Pinay hunted after failing to show up at hearing

 

Eastern Court 

A Filipina former domestic helper is being hunted by police after she failed to show up for the hearing of her case at Eastern Court for overstaying.

Magistrate Ko Wai-hung ordered the arrest of Teodora Quijano, reserved the forfeiture of her bail and ordered police not to grant her bail once she is arrested.

Quijano, 36 years old, is charged with breach of condition of stay, contrary to section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance.

Basahin ang detalye!

She was alleged to have overstayed in Hong Kong on May 29, 2022 or 14 days after the premature termination of her domestic helper contract on May 15,  2022.

She was arrested on Sept. 3, 2022 at Ming Court Guest House, 2/F, Hong Kong Building, 137-147 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai.

Warning issued against mercury-laden products

 

These products have high mercury content

The government has again warned against the use of three Goree whitening cream products, saying they contain excessive mercury that can cause damage to the nervous system and kidneys.

Symptoms may include tremors, irritability, insomnia, memory deterioration, concentration difficulty, impaired hearing and vision, and changes in taste function. In severe cases, renal failure may occur.

Hong Kong Customs inspected a consignment declared as face cream arriving at Hong Kong International Airport from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, via Singapore to Hong Kong on August 27, 2025.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Upon inspection, a total of 2,880 boxes of the three types of regulated mercury-added whitening creams with an estimated market value of about $63,000 were detected and detained.

The case was handed over to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) for follow-up action.

The EPD sent the samples of the creams to the Government Laboratory for testing, and it was revealed that the mercury content in the three whitening cream products reached 24 000 parts per million, 25 000 ppm and 28 000 ppm respectively.

Basahin ang detalye!

According to the Mercury Control Ordinance (MCO) (Cap. 640), cosmetics with mercury content exceeding 1 ppm is regulated mercury-added products. The three types of whitening creams contravened the MCO. As a result, the EPD initiated prosecution against the related offenders.

In the past, the authorities have repeatedly warned against the use of the same brand of whitening cream, after a number of Filipina domestic helpers had to be taken to hospital in 2022 after showing signs of mercury poisoning.

Customs and the EPD remind members of the public that under the MCO, any person importing, exporting, manufacturing or supplying regulated mercury-added products commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year upon conviction.

The proprietor of the company that imported the batch of whitening creams was charged with importing regulated mercury-added products and was fined $10,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts on March 2.

Customs and the EPD remind members of the public to observe the following tips when purchasing and using cosmetic products:

     • Do not buy or use cosmetic products of unknown composition or from doubtful sources;

     • Stop using the cosmetic products and seek medical attention immediately if feeling unwell after use; and

     • Purchase cosmetic products at reputable retail shops.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account: (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002). Members of the public may report any suspected regulated mercury-added products to the EPD hotline (2838 3111).

2 Filipinas, Indonesian face conspiracy to launder $1.47 5M

 

File photo

Two Filipina housewives and an Indonesian domestic helper appeared at Eastern Court on Friday (Mar. 6) on charges of conspiracy to launder a total of $1.475 million in money raised from crimes.

Jojie Carpiz, aged 49; Marly Carpiz, 51; and Purwati, 34, are named in a single case of money laundering, although they were found with different amounts of cash in their bank accounts.

Principal Magistrate David Cheung adjourned the case to April 24 and set a bail of $10,000 for each of them.

PINDUTIN DITO

All three face a charge each of  "conspiracy to deal with property, knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the property represented the proceeds of an indictable offense, contrary to sections 25(1) and (3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, and section 159A and 1590 of the Crimes Ordinance."

Jojie Carpiz is alleged to have dealt with $600,750 in her account with The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited between Dec. 24 and 27 in 2019.

Basahin ang detalye!

Marly was charged with dealing with $600,000  that allegedly represented crime proceeds, in her HSBC account on Dec. 27, 2019, contrary to sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

Also charged with conspiracy was Purwati, who is accused of dealing with tainted money amouting to $200,000 in her HSBC account together with a person known as "Ratna".

10 persons arrested in anti-illegal work operations

 

2 of the 5 women arrested for illegal work are led away by the raiding team

A week-long operation targeting illegal workers that ended on March 5 has led to the arrest of 10 people across different locations.

