Pinoy in jail after jumping bail in HK$5.55M money-laundering case

 

Ledesma after District Court hearing on Jan. 4, 2024 (File photo)

A Filipino facing a money laundering charge involving US dollars and euros with a total value of HK$5.55 million, has been remanded in jail by the District Court after it adjourned the case to Aug. 11 for mention.

Jose Rizaldo Ledesma, who was unrepresented by a lawyer, had earlier been re-arrested under a warrant for jumping bail after not showing up for the second of the three-day trial on the same case on April 1 last year.

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Judge E. Lee remanded him in jail after hearing the circumstances of his absence.

Ledesma, a former musician, is charged with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to section 25(1) and (3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance. The offence is punishable by up to 14 years in jail and a maximum fine of $5 million.

Details here

The charge arose from €21,500 Euros and US $706,468.21 in illicit funds that passed through his account with the Bank of China. (Hong Kong) Limited between Aug. 5, 2020 and Oct. 21, 2020.

Ledesma had earlier pleaded not guilty and was on the second day of his trial at the District Court when he jumped bail. His cash bail of $300 was forfeited by Judge G. Lam, who ordered that he not be allowed to post bail once arrested.

Basahin ang detalye!

Ledesma, according to the police complaint, is also known as Ledesma Jose. Rizaldo Raymundo and Leoesma Tose Rizhido R.

Pinay found guilty of voyeurism, to appeal

 

La Marina, where the offense allegedly took place (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina was today found guilty of voyeurism after trial at Eastern Court and was sentenced to 14 days’ jail, but she is appealing the magistrate’s decision.

Geraldine M. Albarico a 42-year-old wife and mother, is on bail of $2,500 pending an appeal.

Magistrate Wat, said he did not give more weight to the claim of X, a local housewife, that her domestic helper Albarico had secretly took a photo of her while she was taking a bath after a drunken spree and sent it to her Philippine number.

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But she drew the line on the possibility that private photos of people could be spread.  

The charge sheet said the voyeurism, an act contrary to section 159AAB (1) and (3) of the Crimes Ordinance, happened on an unknown date between Sept 1, 2023 and Feb 25, 2024 inside the bathroom of a flat in La Marina, Aberdeen.

X said she came to know about the photo, which was taken with a phone they used for family chats and showed one of X's breasts as she lay in the bathtub, only when she began scrolling through the photos in the phone about four to five months after sacking the helper.

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On cross-examination, Albrarico’s lawyer put it to X that no such photo existed because if it did, she would have shown it to the police when she filed her complaint against her former maid.

“You did not take it to the police because such a photo did not exist,” said the lawyer. “Either you’re making things up or your memory was bad.” X disagreed.

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The court heard that there were about 500 photos in the family phone, mostly showing Albarico  washing X’s hair and applying oil on her scalp, as well as performing “gua sha” – a traditional Chinese method of healing that involves scraping the skin – on the employer.

The lawyer also suggested to X that the reason she made up the allegation was because Albarico refused to sign another contract with her, despite her salary being raised from $6,000 to $6,500 a month. When she declined to renew, X terminated their contract with only two months to go.

Basahin ang detalye!

Albarico, who by then had found another employer, was about to fly back to the Philippines for a short vacation to attend her son’s graduation when she was detained at Hong Kong Airport as a result of  X’s complaint.

HK Police arrest 14-year-old boy over blade left on bus

 

Police announcing the arrest of the teenager

Police said on Friday that they had arrested a 14-year-old student suspected of leaving an open cutter in between seats on a Citybus after an argument with a school mate.

The 13-centimeter cutter was found by another passenger with about a centimeter of its blade protruding from the gap between two seats of a Citybus route 37A. No injury was reported.

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The passenger alerted police, who had the bus driven to a terminus in Admiralty, where the cutter was retrieved.

Following a review of the CCTV from the bus, the police managed to identify the teenager, and arrested him on Thursday afternoon.

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The police investigation showed the teenager boarded the bus with a classmate on the southern part of Hong Kong island.

A dispute between the two resulted in the 14-year-old boy brandishing the cutter blade in front of the other student, then left it between the two seats before getting off in Wan Chai.

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The other passenger found the open cutter on the upper deck of the bus as it was nearing Admiralty.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and wounding with intent. He was released on police bail pending further investigation.

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Police said the case was an isolated incident, with no evidence of gang involvement.

It was also apparently unrelated to an incident four days earlier, when a woman passenger was pricked on the back by a needle left on another Citybus.

Police reminded passengers on public utility vehicle to act responsibly and avoid committing act that could endanger other people’s safety.

 

HK Observatory warns of very hot summer

 

The Observatory held a joint news conference with an association for elderly safety

The Hong Kong Observatory has advised the public to prepare for a very hot summer this year, two days after hoisting the first “very hot weather” warning this year.

