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| The defendants and their supporters leave Shatin Court |
by Leo A. Deocadiz
Four of seven Filipino men who were arrested last March 4 for illegal employment in a cargo-handling warehouse in Kwai Chung, pleaded guilty Tuesday at Shatin Court to taking employment while subject to a removal order, and were each jailed for 15 months.
The three others opted for a trial by denying the charges,
which arose after their arrest by Immigration officers in a raid on their alleged
workplace.
Julie Arcega Jr., 34 years old, Aris Pareja, 50, Christian
Mendame, 43, and Joel Lorente, 46, pleaded guilty to violating Section 41 of
the Immigration Ordinance, and by virtue of Regulation 9 of the Immigration Regulations.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong handed them their
respective sentences after deducting one third for their guilty pleas.
Magistrate Cheang scheduled a pre-trial review for June 24 for
the three others, whose lawyers said their defense rests mainly on questioning the
accuracy of the translation of statements they made during investigation by
Immigration officers.
Of the seven, only Rodrigo Sarabia, 60, was charged with breach
of condition of stay by taking employment while in Hong Kong with a domestic
helper visa. He was set free on bail of $1,000.
Jonifer Sambalod, 41, and Marcelino Guisinga, 44, were both
charged with taking employment while under a removal order. Sambalod was freed
on bail of $10,000 in cash and $10,000 in surety, while Guisinga posted a bail
of $10,000 in cash.
