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| A police notice posted on the door of Emry's Employment Agency in Room 802, On Hong Commercial Bldg in Wanchai, indicates that the Hong Kong police are investigating. |
Offices used by Emry’s
Service Staff Employment Agency have been closed “for redecoration” as
Hong Kong’s Labour and Police departments begin investigating a possible
scam on hundreds of Filipino job applicants for Britain and Canada.
The
closures came after the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section had
endorsed to both agencies the first batch of complaints against Emry's
owner, Ester Ylagan.
Using
her other company, Mike's Secretarial Service, Ylagan allegedly enticed
Filipino job applicants to pay $10,000 for jobs in Britain, and $15,000
for those in Canada.
She did not issue receipts or show job-related documents.
Following the referral from the Consulate, Labour
officers began contacting those who filed complaints against Ylagan and
her two companies, which used to occupy adjacent offices in World Wide
Plaza in Central.
Emry's
abruptly shut down its World Wide office on June 30, and said it was
"relocating" to its extension office in Wanchai. Mike's was kept open
except on weekends, before it, too, was closed down for "renovation" on
July 12.
On the same day, The SUN visited Emry's office on the eighth floor of On Hong Commercial Bldg on Hennessy Road, Wanchai, and found it padlocked.
A
notice taped on the door read: “To our valued clients: Please be
informed that we are closed from July 12 to 25, 2016 for redecoration.
Office will resume on July 26, 2016. Apology for any inconvenience
caused. The management, Emry’s Employment Agency.”
Next to this was a notice from the Central Police Station stating “Report No. CRN 16036631, Case Officer D178 cd 157, Telephone 28599288.”
On
Sunday, four of the complainants contacted by Labour told Labatt De la
Torre they would not be able to attend the interview because their day
off falls on a Sunday and the scheduled meeting was on a weekday
The
labor attaché told them if they won’t go the Labour officers might just
junk their complaint and they won’t be able to recover their money.
Two of the complainants reconsidered, and said they would talk to the officers. One of them is scheduled to report to the Labour Department in Mongkok on July 21.
“Makikipagtulungan
po kami.para matapos na, kawawa rin po kami kasi. Mga hiniram lang
namin po yung pera,” said the other complainant.
Others
are determined to go. One said she already had her employer's
permission, but is worried because her interview is scheduled in October
yet.
"
Tumawag ako para tsnungin kung pwede akong ma-interview ng mas maaga
pero sabi ng officer hindi puwede kasi ang dami pang iinterbyuhin muna.
Natatakot lang kasi ako na baka mahirapan na kaming maghabol kasi ang
tagal ng imbestigasyoh", she said. - The SUN staff
