Pinay jailed 27 months for theft, use of stolen credit cards

 

General area where theft was committed (Google Maps photo) 

An unemployed Filipina was sentenced to 27 months in jail today, after pleading guilty at District Court to theft of a mobile phone, a Rolex watch and a wallet, and six counts of fraud for using the credit cards she found in the wallet to go on a shopping spree, spending a total of $6,279.50 in one day.

Judge Ada Yim handed the sentence to Mylene Navarro, 48 years old, after the prosecution presented evidence against her, including a water bottle found inside the hotel room which bore her fingerprints, CCTV footages which showed her using the stolen credit cards to make purchases and her admission to police that she used the cards.

Navarro’s case began when she took a drunk Chinese man named Lau to Rainbow City Inn on Pitt St. in Yau Ma Tei in the early hours of  Nov. 23 last year and took his mobile phone, watch and wallet containing personal documents and cash of $2,000. Yau Ma Tei Police said the stolen items amounted to $96,095.50.

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The wallet contained, among other things, five credit cards that would enable her to commit the six fraud offenses.

The police complaint said Navarro first went to a Seven-11 store on Bowring Street and ran up a bill for $2,292.50 which she paid by using a credit card issued by the Standard Chartered bank to Lau.

She then used Lau’s credit card issued by Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. in buying $204 worth of products at a Seven-11 store on Jordan Road.

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Navarro then went to a Circle K store on Jordan Road and charged $1,204 worth of products to Lau’s Standard Chartered Bank Mastercard.

She again used the credit card in paying $138 for a meal at a McDonald’s restaurant on Yen Chow St. in Sham Shui Po.

Navarro used Lau’s HSBC Mastercard a fifth time when she bought $227 worth of items at another Seven-11 shop at the MTR Prince Edward station.

Finally she bought groceries at a Wellcome Store on Lai Chi Kok Road in Mong Kok, running up a bill for $2,214 which she charged to Lau’s American Express card.

World Hypertension Day marked

 

Adults who are overweight are more likely to suffer from hypertension

Nearly 30% of people aged 15 to 84 in Hong Kong has been found to have hypertension, according to a Population Health Survey conducted by the Department of Health between 2020 to 2022.

Worse, more than 40% of those with hypertension were unaware of their condition until they underwent the PHS health examination arranged by the DH.

Given these, the DH through the Centre for Health Protection again urged the public to pay closer to their blood pressure levels and adopt a healthy lifestyle, as World Hypertension Day was celebrated on Sunday, May 17.

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The CDC also called on everyone to take part in the Chronic Disease Co-Care Scheme mplemented by the Primary Health Care Commission “to achieve early prevention, early identification early treatment” of hypertension through screening and personalised management.

World Hypertension Day is marked to increase worldwide awareness of high blood pressure known as the “silent killer” because many patients do not show or experience any symptoms or severe discomfort.

The occasion is also meant to promote more accurate blood pressure measurements.

If left unchecked, uncontrolled or not properly treated, hypertension can lead to serious health problems such as stroke, heart attack, kidney failure or even death.

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In 2024 a total of 1,217 recorded deaths in Hong Kong were attributed to hypertensive heart disease, 45 to hypertensive renal disease and 28 to hypertensive heart and renal disease.

Adults are considered to be hypertensive if their systolic blood pressure is persistently higher than or equal to 140 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and/or their diastolic blood pressure is persistently higher than or equal to 90 mmHg.

Everyone aged 18 and above is urged to measure their blood pressure at least once every two years. But some may require more frequent blood pressure testing depending on their blood pressure levels, age, overall cardiovascular risk profile and doctor's recommendation.

To prevent and control hypertension adults should reduce their salt intake (no more than 5 grams per day according to World Health recommendations), avoid drinking alcohol and smoking, and stay away from secondhand smoke as far as possible.

They should also engage in physical activities of moderate intensity for at least 150 to 300 minutes per week.

 

Modest consumer price increases forecast

 

Government Economist Irina Fan (center), presents the First Quarter Economic Report 2026 alongside Principal Economist Eric Lee and Asst Commissioner for Census and Statistics Edith Chan

Prices of consumer-bought products are expected to rise modestly during the next three quarters of the year as Hong Kong’s economy is expected to continue its robust growth, according to the government’s First Quarter Economic Report 2026.

