Court absence worsens case for Pinoy facing drug charges

 

Sai Kung sitting out area (Google Maps photo by Wai Shing So)

A Filipino who uses a recognizance form as identity document, added more problems to the three charges he faces at the Kwun Tong Court when he failed to show up for a hearing on Friday.

Magistrate Lau Suk-han issued a warrant of arrest against Aldrian Maloles, 36 years old, reserved the forfeiture of his bail and ordered police not to allow him bail once arrested.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

Maloles was charged with possession of dangerous drug after he was arrested at a sitting out area at Sai Kung Hoi Pong St. in Sai Kung on Nov. 17, 2024.

Seized from him were three plastic bags containing a total of 1.01 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (also known as ice or shabu) and one plastic bag containing 0.20 grams of shabu.

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Also seized from him were drug paraphernalia, resulting in a second charge, possession of apparatus fit for the inhalation of dangerous drugs, consisting of a glass tube with a bulb containing 0.02 gram of shabu and a glass bottle with two openings containing 0.01 gram of shabu.

The third charge, resisting a police office contrary to the Police Force Ordinance, arose after he resisted arrest by four police officers.

7 persons arrested in anti-illegal work raids

 

A man on a bike was among those arrested

 Six suspected illegal workers and one employer were arrested in four days of territory-wide operations by enforcement agents of the Immigration and Labour Departments.

A total of 58 target locations were raided from June 30 to July 3, including premises under renovation, recycling yards, restaurants and retail stoes.

In the first phase of the operation four suspected illegal workers comprising two men and two women, aged 43 to 59, were arrested.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

Among them, one man was found to hold a recognizance form, meaning he is applying to ward off deportation while another man and a woman were found to possess fake HKID cards.

One woman aged 52, was arrested on suspicion she had employed the illegal workers.

In a separate operation, two men, aged 32 and 34, were arrested for working illegally. Both hold recognizance forms, which prohibit them from taking employment, whether paid or unpaid.

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Torture claimants on recognizance who are found to be working illegally can be jailed for up to three years and fined a maximum of $50,000. The same penalty applies to overstayers and illegal immigrants.

Aiders and abettors will also be prosecuted.

Visitors who violate their condition of stay by working while in Hong Kong face a lesser penalty of up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000.

Those found to possess forged HKID cards can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of $100,000.

Employers face the harshest penalty of up to $500,000 in fine and imprisonment for 10 years.

An immediate custodial sentence is prescribed for all those engaged in illegal work. 

DH gets $20K compensation for assault

 

The case was decided at the Labour Tribunal

A domestic helper who left her employer’s house because she no longer felt safe in their house after being assaulted by his mother-in-law, agreed today to a compensation of $20,000 in return for ending her complaint at the Labour Tribunal.

Gemma Mones signed the settlement agreement between her and her employer, Wan Hei-man, with Presiding Officer Isabella Chu as witness, ending her complaint that arose after the mother of Wan’s wife kicked her in the groin on Feb. 20.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

In an interview, Mones said this was the latest of more than 10 attacks she had endured since she started working for Wan’s family.

But while her labor complaint has been settled, the criminal case filed by police against the unnamed woman, against whom Mones is a prosecution witness, will continue. The first hearing is scheduled at Kowloon City Court on July 26.

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The settlement amount represents Mones’ personal expenses and loss of income after she left Wan’s house, claiming she was constructively terminated, until the last hearing last June 16 when she agreed to the amount.

Today’s hearing was held because the employer asked for a three-week adjournment so he could have time to consult his family about paying the compensation.

Licensed recruiter, travel agency shut down for illegal recruitment to Poland

 

The 2 companies face illegal recruitment charges 

A long-time licensed recruitment agency in the Philippines has been closed down by the Department of Migrant Workers for allegedly working with a travel agency to illegally recruit workers for Poland.

Reliable Recruitment Corporation, which has been operating for decades and is licensed to operate until June 2026, has been ordered closed by the Department of Migrant Workers along with its “accomplice”, the Reiven Air Travel Tours and Consultancy.

This was according to a statement released by the DMW yesterday, July 3, along with photos and videos of the Manila offices of the two companies being padlocked.

Officers of the Migrant Protection Bureau and Manila Police carried out the closure of Reliable’s office in Ermita and Reiven’s in San Andres, in line with Closure Order Nos. 15 at 16, Series of 2025, which were issued following an in-depth investigation.