Investigators from the Immigration Department, the police and two government departments raided several establishments, including restaurants, massage parlors and a logistics company.

Of the 10 people arrested, nine were suspected illegal workers comprising  four men and five women, aged 22 to 50. The other one was a woman aged 50 who was arrested on suspicion of hiring the illegal workers.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Immigration said in a statement that an investigation into the suspected employers is continuing, and did not rule out further arrests.

Contravening a condition of stay by working without a permit is punishable by up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.

Basahin ang detalye!

Employers of illegal workers face a maximum jail term of 10 years and a $500,000 fine. Mere failure to properly inspect a job applicant’s identity document can lead to an employer being jailed for up to a year and fined up to $150,000.

Chinese employer acquitted of slapping her Pinay DH

 By Leo A. Deocadiz

Housing development where slapping incident took place (Google Maps photo)

A Chinese housewife was acquitted today of common assault on her domestic helper after a one-day trial at the Eastern Court.

Zhu Qiujing, 38 years old, was found not guilty by Deputy Magistrate Chung Wing-sze, who said she was not convinced by the testimony of Shirley Cahilig, 32, that she had been slapped on the left cheek and held on the chin.

Magistrate Chung, speaking in Cantonese, said she saw inconsistencies in Cahilig’s testimony that proved fatal to her claim of having been assaulted.

She also granted costs to defense, to be taxed if not agreed.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Zhu was charged with common assault on Cahilig on the June 8, 2025, at her flat in Island Garden, Chai Wan Road, Chai Wạn. She was accused of violating Common Law, punishable under section 40 of the Offence's against the Person Ordinance.

Cahilig testified that she arrived at Zhu’s house on March 5, 2025 to work as a domestic helper. The incident with her employer took place three months later.

Before ther slapping incident, she said, she had a harmonious relationship with Zhu, except for one time when Zhu scolded her for boiling chicken for dinner.

She said she told Zhu she did not want to work for her anymore. However, Zhu apologized and they made up.

Basahin ang detalye!

Cahilig said she was slapped by Zhu after accusing her of telling the latter’s two daughters about her smoking. But she said she did not volunteer this fact; the daughters knew she was smoking because she smelled of smoke.

She said she called the police hotline 999 twice and no one was picking up. She called the Mission for Migrant Workers, where a volunteer told her to dial 999 and say “Police Assistance”, which was answered right away. A policeman arrived at their house.

Cahilig toid the policeman she wanted to leave the house as she was afraid, but she was told by the employer she could leave only if she paid her $5,000, or one month’s notice.

After paying $5,000, she packed up her things and had thern inspected by Zhu.

She subsequently formalized her complaint with the police on June 15, and filed her claims with the Labour Department in August for wrongful termination, one month notice, refund of her $5,000, air fare and others.

Filipina driver in Central car crash jailed 27 months

 by The SUN

Magsino being taken to court for an earlier hearing (File)

“A momentary lapse in judgment” more than four years ago today led to a Filipina domestic worker being jailed for 27 months, at the end of her trial at the District Court in Tsuen Wan for dangerous driving causing death and multiple injuries.  

Reshielle L. Magsino, 48, was meted the sentence by Deputy District Judge Timothy Casewell, who called the incident that led the defendant to the dock “tragic and catastrophic” not just for the victims but also for her.

In addition to her prison term, Magsino was also barred from driving in Hong Kong for five years, a sentence that will, however, have no consequence on her as she will likely be deported back to the Philippines after getting out of jail.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

A week ago, Judge Casewell convicted Magsino of the two charges laid against her, one for dangerous driving that caused the death of one individual, and the second, for causing grievous bodily harm to four other people.

The case arose after Magsino failed to engage the brake on a car she had parked on a slope on Peel Street in Central on Dec. 10, 2021, causing it to roll downhill at a fast clip, then hitting a number of people outside a bar at the intersection with Staunton Street.

One of those hit was young French woman Elodie Ma, who died in the hospital 25 days after the crash. The others suffered various injuries including one of the witnesses, who sustained multiple fractures.

Prior to sentencing, Judge Casewell was told by the defense that all the civil claims that arose from the incident had been settled.