 “Overall inflation in Hong Kong is expected to remain relatively well anchored, reflecting the city's low energy intensity as a predominantly service-oriented economy, with stable energy supplies from the Mainland helping to mitigate external shocks,” according to the report, presented by the Government Economist, Irina Fan.

Based on the previous quarter’s inflation situation, it estimated the consumer prices inching by 2.5% to 2.6%, up from estimates of 1.7% and 1.8% as announced in the government’s 2026 Budget.

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In the first quarter of 2026, consumer price inflation stayed modest though it picked up somewhat in March, mainly driven by fuel-related components amid higher international oil prices.

“Price pressures in other components were largely contained. The underlying Composite Consumer Price Index (Composite CPI) rose by 1.4% in the first quarter over a year earlier, following the 1.1% increase in the preceding quarter,” the report said.

“Including the effects of the Government's one-off relief measures, the headline Composite CPI increased by 1.6% year-on-year in the first quarter,” it added.

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In the past two months, the Government has introduced short-term, targeted measures to provide timely relief to sectors with relatively high fuel cost.

“The Government remains vigilant to the risks of further escalation of the conflict (in the Middle East), will closely monitor the developments, and will respond further as appropriate to safeguard price stability,” the report said.

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Other main points of the report:

＊ The Hong Kong economy expanded robustly in the first quarter of 2026, driven by the sustained strong performance in external trade and pick-up in domestic demand. Real GDP grew by 5.9% over a year earlier in the first quarter, accelerating from the 4.0% growth in the preceding quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, real GDP rose notably by 2.9%.

＊ Total exports of goods grew markedly by 23.7% year-on-year in real terms in the first quarter, underpinned by sustained global demand for artificial intelligence (AI)-related electronic products and buoyant regional trade flows in Asia. Exports of services continued to expand solidly by 3.5% in real terms over a year earlier, with broad-based growth across all major service groups.

＊ Domestic demand strengthened across both consumption and investment. Private consumption expenditure saw accelerated growth of 4.9% year-on-year in real terms in the first quarter, reflecting the more entrenched recovery in households' spending. Overall investment expenditure continued to expand at a double-digit rate of 17.7% year-on-year in real terms in the first quarter, alongside the robust economic growth.

＊ The labour market showed modest improvement in the first quarter. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down further by 0.1 percentage point from the preceding quarter to 3.7% in the first quarter. The underemployment rate also decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 1.6%. Average employment earnings continued to record year-on-year growth in the first quarter.

Phl peso now down to 61.72 to USD

The peso has been dropping to historic lows since the latest Mideast row began at end of February

 The Philippine has again dropped to a new all-time low of 61.721 to the US dollar at the end of trading on Friday, May 15.

This came just a day after the peso plunged to a record low of 61.64 on Thursday.

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Malacanang said this showed that the greenback is strong, and not that the peso is weak.

The Palace also said that the global spike in oil prices amid continuing tensions in the Middle East was another big factor. Combined with the country’s dependence on imports, the local demand for dollars surged, further weakening the peso.

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Before the combined US and Israel attack on Iran at the end of February, the peso was gaining ground, strengthening to 57.665 on Feb 27, the last day of trading before the Middle East conflict.

Since then, it has dropped from one historic low to another.

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While the weaker peso has superficially boosted the spending capacity of OFWs, inflation has made it difficult for their families back in the Philippines to live on their former budget.

Recent data from the government showed inflation had hit 7.2 percent in April amid the continuing tension in the Middle East, and the consequent oil price increases.

PCG warns against Cora Wealths investment scheme

 

Cora Wealth investments are in USD (Facebook photo)

Filipinos in Hong Kong are being warned against putting money in an apparent pyramid-type investment scam called “Cora Wealths” which is purportedly based in the United States and promises a return of 10% per month on investments of at least US$1000.

According to a Facebook post by the Philippine Consulate General, people behind the “potentially fraudulent investment platform are targeting overseas Filipino workers and investors based in the Philippines.

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“To lure investors, Cora Wealths has engaged several OFWs as recruiting agents and team leaders who are promising commissions based on the number of people enticed to join the investment,” said the PCG.

Documents shown to the PCG by complainants indicated that Cora Wealths appears to operate as a pyramiding scheme where the payouts to earlier investors is derived from the money put in by succeeding investors or victims.