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Reliable, which has three other offices across the Philippines, is licensed to recruit and place for overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong and other destinations abroad. But according to DMW, it is not licensed to recruit for jobs in Poland.

The investigation revealed that Reiven was carrying out its illegal recruitment activities inside Reliable’s office, including the orientation seminar for applicants for the jobs of fruit picker, farmer, truck driver and welder in Poland.

The applicants were reportedly promised salaries of about Php90,000 per month, but they must pay at least Php70,000 in processing fee to the company.

Before they could even attend the orientation seminar, they were required to get a referral from Reliable and pay the processing fee.

DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara said two applicants of Reiven and Reliable had complained that they were not able to leave for Poland despite paying the processing fee.

“Reiven acted as a recruiter when travel agencies are strictly not allowed to do so. They worked with Reliable, which misrepresented job opportunities to applicants,” said Alcantara.

He added that although licensed, Reliable only has a job order for mushroom pickers, but not for fruit pickers or any other jobs.

DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia who joined the raids on the two companies said their investigation revealed that while the applicants were promised a salary of Php90,000 their registered contract stated a salary of only Php50,000.

He said the documents seized from the two companies will be studied to see if there were actual job orders for the posts they promised to the applicants.

A staff member of Reiven is shown being led away during a live coverage of the raids

The DMW post drew a number of reactions from various people, including those who claimed they had paid up to Php100,000 for the promised jobs. They were told by DMW staff manning the page to send them a private message if they wanted to get their money back.

According to the DMW, those conducting the orientation were employees of World Bridge Recruitment Spolka Z.O.O., a Poland-based placement agency registered with the DMW.

Reiven is charged with violating Republic Act No 10022, which strictly prohibits travel agencies from engaging in any recruitment activities. 

Reliable, on the other hand, has a job order for only one kind of work in Poland, while World Bridge did not have the required Letter of Authority from DMW to conduct the recruitment.

DMW said that because of these violations, both Reiven and Reliable will be included in its list of recruitment agencies with derogatory record. In addition, the Department will recommend the cancellation of their business registrations with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC_ and business licenses with the City of Manila. 

All victims of Reiven and Reliable are urged to communicate with DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau through its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip so they can be extended legal help.

 

 

 

Jail custody for 3 Pinoys in robbery, theft cases

 

Three Filipinos, each gainfully employed as HK residents, have been remanded in jail after being charged with robbery and theft in separate cases before the Eastern Court.

Ryan Malonzo, 38 years old and a bartender, Allevan Arceo, 29 years old and construction worker, and Roderick Prado, 49 years old and a deliveryman and courier, were charged with burglary for allegedly entering a “Green-Kennedy Town” store on Water St. in Sai Ying Pun last March 20 and stealing an iPad worth $3,999.

Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung ordered the three returned to jail on Wednesday (July 2) after he adjourned the case to Aug. 27.

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In a separate case that same day, Malonzo and Arceo were listed as ready for plea on two charges of theft when the hearing resumes also on Aug. 27.

The two were accused of stealing two backpacks outside a flat in Wing Wah Mansion on Queen’s Road West in Shek Tong Tsui on March 26.

One of the bags contained a wallet with $1,000 cash, Hong Kong and China identity documents, and four bank cards, all worth a total of $1,400.

The other bag contained an iPhone 13, a Huawei laptop, and cash of 5 renminbi, worth a total of $18,205.36.

Sentencing for Filipina who admitted lying to Immigration put off by 2 months

 

Immigration Department

A Filipina who had pleaded guilty to lying to Immigration officers to get a domestic helper’s visa and conspiring with another to defraud the Immigration Department, had her sentencing scheduled for today at Shatin Court put off for more two months.

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong adjourned the case against Annabelle Isidro, 56 years old, to Sept. 4.

Isidro was charged with making a false representation to an Immigration officer on Nov. 5, 2022 when she claimed falsely that she would be working as a domestic helper for a certain Chu Ka-kit, contrary to section 42(1)(a) if the Immigration Ordinance.

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She was also charged with conspiracy to defraud for having declared falsely to Immigration officers between December 2024 and March 19, 2025, with the help of a certain “Gege”, that she would work for a certain Choi Wa-yee.

This lie induced Immigration officers “to grant you permission to reman in Hong Kong, under circumstances in which they would not otherwise have granted such permission,” according to the complaint filed against her.

The offense was contrary to Common Law, Criminal Jurisdiction Ordinance and Crimes Ordinance, the complaint added.