HKO Acting Assistant Director Choy Chun-wing said at a press conference that the extremely hot weather will continue until Friday, especially during the day. Everyone who ventures out is advised to take adequate protective measures against the heat.

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Temperatures will continue to hit the 35-degree mark in the urban areas, while in the New Territories, it could go up to between 36 and 37 degrees.

Choy further explained that because of El Niño the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equators of the Pacific are expected to continue rising. An El Niño event is forecast to develop during summer and autumn, and could last until the end of the year or early next year.

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As a result of the combined effects of global warming and a stronger El Nino, Hong Kong is expected to be hotter than normal this year and next year, with the annual mean temperature rising above normal.

Choy warned there will be a high chance of this year’s temperatures reaching the ten top warmest years on record.

The Hong Kong public is advised to prepare for the very hot weather this summer. Those who are vulnerable to heat stroke are particularly advised to take extra care.

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Joining the press conference was Maura Wong, chief executive officer of the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association, who warned that the elderly are more prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke during the height of summer.

She said that a telephone survey conducted by her group last year showed that nearly one in four elderly persons reported feeling unwell due to the heat. They reported feeling dizzy or had difficulty breathing.

Last summer alone, the Association handled more than 7,700 emergency cases that required hospitalization.

Basahin ang detalye!

And just last Tuesday, the Association recorded 1,912 emergency calls, a figure that was eight percent higher than its daily average.

Choy urged the elderly and their carers to take extra precautions against the heat, particularly during the height of summer.

Pinay admits laundering $4.67 million; mitigation set

 

The District Court in Wanchai 

A Filipina domestic helper pleaded guilty today at the District Court to three counts of money laundering involving $4.67 million, averting a trial that was originally set for four days.

Lilian Amasula, 52 years old, was remanded in jail until Aug. 20 for mitigation, where her lawyer will be allowed to cite reasons for Judge A. N. Tse Ching to temper the sentence he will hand down.

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Amasula first appeared at the District Court on March 13, after Eastern Court Principal Magistrate Don So elevated the case.

She was charged in the three cases with dealing with propetty known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to section 25(1) and (3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinancе.

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In the first charge, Amasula is accused of conspiring with a person known as “Maribeth Sebastian” of laundering a total of $2,026,373.31 in Amasula's Standard Chartered Bank account, between Apr. 2 and 17, 2023.

In the second charge, Amasula and Sebastian are accused of laundering a total of $2,185,037.06 in Amasula's Mox Bank Limited account, between Apr 2 and 26, 2023.

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In the third charge, Amasula and Sebastian are again accused of laundering a total of $465,206.79 in Amasula's account with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Ltd. between the 2nd and 12^th  of April 2023.

The two accused are charged with “knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the sums involved, “in whole or in part, directly or indirectly” represented proceeds of an indictable offence, as provided by section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinancе.

Basahin ang detalye!

The Ordinancе also provides that a person who commits an offense under subsection (1) is liable—

(a) on conviction upon indictment to a fine of $5,000,000 and to imprisonment for 14 years; or

(b) on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 and to imprisonment for 3 years.

Open cutter found inside HK bus

 

The partially exposed cutter was wedged between seats on 37A Citybus (TheStandard photo)

A cutter with part of its blade exposed was found wedged between seats on a Citybus as it was travelling toward Pacific Place in Admiralty Wednesday afternoon.

Reports said it was the second incident of a sharp object being found on a bus in Central in four days.

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A passenger on a 37A Citybus bound for Chi Fu Fa Yuen reported finding the blade around 5pm after getting aboard on Queen’s Road East.

A 13 cm cutter with about 1cm of the blade exposed was found inside the gap between two seats located near the rear of the bus.

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The driver drove the bus to a bus terminus in Admiralty where police boarded to check on the report.

No injuries were reported and no one was arrested. But the case has been classified as attempted wounding with intent and is being investigated by the Central crime unit of the HK Police.

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On Saturday, a 43-year-old woman was pricked by a 5cm sewing needle stuck on the back of a seat on a 15C Citybus on Garden Road.

Basahin ang detalye!

The woman was taken to hospital after feeling a sharp pain in her back.

No arrests have been made.

Pinay who claimed fear of step-father's ire loses non-refoulement appeal

The High Court, where the Court of First Instance holds sessions

A Filipina who sought non-refoulement protection from deportation by Hong Kong, claiming that her step-father would harm her because she had been asking her mother to leave him due to domestic violence and abuse, has lost her leave for application to appeal to the Court of First Instance.

Hilda Coronel had appealed the decision of the Torture Claims Appeal Board and the Immigration Department rejecting her non-refoulement claim after it failed on all the applicable grounds under the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM), such as risk to life and risk of torture. 