PINDUTIN ITO PARA SA DETALYE

Cora Wealths reportedly claims to engage in real estate investment but has no valid registration to sell securities in the Philippines or in Hong Kong, said the PCG.

Filipinos are reminded that the sale and trading of securities in Hong Kong require a license from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong.

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To check the list of corporations and individuals licensed to trade in securities, please click on this link: https://www.sfc.hk/en/Regulatory-functions/Intermediaries/Licensing/Register-of-licensed-persons-and-registered-institutions

In the Philippines the sale and trade of securities is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and would need either a secondary licence for corporations or registration as individual broker or dealer. To check if a broker is licensed, click here: https://checkwithsec.sec.gov.ph/check-with-sec/index

The PCG reiterated the warning that investments that promise a very high yield of return in just a short time is highly likely to be fraudulent.

To view the PCG’s Facebook post with this warning, please go to: https://web.facebook.com/share/p/18wayUAmHW/ 

35 ex-DHs with failed non-refoulement claims sent home

 

Immigration officers escort ex-DHs in boarding flights at airport 

Thirty-five former foreign domestic helpers, among them a number of Filipinos, have been repatriated to their places of origin after failing to prove their non-refoulement claims and subsequent appeals in the High Court.

A number of those repatriated from May 13 to May 15 included those who had committed criminal offences, sent to jail and had completed their sentences.

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 “The ImmD is very concerned about the abuse of the non-refoulement claim mechanism and is aware that a number of claimants were former foreign domestic helpers,” it said in a press statement. “The ImmD has been co-operating with the relevant consulates-general in Hong Kong and will continue such co-operation to step up publicity and education for newly arriving foreign domestic helpers to help them understand that they should not abuse the non-refoulement claim mechanism.”

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Under the updated removal policy effective from December 7, 2022, the ImmD may generally proceed with the removal of a claimant whose judicial review case has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance of the High Court to speed up the process.

“The ImmD will continue to explore different feasible solutions to expedite the repatriation of unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants, and will actively co-ordinate with relevant authorities to optimize repatriation routes and the operation process,” it said.

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“The ImmD will actively maintain close liaison with governments of major source countries of non-refoulement claimants, airline companies and other government departments to repatriate unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants from Hong Kong as soon as practicable through all appropriate measures,” it added.

General holidays for 2027 published

The following list of general holidays for 2027 is gazetted today (May 15) for public information:

• Every Sunday
• The first day of January: January 1, Friday
• Lunar New Year's Day: February 6, Saturday
• The third day of Lunar New Year: February 8, Monday
• The fourth day of Lunar New Year: February 9, Tuesday

• Good Friday: March 26, Friday
• The day following Good Friday: March 27, Saturday
• Easter Monday: March 29, Monday
• Ching Ming Festival: April 5, Monday
• Labour Day: May 1, Saturday
• The Birthday of the Buddha: May 13, Thursday

• Tuen Ng Festival: June 9, Wednesday
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day: July 1, Thursday
• The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival: September 16, Thursday
• National Day: October 1, Friday
• Chung Yeung Festival: October 8, Friday
• Christmas Day: December 25, Saturday
• The first weekday after Christmas Day: December 27, Monday

A Government spokesman said, "As the second day of Lunar New Year in 2027 falls on a Sunday, the fourth day of Lunar New Year will be designated as a general holiday in substitution."

16 arrested in anti-illegal worker raids

 

Immigration officers escort one of those arrested

The Immigration Department (ImmD) arrested 16 persons in a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations on May 8 to 14.

Ten suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers were arrested in the anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Twilight". 

The arrested workers comprised eight men and two women, aged 30 to 65. Among them, a man was holding a recognizance form which prohibits him from taking any employment.

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Investigators raided multiple target locations, including restaurants, flats under renovation and grocery stores, arresting three men and three women, aged 28 to 61, suspected of employing the illegal workers.

An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

An ImmD spokesman said, "Visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

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“Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are victims of trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labor,” the spokesman said.

“Identified TIP and/or forced labor victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services,” the spokesman added.

Bato flees Senate amid ICC arrest warrant

Senator dela Rosa left the Senate without anyone trying to stop him  

Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa left the Senate building early on Thursday following a mysterious commotion that involved the firing of guns. His departure was confirmed by both Malacanang and Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

Senator dela Rosa’s abrupt departure came hours after the International Criminal Court confirmed it had issued a warrant for his arrest as early as November last year on charges of carrying out a bloody war on drugs along with former President Rodrigo Duterte who has been detained at The Hague for more than a year. 