Board exam for OFW teachers set in HK and Thailand on Sept 21

 

The Professional Regulation Commission in the Philippines has set the board examination for teachers who are overseas on Sept 21 this year in both Hong Kong and Thailand.

The announcement was posted Wednesday by the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong.

Overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong with a degree in education have clamored for years for the Special Professional Licensure Examination (SPLE) to be held here again, after pro-democracy protests and the Covid-19 pandemic halted it.

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The last time the SPLE was held in Hong Kong was in October 2018.

In June this year, the board exam was conducted by the PRC in the Middle East, Singapore and Taiwan.  

Among those who took the June 2025 SPLE in Taiwan was HK OFW Ma. Adoracion R.Octavio, who placed second overall, with a grade of 89.20%.

Officers at the Philippine Consulate have always encouraged OFWs with a degree in education to take the SPLE here, especially if they wish to return home and teach.

If they pass, they can ask for support to be placed in a public school in the Philippines under the “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am, Sir” (SPIMS), a reintegration project for OFWs which is now administered by the Department of Migrant Workers.

Ex-Consul General Tony Morales with other Consulate officers 
graced the start of the SPLE held in Hong Kong in October 2018

Those interested to take the September SPLE may apply until August 11, 2025 through the PRC Online Application System at https://online.prc.qov.ph

Examination fees shall be paid at the authorized payment channels as follows:

1. Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)

2. Banc Net

3. G-Cash

4. Pay Maya

After payment of the corresponding examination fee, all applicants are required to submit via email at sple@prc.gov.ph the clear scanned copy of their application documents as follows:

1. Transcript of Record (with or without scanned picture and with or without remarks “For Board Examination Purpose Only”);

2. Valid passport; and

3. Two (2) passport-size pictures with a complete name tag in a white background

The list of conditionally approved applicants shall be posted on the PRC Website. Separately, the  PRC Delegation shall issue the Notice of Admission (NOA) to the qualified applicants upon presentation of the original documents on September 17-19, 2025, at a venue that will be announced later.

 

16-month jail for DH who used employer's credit card

Worldwide House (Google Maps hoto)

A crime that began when a domestic helper found her employer’s credit card in the laundry bin and then used it on her day off the next day to buy lunch and two gold rings that she later pawned, has resulted in a combined 16-month jail sentence at the District Court today.

Maria Fe Narciso, 32 years old and working as a domestic helper since 2019, barely reacted when the sentence was read to her by Judge J. Lam after she pleaded guilty.

After all, Narciso had been in jail since her arrest 14 months ago after police found in her wallet the $3,000 that she got from pawning the two rings and a pawnshop receipt. With discounts for good behavior and holidays during the period, she could be released sooner than the remaining two months.

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In his decision, Judge Lam noted that Narciso should have returned the credit card when she found it. “But she used it. The cards were still with her when she was arrested and she could have used the card again,” he added.

He said that while the theft of the card may be opportunistic, and therefore given a lighter penalty, dishonest use of the card was not.

Narciso's sentence started with six months in prison for stealing the Bank of China Mastercard credit card of her employer Au Shuk-chi on May 18, 2024 at the latter’s flat in Sunway Gardens on King’s Road, North Point.

Under the principle of totality in sentencing, Judge Lam added half of a four-month sentence he meted on her for using the card on May 19 to pay for food at the KFC restaurant downstairs.

For using the card again later that day, this time to buy one gold ring for $2,995 at Luvenus Jewellery at Worldwide Plaza in Central, he gave her an eight-month sentence, four of which were added to the first sentence.

He finally added another four of the eight-month sentence for using the card to buy another gold ring worth $2,020 at Friendly Jewelry Ltd., also at Worldwide Plaza.

Treats galore on Handover Day

The 4 senior government officials enjoying their discounted dim sum

 People turned out in droves across Hong Kong today, July 1, to avail of the free tram and ferry rides, restaurant discounts and other treats that were on offer to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Among those who took advantage of the celebratory offers were the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Cheuk Wing-hing; Deputy Financial Secretary, Michael Wong; Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, and the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Erick Tsang.

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After attending the flag-raising ceremony and reception to celebrate Hong Kong’s Handover to China, the four headed to a Chinese restaurant in Wan Chai to have tea, and avail of the 29 percent discount offered for a variety of dim sum.

After their morning tea, Cheuk, Wong and Tsang took the free tram ride to go to nearby Lee Tung Avenue, where the public were treated to free ice cream, popcorn and panda-shaped balloons.