This car's dash cam showed the white car that Magsino had parked hitting people on the street

Despite the defendant not pleading guilty to the charges, the judge accepted that she had been remorseful and apart from this singular error in judgment, had an exemplary record, both for her work as a domestic helper since 2009, and her driving.

The judge noted that a number of people who had written to the court in support of Magsino, including her previous employers, had spoken highly of her and expressed deep appreciation for her work.

But the judge said he also had to consider as aggravating factor the fact that because of the defendant’s negligence a number of people had suffered injuries, and one of them had died from those injuries.

Basahin ang detalye!

The judge used as starting point in sentencing for the first charge a prison term of 33 months, and suspension of driver’s licence for five years. For the second offence, the starting point was 24 months in jail plus two years of disqualification from driving.

As the two charges arose from the same incident, he ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, and gave a six-month discount for the mitigating circumstances, resulting in a final sentence of 27 months and five-year disqualification from driving.

In court to give support to Magsino were her female employer and three Filipino friends who were told that an appeal against conviction and/or sentence could be lodged.

 

Pinay offers to help prosecute fixers who provide fake work contracts

The sentencing of a Filipina for three Immigration offenses has been put off at Shatin Court after she volunteered to help authorities prosecute fixers who provided her a fake employment contract that enabled her to get a domestic helper’s visa.

Anabelle Waguis, 37 years old, faces charges of breach of condition of stay, making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining an entry permit, and conspiracy to defraud.

Magistrate Raymond Wong adjourned the case to April 15 on the request of the prosecutor, who said Waguis would cooperate in the prosecution of “Kate” and others who were involved in her getting a fake employment visa.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In the meantime, she was sent back to prison where her testimony will be taken.

Waguis was a domestic helper whose stay in Hong Kong was limited until Sept. 22, 2022, or two weeks after termination of contract.

However, she remained in Hong Kong between July 6, 2023 and Oct. 12, 2025, in violation of section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance, according to the complaint by Immigration Department.

Basahin ang detalye!

She was also charged with violation of section 42(1) (c) of the Immigration Ordinance on Sept. 19, 2022 when she made a false statement that she was going to work for Ng Yuk Man as a domestic helper.

She did this “knowing the same to be false or not believing the same to be true, for the purpose of obtaining an entry permit, namely, an entry visa to Hong Kong to take up employment as a domestic helper,” the complaint stated.

The conspiracy to defraud charge arose after she conspired with a person named Kate in August 2022 to provide fake employent contract to the Director of Immigration and his officers stating that she will work for Ng Yuk Man as a domestic helper, resulting in a domestic helper’s visa being issued to her.

Her actions induced “the said Director and his officers to act contrary to their public duty, namely to grant you the permission to remain in Hong Kong as foreign domestic helper under circumstances which they would not otherwise have granted.”

This was contrary to Common Law and section 2(3) and 4(2) of Criminal Jurisdiction Ordinance, and punishable under section 159C(6) of Crimes Ordinance.

2 plead guilty to operating dental clinic illegally

 

The 6 Filipino DHs after their arrest in unlicensed dental business

The leader of the six domestic helpers who were arrested by Immigration officersfor operating a dental clinic illegally in Sham Shui Po, has pleaded guilty to two charges, and will be sentenced on March 20 at Shatin Court.

Marites Bohol, 48 years old, who was returned to jail, will be sentenced with her assistant Marissa Necesito, 60 years old, who was granted bail of $2,000.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The four others – Carles Lie Ramos, Cherie Mel Patiga, Rowena Cerdina, and Jucen Naong – were also freed on bail of $2,000 until their next court hearing on April 8 on charges of aiding and abetting the practice of dentistry without registration.

Bohol pleaded guilty to practicing dentistry without registration, and establishing a business while in Hong Kong in breach of her condition of stay.

Basahin ang detalye!

Necesito pleaded guilty to breach of condition of stay, practicing dentistry without registration and three counts of employing persons not legally employable.

Drills were among the items seized during the raid on the makeshift dental clinic

Magistrate Raymond Wong dismissed five charges against Bohol, Necesito, Ramos, Patiga and Cerdina that were deemed identical to those filed against them.