According to Cayetano, dela Rosa left at about 2:30am along with  Sen. Robinhood Padilla “for everyone’s safety.”

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 “Long story short, the sergeant-at-arms confirmed that he’s no longer in the building. I’m waiting for the complete incident report, on what time he left,” Cayetano told reporters in a briefing.

He insisted dela Rosa was within his rights to leave although by doing so he gave up the “protective custody” of the Senate.

Earlier, Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro said dela Rosa had left the Senate premises before dawn Thursday.

She also said that Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca was the first to fire a warning shot at a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agent, who was in the adjacent premises of the Government Service System. The NBI agent fired back in retaliation.

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The exchange of gunfire sent reporters and other people inside the Senate premises at the time, scurrying for cover.

The senator who had gone into hiding for six months after reports of the ICC warrant had come out, reappeared at the Senate on Monday, to cast a crucial vote that resulted in former Senate President Tito Sotto being cast out, and Cayetano taking over.

On his way in, he claimed he had wrestled with NBI agents who tried to arrest him on the strength of the ICC warrant.

The NBI denied the claim, saying they were not in the Senate premises at that time, but were in the adjacent GSIS building they were asked to protect.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said they were told to “stand down” after the Supreme Court ordered the government to respond to dela Rosa’s urgent application to stop the enforcement of the ICC warrant without a corresponding order from a local court.

“When the Senate declared that Senator Bato was under their protective custody, we chose to respect that decision because we respect the authority of the Senate as a co-equal branch of government,” Matibag said.

The NBI is requesting the Senate for a copy of the video showing how dela Rosa managed to leave their premises without anyone stopping him.

 

Theft case involving nearly $1M goes to DC

 

The neighborhood where alleged theft took place (Google Maps photo)

The theft case against a Filipina domestic helper has been endorsed to the District Court after the total amount she allegedly stole, which was nearly $1 million, was deemed to have exceeded the authority of the West Kowloon Court.

Principal Magistrate Don So returned Analyn Doregios, 44 years old, to jail last Tuesday (May 12) to await the resumption of her case in DC on May 28 for violation of section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.

Doregios is accused of stealing 42 pieces of gold ornaments (including 19 bracelets, two necklaces, 18 pendants and three rings), 300 British pounds in cash, 10,000 Euros in cash and 3,000 Swiss francs in cash, total value about HK$940,000, the property of Wong Cheuk Kiu.

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The theft allegedly took place between June 13 and Nov. 5, 2025, at her employer’s flat in Belvedere Garden Phase 3, on Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan.

Also remanded in jail in a separate case of theft on Wednesday (May 13) was Lea Fuentes, 48 years old, who was accused in a police complaint of stealing 15 pieces of jewelry, total valued $261,150, the property of female Sun Sze-lui Lucia.

Magistrate Eric Yao adjourned the case to June 30.

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Fuentes, also a domestic helper, allegedly committed the theft between May 11, 2025 and April 26, 2026 at her employer’s flat at Wings At Sea, I Lohas Park Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories.

Marcos says government not behind shooting incident at Senate

 

Marcos says on video that the government was not involved in the melee at the Senate

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has issued a video statement saying the government was not behind the gunshots fired inside the Senate building Wednesday afternoon that prompted people inside to run for cover.

The chaos ensued after armed men reportedly tried to attempt to enter the Senate premises where Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has been holed up since Monday after the International Criminal Court confirmed an arrest warrant against him.

(A video footage taken by the Associated Press of the melee inside the Senate is posted here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGHgxh5bRwo).

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Marcos said there was no instruction for anyone to arrest Senator dela Rosa. After the Supreme Court deferred Dela Rosa’s urgent motion to stop his arrest, the president said he ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to leave the Senate building, where the senator is under “protective custody.”

“Ang NBI ay sinabihan ko nung lumabas yung resolution nu’ng Supreme Court mga 4 yun kaninang hapon; sinabi ko ‘umalis na kayo diyan’ at nag-comply naman sila. Kaya nung kausap ko si Director [Melvin] Matibag sabi niya walang NBI dito [Senate]. Nandito lahat kami sa opisina,” said the President.