The Board found that the applicant was never intentionally harmed by her step-father, according to the High Court decision, written by Gladys Lee on orders of Deputy High Court Judge Michael Wong. “The applicant conceded that her step-father’s only physical contact with her during the incident in January 2020 had been purely accidental,” it said. 

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“The step-father never physically harmed the applicant’s brothers.  There was no evidence that the applicant, her mother and brothers had ever suffered any severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, as a result of any ill-treatment by the applicant’s step-father, that would be sufficient to establish any of the applicable grounds under the US,” he decision said.

“In gist, the Board found that the applicant was never intentionally harmed by her step-father.  The applicant conceded that her step-father’s only physical contact with her during the incident in January 2020 had been purely accidental.  The step-father never physically harmed the applicant’s brothers,” it said.

“There was no evidence that the applicant, her mother and brothers had ever suffered any severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, as a result of any ill-treatment by the applicant’s step-father, that would be sufficient to establish any of the applicable grounds under the USM.

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“Moreover, neither the applicant nor any of her family members had ever reported any ill-treatment by her step-father to the police in the Philippines and/or to any of the other authorities there,” the decision added. 

Establishing these facts was the sole function of the Board and Immigration, and the court “finds nothing wrong or unreasonable in the way the Board reached its conclusion,” it said.

In her appeal, Coronel “did not advance any ground for her intended judicial review,” it added.

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Instead, she used “some general grounds which were in fact used by many applicants in similar applications as their grounds for applying leave to judicially review the Board’s decisions,” it said. 

“It is like a template for such applicants and they just used the grounds stated therein without any regard to their own situations.  The applicant is no exception,” it added.

Still, the court dealt with her assertions, such as the Board committing precedural impropriety which she did not identify.

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“Contrary to the applicant’s assertion, this court finds that the Board had analyzed the applicant’s claims in detail, and had provided full and justified reasons for rejecting the applicant’s claim for non-refoulement protection,” it said.

The ruling added: “This court finds that none of the matters that were raised by the applicant in her supporting affidavit constitutes a valid ground to challenge the Board’s Decision.”

Another Mpox case reported; CHP issues alert

 

CHP graphic

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today confirmed the third case of Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case, prompting a call for people to avoid close physical contact with persons suspected of contracting Mpox and for sex-workers to receive Mpox vaccinations.

The new case came as CHP continued investigating two confirmed Mpox cases, who both previously visited a “hutong” (or pleasure house) on Shanghai Street in Kowloon, but were not linked to the latest case, before going to China.

Since 2022, Hong Kong has recorded 87 Mpox cases (70 local cases and 17 imported cases). All patients were male.

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Epidemiological investigations revealed that most cases had history of high-risk sexual behavior, including having sex with strangers or having sex without wearing condoms.

The latest case was a 44-year-old male who developed itchiness and a skin rash over his lower body from May 13 and attended the Wan Chai Male Social Hygiene Clinic (SocHS) of the Department of Health on May 18.

The CHP subsequently arranged for him to receive isolation treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital. He is in stable condition.

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Information provided by the patient indicated he has not been vaccinated against Mpox and had high-risk exposure in a hotel in Hong Kong during the incubation period.

The two earlier cases were announced Monday (May 25) after Chinese health authorities notified CHP.

The first case involved a 28-year-old male who developed a fever and painful swelling in the groin area on May 8. He visited a "hutong" on Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, on May 3, and had high-risk contacts there.

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The second case was a 30-year-old male who developed a rash over both legs on May 15. He visited the premises on May 1 and May 3 and had high-risk contacts there.

Although the two patients did not know each other, they both stayed for several hours at the premises during the same period on May 3. Their samples collected after the onset of symptoms tested positive for Mpox.

Both patients are now receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition in China.

Basahin ang detalye!

The CHP has successfully contacted 140 persons who visited the premises on or after May 1. “All are asymptomatic. The CHP has provided them with health education and will put them under medical surveillance. As investigations are still ongoing, the premises will be closed for 21 days starting from today” CHP said.

The DH provides Mpox vaccination services for high‑risk groups. The following high-risk target groups are eligible for Mpox vaccinations on a voluntary basis:

individuals with high-risk sexual practices, e.g. having multiple sexual partners, sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months;

healthcare workers responsible for caring for patients with confirmed Mpox;

laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pox viruses; and

animal care personnel with high risk of exposure in case of Mpox occurrences in animals in Hong Kong.

High-risk target groups can receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at any of the DH's SocHS, namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS) and the DH's Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre.

The DH's Kowloon Bay Integrated Treatment Centre and the Hospital Authority's Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital also provide Mpox vaccination services.

