Two Filipina former domestic workers have pleaded guilty to
separate charges of breaching their conditions of stay by overstaying their
work visas for 15 and 28 years, respectively.
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| An overstayer (left) asks help from Consulate before surrendering |
Crestin Diaz, 53, and Anita Hilario, 71, appeared in Kwun
Tong court on Wednesday, Feb 12, before Magistrate Ko Wai-hing, and admitted
their offenses.
The prosecution said Diaz surrendered to Immigration
authorities on Feb 5 after overstaying in Hong Kong
since June 14, 2004.
She came to Hong Kong to
work as a domestic helper on Dec 13, 2002 but was terminated prematurely on May
31, 2004. She failed to find a new employer in the 14 days she was allowed to
remain in Hong Kong , and decided to overstay.
Her defense counsel from the Duty Lawyer Service pleaded for
leniency, citing Diaz’s guilty plea. He cited her advanced age, and said the
Filipina wanted to rejoin her family as soon as possible.
Magistrate Ko sentenced Diaz to 10 months in prison.
In a separate case, Hilario pleaded guilty to overstaying in
Hong Kong for 28 years and five months after
her work visa as a domestic helper expired on Sept 4, 1991.
The prosecution said Hilario surrendered to Immigration on
Feb 10. After checking her records, officers found out that she came to Hong Kong in 1989 and did not leave when her visa ran
out.
Ko ordered Diaz remanded in custody after taking note of the
woman’s age, and said he wanted to see a background report on her first before
sentencing on Mar 4.
Diaz was earlier reported in The SUN as having sought help
from the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section in surrendering to the
authorities.
She decided to surrender after both her feet swelled up and
she started having difficulty breathing.
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