(I told the NBI when the Supreme Court resolution came out, around 4 this afternoon; I told them to leave that area, and they complied. So when I spoke with Director Matibag, he said there was no NBI here [at the Senate]. We are all here in the office.)

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“Walang pumasok na tigalabas na sundalo, na militar, na NBI sa Senado. Hindi po natin alam kung sino yung sumubok na pumasok at saka dahil doon ay nagkaputukan,” he said.

(No soldiers, military personnel or NBI entered the Senate from the outside. We do not know the identity of those who tried to enter and as a result gunshots were fired).

He assured the public that the Senate and the Philippine National Police (PNP) would conduct a thorough investigation.

He explained that only two types of uniformed personnel are stationed inside the Senate: officers of the PNP and members of the Marines.

Both PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and NBI director Melvin Matibag have denied that their personnel were behind the gunshots.

Senator dela Rosa has been holed up at the Senate since Monday to evade arrest by the ICC

Following the incident, the PNP went on full alert status starting at 8:30pm on Wednesday. In a statement it said it has intensified security monitoring and police presence in the vicinity of the Senate.

The national police force said it had deployed about 1,500 personnel at the Senate and its vicinity as part of security measures.

Journalists who were at the scene said the gunshots were fired after men with rifles and protective gear went up the legislative building. They were spotted talking with Senate security staff earlier.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla later told the media that the first shots came from personnel of the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).

He said that at about 7:46 p.m., Senate security staff fired guns to stop the armed men from going up to the second floor of the building.

As the investigation into the incident got underway, rumors started to swirl about it being a set-up to try to get Senator dela Rosa out of the building.

The senator went into hiding six months ago after reports indicated the ICC had issued a warrant of arrest against him, and only resurfaced Monday to stage a coup with allied senators that resulted in Senate President Tito Sotto being replaced by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

Pinay asylum-seeker awaits sentence for drug tafficking

 

Pinay caught in upstairs apartment here (Google Maps photo)

An unemployed asylum seeker is now in jail awaiting her sentence after she pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking at Eastern Court on Tuesday.

Magistrate Kestrel Lam adjourned the case of Filipina Joanne Miniano. 43 years old, to July 21 for sentencing for violating sections 4(1) (a) and (3) of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance in both cases.

In the first case, Miniano was accused in a police complaint of trafficking, together with a person known as "Alex", in one cartridge containing 0.48 grams of a liquid containing. 0.42 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (a tetrahydro derivative of cannabinol) on Aug. 9 last year at the staircase of 8/F, Phoenix Apartments, 54-70. Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay.

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In the second charge a few hours later, Miniano and Alex were caught at Room E, Flat J, 8/F of Phoenix Apartments, trafficking in the following dangerous drugs:

• 59 cartridges containing a total of 83.0 grams of a liquid containing 1.17 grams of butomidate (a compound structurally, derived from etomidate by replacement of the ethoxycarbonyl by other alkoxycarbonyl group);
• 1 cartridge containing 1.43 grams of a liquid containing 0.01 grams of butomidate (a compound structurally derived from etomidate by replacement of the ethoxycarbonyl by other alkoxycarbonyl group);

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• 61 cartridges containing a total of 81.8 grams of a liquid containing 1.76 grams of butomidate (a compound structurally derived from etomidate by replacement of the ethoxycarbonyl by other alkoxycarbonyl group),
• 8 cartridges containing a total of 11.2 grams of a liquid containing 0.29 grams of butomidate (being a compound structurally derived from etomidate by replacement of the ethoxycarbonyl by other alkoxycarbonyl group),
• 3 cartridges containing a total of 3.92 grams of a liquid containing 0.09. grams of butomidate (being a compound structurally derived from étomidate by replacement of the ethoxycarbonyl by other alkoxycarbonyl group)/6 cartridges containing a total of 8.78 grams of a liquid containing 0.11 grams of butomidate (being a compound structurally derived from etomidate by replacement of the ethoxycarbonyl by other alkoxycarbonyl group)
• and 0.01 grams of deschloro-N-ethyl-ketamine (being a compound structurally derived from 2-amino-2-phenylcyclohexanone by substitution at the nitrogen atom with an alkyl group) 14 plastic bags -containing a total of 487 grams of a solid containing 1.49 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (being a tetrahydro. derivative of cannabinol); and 1 cartridge containing 0.41 grams of a liquid containing 0.37 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (being a tetrahydro derivative of cannabinol).

