers for surrogacy jobs in Georgia, where many ended up being raped and forced to undergo abortion.