The Start Ferry ride between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wanchai was also free for the day

Over 4,000 restaurants and merchants rolled out special promotions for the day, with a majority of the eateries offering 29% off the price of certain menu items.

Elsewhere, people enjoyed the free entrance to museums and indoor and outdoor facilities operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

One of the biggest hits was the free tram ride on all routes on Hong Kong island, which will be offered for the first time on three consecutive days, or from July 1 to 3.

There were also a lot of takers for the free ferry ride from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai.

The MTR offered no free rides on any of its trains, but raffled off 71,000 e-single journey tickets through a lucky draw.

 

 

 

Filipinos warned against illegal job offers in Pakistan

 

The DMW head office in Mandaluyong City: illegal recruiters reportedly hung out in the area

The Department of Migrant Workers has issued another warning against illegal recruiters offering jobs in Pakistan, with the United Arab Emirates as the point of entry.

The warning issued yesterday, Monday, via the Facebook page of the DMW’s anti-illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons program said the recruiters offer a high salary and tell the workers they will work as hotel staff.

However, they are supposed to go to Pakistan only on tourist, instead of employment, visas.

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But on arriving there, the workers are not given an employment contract or a proper work visa, leaving them in a dangerous situation.

The DMW is warning the public never to accept any job offer if the visa promised is only that of a tourist, instead of as a documented worker.

They should also make sure that the one offering the job is an agency licensed with the DMW.

“Ang pagtanggap ng trabahong hindi dumaan sa tamang proseso ay labag sa batas at maaaring mauwi sa human trafficking (Accepting a job offer that did not go through the right processing channel is illegal and can lead to human trafficking), said the DMW.

The department also warned the public to be wary of accepting job offers through social media, messaging apps or email that cannot be confirmed with the DMW and are not backed by clear legal documents.

Earlier, the DMW also posted a warning against illegal recruiters offering fake jobs abroad outside its offices.

The warning followed reports of some unknown people giving away flyers, medical referrals and using the ID card of a security agency to recruit people for shady jobs abroad.

Anyone who is approached with suspicious job offers should report the recruiter to the DMW immediately.

 

HK Labour Dept to brief Filipino DHs on rights & money matters

 

Migrant workers will be briefed on how they can spend their money wisely

The Hong Kong Labour Department is set to brief Filipino domestic workers about their rights and benefits under local laws, as well as how to manage their earnings wisely.

The briefing which is free of charge, will be held on July 20 from 2:230 pm to 4:45 pm at the Labour Department’s office on the 16^th floor of One Mong Kok Road Commercial Center at 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon.

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Those interested to join may apply online by noon of July 18 (Friday) by any of the following ways: Online enrolment or by sending the duly completed Enrolment form, by email to the Foreign Domestic Helpers Divisio at fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk/ or by fax to 3101 0604.

Enrolment is on a first-come, first-served basis. Confirmed participants will be notified by email.

This is the second year in a row that the Labour Department is holding a briefing for FDHs on money management, amid the growing number of migrant workers  being lured into surrendering control over their bank accounts by scam syndicates who then use them to launder proceeds from crimes.

Often, the FDH is given only a small payment in exchange for turning over their ATM cards to criminals, not realizing that this simple act would land them in jail.

The seminar is also particularly relevant in light of a recent survey conducted by the Mission for Migrant Workers that showed that about 23% of MDWs are making loan payments, and an alarming 26% saying their salary does not cover their monthly expenses, with an average deficit of -9%.

The Philippine Consulate says it supports  the Labour Department’s effort to provide timely information to Filipino workers in Hong Kong on their labor rights, as well as economic empowerment.

Filipina jailed 22 months in $2.2 million laundering case

 

A Filipina’s defense that she did not open -- much less control -- two bank accounts that were subsequently used to launder more than $2.2 millon, failed to convince the Eastern Court today to acquit her, resulting in her being jailed for 22 months.

Annaliza Talay, 48 years old, was actually sentenced to two jail terms of 22 months each, one for  laundering $1,746,610.41 of "dirty" money in her account at Mox Bank between 19 and 28 March 2023, and another $478,121.52 between 19 and 27 March 2023 in her account at ZA Bank.

But Deputy Magistrate Chung Wing-sze ordered that the two sentences run at the same time, thus the final sentence of 22 months.

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Her conviction was for dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence, contrary to sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

In her verdict, Magistrate Chung described as “incredible and illogical” Talay’s testimony that she had never had any bank account in her life, having arrived in Hong Kong in 2019 to work as a domestic helper and worked in Singapore before that.