The six were arrested on Aug. 17 last year by Immigration agents in a raid on a subdivided unit in Sham Shui Po.

Asylum seeker gets 2 months jail for slashing plastic cones

 

The toilet where the offense was committed (Google Maps photo)

For slashing two plastic safety cones placed inside a women’s toilet in Sham Shui Po, a 39-year-old asylum seeker was jailed for two months after she pleaded guilty at West Kowloon Court.

R. Lagud, who holds a recognizance form as her identity document, was charged with criminal damage contrary to section 60(1) of the Crimes Ordinance, for which she pleaded guilty when she appeared in court on Tuesday (Feb. 3).

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The offense was committed on Nov. 17 last year at the women’s public toilet at Apliu st., Sham Shui Po.

She was also charged with possession of offensive weapon contrary to section 17 of the Summary Offences Ordinance, after she was found to be carrying a 13cm cutter “with intent to use the said weapon for unlawful purposes,’ according to a Sham Shui Po police complaint.

However, this charge was withdrawn by prosecutors.

Basahin ang detalye!

Principal Magistrate Don So also cancelled the warrant of arrest issued against her when she failed to appear in court for a previous hearing.

'Employers and agencies must pay higher verification fee, not OFWs'

 

Labatt Chavez and Congen Israel say OFWs should not be made to pay the verification fee

The Philippine Consulate General and the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong have sought to allay concerns of overseas Filipino workers over the hike in verification fee which went up by as much as four times in the case of contracts covering new arrivals, starting last Sunday, Mar. 1.

In a press briefing called earlier today, Tuesday, both Consul General Romulo Israel, Jr. and Labor Attache Cesar Chavez, Jr. said the new fees announced only four days ago should have been implemented as early last year in line with a Joint Circular by the Departments of Migrant Workers, Budget and Management and The Bureau of Treasury.

Both officials said that despite the seemingly massive increase in the fee, only a few OFWs will be affected as those who are rehired or are returning to the same employer after a vacation (Balik Manggagawa), or move to another while still in Hong Kong, will still be covered by the current fee of HK$80 (or US$10 per the Joint Circular).

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Only the new hires, or those coming to Hong Kong for the first time (or those who had previously worked here but had to go home to process a new work contract) will be subject to the new fee of HK$320, which amounts to four times the current fee of HK$80.

Congen Romulo said all these were relayed to a group of protesters from Migrante Hong Kong who picketed the Consulate building on Sunday to hit out at the new fees, calling them a form of “kotong” (extortion) by the Philippine government.

“We invited them to come up and we had a little dialogue,” said Congen Romulo.

Basahin ang detalye!

During their talk, the two officials assured the protesters that the higher fees will not be passed on to OFWs as it has always been the Philippine government’s mandate that all processing costs should be borne either by the employer or the recruitment agency.

“The employer must pay this fee, not the worker,” said the officials, adding that any OFW who is forced to pay the charge should report immediately to the MWO so appropriate action can be taken. 

Mendez calls for better protection instead of more exactions on OFWs

But according to Bayan HK’s Baneng Mendez, one of the protest organizers, OFWs who are in HK should not feel relieved by the assurance that only the new arrivals will be covered by the jacked-up fee.

“Kahit di tayo affected, mas lalo tayong dapat magalit kasi kapwa natin OFWs ang apektado. Hindi pa nga sila kumikita, ginagatasan na,” said Mendez in her speech during the picket.

(Even if we are not affected, we should be enraged even more because our fellow OFWs will be hit. Before they start earning money, they are already being milked dry).

It's also not true that the cost will not be passed on to the new hires because they know that if they don't pay up, they will not be able to leave the country, she said.

Mendez also rued the lack of prior notice or consultation, when Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac himself came to Hong Kong only recently, and did not mention anything about the fee increase.

She also said that OFWs should not keep quiet about the higher fees because if they do, the government will just continue extracting more money from them, while failing to provide enough assistance and benefits.

Protesters ask why Secretary Cacdac did not mention the fee increase during a recent visit to HK

Both officials explained to the protesters that the higher fee should have been collected as early as last year, after the Hong Kong government gave its consent. Before this, all other Philippine posts abroad (except in Taiwan where a different mechanism is in place) had already started implementing the new fee schedule, according to them.