 

Electricity cost to rise in HK anew

Hong Kong’s biggest electricity supplier, CLP Power, said today, Tuesday, that it will raise fuel costs by 5.4 percent in June, the third consecutive monthly hike, and the biggest monthly increase so far this year.

In a statement, CLP said that fuel costs for next month would rise to HK$0.42 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), up fom the HK$0.40 per kWh for May.

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The latest rise marks a steady climb since April, with the surcharge having increased by a total of 3.4 cents per kWh, or more than 8.6 percent, since.

The city's other utility firm, HK Electric, last week announced it was also hiking fuel costs in June by 20 percent from May, due to the Iran war.

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HK Electric had also warned that more fuel increases could come in the coming months, as the current levels have yet to fully reflect the rise in fuel costs.

HK Electric supplies energy for Hong Kong Island and Lamma, while CLP Power serves Kowloon, the New Territories and Lantau Island, where more than 80 percent of the city's population lives.

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With the upcoming fuel hikes, a typical three-member household using 300 kWh a month will pay about HK$6.50 more compared with current levels, and about HK$10.20 more compared wit the level before the increases began in April.

CLP said the fuel cost adjustment reflects the difference between actual and forecast fuel prices, including oil, gas and coal.

Basahin ang detalye!

Energy Advisory Committee chairman Simon Wong said fuel adjustment charges are expected to continue rising in the coming months as oil prices continue to surge.

He expects the charge to peak around August and remain at an elevated level with future adjustments depending on global developments.

Labour Dep’t opens employment opportunities for Pinoy PRs

 

Employment Services Ambassadors for Ethnic Minorities (LD photo)

Hong Kong’s Labour Department has opened an employment opportunity for Filipino permanent residents aged 15-29.

Under its Ethnic Minority Ambassador Program, the Labour Department will recruit trainees who can communicate in languages of people of diverse race, such as Filipino, to work as "Employment Services Ambassadors for Ethnic Minorities” in job centers and job fairs.

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Having such ambassadors in turn aims to entice job seekers who are ethnic minorities to avail of the Labour Department's services, by providing them assistance in their native languages such as Filipino, Hindi, Bahasa Indonesia, Nepali, Thai, Urdu, Punjabi or Vietnamese.

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• Educational attainment of S.4. to sub-degree level; and
• Ability to communicate in English OR Chinese AND proficient in Filipino.

To signify interest, applicants should go to https://www.yes.labour.gov.hk/Home?c=en to register online for the Recruitment Day by clicking the "Sign up this activity ✓" in the "Details of Recruitment Day" page on or before 8 July 2026 to schedule an interview. Enquiry (office hours): 2383 4932.

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Applicants may then attend the recruitment day on July 9, 2026 at Kowloon West Job Centre of Labour Department (9/F Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon). 

They must bring their Hong Kong ID Card, resumé education proof (original and photocopy) and employment proof (if applicable).

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Trainees who initially pass the selection interview will receive free training provided by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service prior to employment.  

Trainees who complete the training will undergo on-the-job training with pay for 12 months of employment.

HA to use prefix 18285/18286 in making calls

All public hospitals and clinics will use the prefix in making calls from tomorrow

Ever missed an important call from the hospital or clinic you attend because you thought the caller was a scammer?

From tomorrow, May 26 all calls coming from clinics and hospitals attached to the Hospital Authority (HA) will have the unique prefix  182825 or 182826 in their number so residents will know who it is that’s calling and  take the call without hesitation.

The prefix will be used in all HA operating units, including public hospitals, family medicine clinics, specialist outpatient clinics, healthcare institutions and the HA Head Office.

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All  these attached health care facilities will progressively adopt a number between 1828 500 and 1828 599 or between 1828 600 and 1828 699 for caller identification (caller ID), a process that is expected to be completed by end of June.

However all the new numbers will be used solely for caller ID purposes, meaning they cannot be called back. When a person tries to call anyway, he or she will only hear a recorded message indicating which public hospital or clinic the call originated from. If necessary, staff will call again later.

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As for all existing phone numbers for contacting HA operating units, they will remain unchanged. In addition, some HA facilities will still retain direct landline numbers or use mobile phone numbers .

A statement issued by the HA said adopting the unique prefix will alert the public when the HA is calling, thereby reducing the chances of them refusing to pick up due to concerns about excessive promotional calls or potential phone scams, and even missing urgent calls from accident and emergency departments or wards.

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Everyone is reminded to take care when picking a call from an unknown number to avoid being scammed. If the HA needs to contact anyone, especially in an emergency, one of its staff will call the family directly and provide relevant information to establish identity.

The HA reminds everyone that they should not provide any personal information to calls from unknown source.

Basahin ang detalye!

People who suspect they have received a scam call recently should seek assistance from the Police.