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| The defendants and their supporters leave Shatin Court after a hearing last year |
The last of two of the seven Filipinos who were hauled to court last year for working in a cargo handling warehouse in Kwai Chung. were found guilty today at Shatin Court of breaching their condition of stay and were each sentenced to 22 months and 15 days in prison.
Junipher Sambalod and
Marcelino Guisinga Jr. who both hold recognizance papers which did not allow them to take up work in Hong Kong, were convicted by Magistrate Raymond Wong despite pleading not guilty to the charge.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Sambalod, 41 years old, and Guisinga, 44, were convicted of
taking employment while being a person in respect of whom a removal order is in
force, contrary to sections 38AA(1)(b) and 38AA(2) of the Immigration Ordinance
(Cap. 115).
They were each accused of doing odd jobs in the Kwai Chung warehouse on
March 4, 2025 while a removal order was in force against them.
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| See details |
Of the seven who were arrested at the same time, one 60-year-old domestic worker was able to walk free from court after pleading guilty to illegal work and agreeing to be bound over for $1,500 over 12 months.
But R. Sarabia was still ordered to pay costs of $500 to be deducted from his $1,000 bail.
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| DETAILS HERE |
Four of their co-accused all pleaded guilty earlier to
working illegally and were each sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment.
The four -- 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.
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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.
In a statement issued on March 5 last year, the Immigration
Department announced it had arrested nine persons in an anti-illegal work
operation conducted by its agents in Kwai Chung eight of whom were Filipinos.
The eighth Filipino was a female overstayer while the ninth
was a 51-year-old male Hong Kong resident who was suspected of employing the
Filipinos.