Labatt Chavez said that when he took office in December last year, he immediately saw the oversight, and asked the head office for a deferment of the collection, as he knew he would be answerable to the government if the circular was not implemented. Failing to receive a response to this request, he decided to go ahead and announced the new fee.

Contrary to claims that no consultation was made with concerned parties, he said this would have been done a long time ago in the Philippines, though it would have involved the recruitment agencies primarily, as they would be the ones most affected by the increase.

Thus, the agencies, both in the Philippines and in Hong Kong, should have known about the increase long before it was announced here, he said.

Despite the uniform fee of HK$320 now being charged by MWO for verifying new employment contracts, he said this is still lower than the HK$390 that Indonesia charges for the same service.

But both officials said it was unfortunate that the fee hike had to be implemented at a time when Filipinos were still smarting from the massive corruption uncovered in flood control projects in the country,  making OFWs feel that the money lost from the anomaly is being unfairly passed on to them.

 

 

Pinay jailed 3 years for “laundering” $2.27M

 

A Filipina was jailed for three years after a trial at Fan Ling Court or two counts of money laundering, in which a total of $2.27 million flowed in and out of her two bank accounts in 2023 and 2024.

Jenebeth Abogador, 41 years old, received identical two-year sentences for each of the charges, but Magistrate Kenneth Chan ordered that one year of the second sentence be made to run at the same time as the first.

In addition, Magistrate Chan ordered Abogador to pay $1,630 as costs to the prosecution, to be taken from her bail.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Abogador was charged with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offense, contrary to sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

In the first case, a total sum of $1,164,448.40 “in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented any person's proceeds of an indictable offence,” was deposited in her MOX Bank Limited account between Oct. 23, 2023 and Nov 26, 2023.

She handled the amount with a female known as "Reme" (also known as "Remi Marcos" or "Remie Marcos) and another male known as "Jay", the police complaint said.

Basahin ang detalye!

In the second case, a total sum of $1,111,968.16 was deposited and withdrawn from her account with Hang Seng Bank Limited between Oct. 23, 2023 and dec. 21, 2024.

She was also assisted by "Remie Marcos" and "Jay" in the transactions.

Filipina driver of runaway car in Central guilty of dangerous driving

 

The car that Magsino failed to park properly mowed down a crowd before mounting a pavement

Filipina domestic worker Reshielle L. Magsino haa been taken into custody ahead of her sentencing on March 6 for dangerous driving causing death and serious injury.

Magsino, 48, was convicted of both charges by Tsuen Wan Deputy Magistrate Timothy Casewell on Feb 27, more than four years after the car that the Filipina had parked on a slope on Peel Street in Central rolled downhill, hitting several pedestrians.

One of those hit, French woman Elodie Ma, died in a hospital afterwards while seven others suffered injuries, some of them serious.

DETAILS HERE

The incident happened on Dec. 10, 2021 after Magsino had gotten off the car along with her employer. The vehicle rolled down at a fast clip and hit the victims while they were standing outside a bar at the corner of Peel Street and Staunton Street.

Magsino had pleaded not guilty to the charges. But in convicting her, the magistrate said she should have ensured the vehicle was safely parked before getting off.

Experts called to testify at the long-delayed trial ruled out mechanical failure, saying the car’s braking and parking systems were working normally.

Basahin ang detalye!

Magsino, who had been on bail, was remanded in custody after the verdict.

The case recalled a similar one that happened in 2018, when a runaway school bus rolled down Cheung Hong Street in North Point and mounted a sidewalk after crossing busy King’s Road, killing five pedestrians along the way and injuring two others.

Investigations revealed the 67-year-old driver Ng Yiu-chung had failed to properly engage the handbrake.

Following the incident Ng was charged with leaving a vehicle without a fixed parking brake, to which he pleaded guilty and received a HK$2,000 fine. However, four years later, the prosecution added two charges against him for causing death by dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving.

In February last year, District Judge Adrianna Tse permanently halted proceedings for the second charge, and criticised the prosecution for splitting the case, saying that they had tried to mislead the court.