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| Fuentes was arrested as she went through Immigration at HK Intl Airport (FB photo) |
Hong Kong police have confirmed that a Filipina domestic worker who was arrested last Friday, Jan. 26, as she was about to fly out to the Philippines, has been charged with money laundering and is currently under custody.
Ma. Rochel Fuentes, 35 years old, was supposed to fly out
aboard the 11:45am AirAsia flight to Manila when she was stopped at
immigration and turned over to the police.
A police spokesman said that after investigation,
Fuentes was taken to Eastern Court on Jan 27 and charged with having dealt with
property “knowing or has reasonable grounds to believe that the whole or part
of such property directly or indirectly represents proceeds of an indictable
offence” or more commonly known as money laundering.
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| TAWAG NA! |
Her family and friends who heard about her arrest on
Friday immediately sent appeals on social media, saying she was being detained
at Central police station because someone had used her name to take out a loan
without her knowledge. It turned out her bank account was found to have been
used to launder a still undetermined sum of money.
A friend said Fuentes had decided to go home to wait for her new work contract to be processed, after her previous employer of five years relocated to another country.
Staff at the Migrant Workers Office of the
Philippine Consulate who spoke with Fuentes’ relatives said they had called the
police and were told that Fuentes had been taken to Eastern Court on Saturday
to be charged.
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| PINDUTIN |
FDHs are among vulnerable groups that have been
linked to money laundering cases in the past few years, often done through the
use of their bank accounts by scam syndicates.
Money laundering is punishable under Hong Kong laws by
up to 14 years in jail, and a maximum fine of $5 million.
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| PADALA NA! |
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