She also gave little weight to Talay’s testimony that it all began when she tried to borrow money from a friend, who referred her to a certain Ruby, who in turn promised to give her $500 if she registered for online gaming, using her Hong Kong ID.

Talay testified that she was convinced that the registration was legit when she saw six other persons who had fallen in line to register.

The Chinese male who received her took pictures of her HKID and even asked to reshoot her face because earlier authentication shots did not meet the standards set by the purported gaming company.

After the online gaming registration, which turned out to be the opening of her accounts with Mox Bank and ZA Bank, Ruby gave her only $300, Talay had testified.

While she was not operating the accounts, she allowed others to operate them, Magistrate Chung said.

HK-bound Filipina turns out to be headed to Cambodia scam hub

 

Some scam hub workers rescued from Cambodia last year

A Filipina who said she was going to Hong Kong to visit Disneyland was stopped from leaving by Bureau of Immigration officers at the Cebu Airport in Lapu Lapu City on June 23 because of inconsistencies in her documents.

On further investigation she admitted that she was actually bound for Cambodia where she was supposed to work in a POGO-like scam hub, where she would be paid US$1,000 a month.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

The 28-year-old victim said she was recruited for the job by unknown Chinese individuals through the messaging platform Telegram.

She said that while she did not know the identities of her Chinese recruiters and employers she agreed to the job offer because of the attractive pay and work conditions.

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Just recently six Filipinos were also stopped from leaving Davao City airport by alert immigration officers.

The six who were bound for Singapore admitted during a follow-up investigation that they would eventually go to Cambodia where they were offered jobs as call center agents, also through Telegram.

They said there were offered a salary of Php50,000 a month, and were supplied with all the documents they needed to get past immigration.

The frequent interceptions are part of the government’s intensified campaign against human trafficking.

The victims were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance and the filing of cases against their recruiters.

 

HK OFW places 2nd in teachers’ board exam

 

Dreams do come true, says Dory, when she uploaded her graduation photo on Facebook

An overseas Filipino worker in Hong Kong has made history by placing second in the licensure examination for secondary  school teachers in the Philippines, an announcement issued Friday by the Professional Registration Commission has revealed.

Maria Adoracion Remo Octavio who studied at AMA Computer University in Quezon City scored a remarkable grade of 89.20 in the examination given in June this year, along with three other examinees. In first place was Jison A. Reyno of Binalbagan Catholic College, who scored 90.60.

In a Facebook post, Dory or Mariyah to to some friends, was understandably grateful about her performance, but true to form, did not flaunt it.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

“Thank you Lord. Pasado na top 2 pa,” she said  (I did not only pass, I also made it to second place),” she said.

 “Thank you sa lahat ng bumati at nag chat at nag comment di ko na po kayo maiisa-isa,”(Thank you to everyone who congratulated me through chat or comment, I cannot name you individually)  she continued, before joking that it might take her a year to come up with appropriate remarks about what happened.

 

The PRC announcement that gave Dory profound joy

Dory’s feat was happily shared by Helen Marcos, who runs the AMA Computer Learning Center in Hong Kong.

Helen said Dory was just 23 years old when she decided to leave her hometown in Camarines Sur to work in Hong Kong in 2009. It was not an easy decision, as she was even then, academically inclined, having graduated as valedictorian in elementary grades.

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But the grinding monotony of working long hours as a domestic helper did not dim her desire to continue her studies, and when the opportunity came for her to study again while in Hong Kong, she did.

According to Helen, Dory studied at AMA Hong Kong for two years, then took the online course given by AMA in Quezon City, until she finally graduated with a degree in BS Education in 2024 - 15 long years after she tread the path of an OFW.

Luckily, she received permission to travel to Manila last year so she could receive her diploma in person, unlike a few of her classmates who  were not allowed to go home by their employers.

Confident that she could pass the board exam, Dory again asked her elderly ward to allow her to travel again, this time to Taiwan, so she could take the LET there, as it is no longer being given in Hong Kong since the pandemic.

Her “popo” initially said no, but Dory tearfully persisted with her request, as she wanted to take the examination while everything that she had learned was still fresh in her mind.

Her persistence paid off. Not only was she able to take the exam, she also passed it, and how!

(The SUN has reached out directly to Dory for her reaction and words of advice to her fellow OFWs on how they, too, could follow their dreams, and we are just awaiting her response - Ed)