DMW shuts down unlicensed recruiter for overseas jobs

 

USec Bernard Olalia led the closure of Polaris' Manila offices

An unlicensed company that was charging up to Php260,000 for supposed jobs in four overseas destinations was shut down by the Department of Migrant Workers on Monday, May 11 on charges of illegal recruitment.

Various posts on DMW social media sites named the company as Polaris Manpower and Documentation Services, which held office at 1653 Tecson Street, Sta Cruz, Manila.

The DMW said the operations manager of Polaris named as Yolanda M. Naag used to hold secret orientation seminars for job applicants, who were told that the company was a “partner agency” of the department.

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Applicants were offered jobs as hotel worker, production operator, production packer or cleaner in Taiwan, Canada, Finland and New Zealand, and promised salaries ranging from Php170,000 to Php210,000.

But to kickstart the application process each jobseeker was asked to pay Php260,000 as processing fee, which supposedly included payments for “documentation and visa expenses”

It was not clear whether there were jobseekers who were convinced to apply and pay the exorbitant fee.

Basahin ang detalye!

Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia, who led the raid on Polaris, warned applicants were being led  to possible financial exploitation and misuse of government hiring programs.

Olalia also noted that the group’s referral-based recruitment activities could further expand the number of potential victims.

He emphasized that legitimate government-to-government hiring programs do not require the participation of private agencies or third parties in the processing and deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Separately, the DMW said that the most that a licensed agency could charge as placement fee for a Filipino worker posted abroad is the equivalent of a month’s salary promised the applicant.

However in many places such as New Zealand and Canada no placement fee should be charged the jobseekers.

The DMW said the people behind the operation of Polaris will be charged with illegal recruitment. They could also be included in the List of Persons and Entities with Derogatory Record.

Large-scale illegal recruitment carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of up to a million pesos.

Anyone who fell victim to Polaris' spurious job offer is encouraged to report to the nearest DMW office or send an email to airtipinfo@dmw.gov.ph to avail of free legal aid.

 

 

Senate coup: Cayetano takes over

 

Cayetano takes oath, witnessed by family members

Senators toppled Tito Sotto  on Monday, May 11, as Senate President and replaced him with Alan Peter Cayetano in a coup that finally succeeded after failing several times, as the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.

Cayetano sought to allay concerns that the Senate reorganization was aimed at aborting the impeachment trial, assuring that the Senate will convene as an impeachment court “forthwith”. He did not elaborate on when the actual trial will begin.

In a statement, Duterte’s legal team said it is “fully prepared” to face the Senate trial as “the burden now rests on the accusers to substantiate their claims in accordance with the Constitution, the law, and rules on evidence.”

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This came after one of the 13 who supported Cayetano, Sen. Ronald Bato de la Rosa, broke his six-month absence from the Senate just to vote, which almost did not happen when he was blocked by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation on his way to the session hall.

Dela Rosa scuffled with the NBI agents and ran upstairs, pursued by the agents who were trying to serve on him the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, as a co-perpetrator of former President Rodrigo Duterte in his trial for crimes against humanity. Also tagged as co-perpetrator Duterte’s extrajudicial killings was Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.

Dela Rosa complained that he hurt a finger when he stumbled as he scrambled up the stairs. On his motion, the Senate voted to cite the nine agents in contempt but Cayetano released them later to NBI director Melvin Matibag, in return for NBI respecting the Senate’s protective custody over Dela Rosa.

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Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV was also on hand to serve the warrant as challenged to do so by Dela Rosa in the past, but but they did not cross paths.

The other senators who cast their votes for Cayetano were Imee Marcos, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Robin Padilla, Joel Villanueva, Pia Cayetano, Mark Villar, Camille Villar, Loren Legarda, and Sotto, who extended traditional parliamentary courtesy to his rival.

The nine who supported Sotto were Bam Aquino, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Lito Lapid, Kiko Pangilinan, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Ping Lacson and Cayetano, who similarly cast a courtesy vote.

Senators JV Ejercito and outgoing majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri abstained.

The Senate reorganization has also resulted in Legarda taking over as president pro-tempore, replacing Lacson, who may also be replaced as chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee.