Pinay serving jail term admits to new offenses

 

A Filipina is back in jail to await her sentence at Shatin Court for two cases of conspiracy to defraud – signing up as a fake employer for another Filipina who was applying for a domestic helper visa, and entering into a fake marriage to obtain her own resident’s visa.

Jessebel Questo, who is also known as Jessebel Questo Clarke, pleaded guilty to both charges last Monday (July 7), but Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong adjourned the case to Aug. 4 for sentencing. s

Questo, a 47-year-old Hong Kong resident who works as a cleaner, is currently serving a 10-month jail term for money laundering after admitting her role in dealing with $1.2 million proceeds of crime.

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In the first conspiracy to defraud case, Questo is accused in a police complaint of signing an employment contract with Maria Chona Cagol, with the help of agent Homer Herrera between 2021 and May 28, 2022, “dishonestly and falsely representing” that Cagol will work for her.

Such lies induced “the Immigration Director and his officers to act contrary to their public duty” and thus granted Cagol “permission to remain in Hong Kong, in circumstances which they would not otherwise have granted."

In the second charge, Questo is accused of conspiring with Shafqat Zaman and her agent Herrera by contracting a fake marriage with Zaman by “dishonestly and falsely representing to the Director and his officers that the entries and remaining of Zaman, Shafat in Hong Kong were for the purpose of visiting and reuniting with you.”

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Both offenses are contrary to Common Law and punishable under Section 159C(6) of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap.200), Jaws of Hong Kong.

Last April 2 at Eastern Court, Questo was jailed for dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable crime, in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

She pleaded guilty to allowing the use of her Hang Seng Bank account in money laundering, having received deposits of $1,200,321.71 from Nov. 9 to Dec. 2, 2022.

Questo’s conviction also activated a one-month suspended sentence that was meted to her in a 2022 case in the Kowloon City Court.

But Principal Magistrate Don So ordered that the old penalty run at the same time as the new jail term.

Pinay jailed 6 months for booking public tennis courts for another

Wong Nai Chung tennis courts (Google Maps photo)

The last of the three Filipinas charged with conspiracy to defraud for booking public tennis courts on behalf of other people, was jailed for six months today after she changed her mind and pleaded guilty at Shatin Court.

D.G. Manaligod, 32 years old, was scheduled to stand trial today after she initially denied the charge on March 15 that she conspired with a certain L. M. Caceres to defraud the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services and his officers by booking tennis courts on his behalf between Sept. 27, 2023 and June 21, 2024.

By “dishonestly and falsely representing” that she was the user of the tennis courts, Manaligod induced the director and his officers “to act contrary to their public duty,“ the charge added.

This was contrary to Common Law and punishable under section 159C(6) of the Crimes Ordinance which prescribes a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.

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With her conviction, Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong ordered that Manaligod’s bail money of $500 be returned to her.

She had earlier pleaded not guilty and parted ways with co-accused H. Habungan, aged 43, and A. Mendoza, 63, who were sentenced also by Magistrate Cheang last April 7 to jail terms after admitting to the crime last March 15.

Habungan was jailed for six months after she admitted to conspiring with a certain J. Mosqueda in securing permission from the LCSD director and his officers to use public tennis courts “under circumstances which they would not otherwise have granted.”

Mendoza was jailed for four months after she admitted conspiring with a certain G. Foster between Sept. 27 2023 and June 12, 2024 by in committing the same offence.

More than 12k people barred from entering HK this year

 

Those turned away don't even get to see the arrivals hall of the HK Airport

If you’re planning to visit Hong Kong and use the trip to work here illegally, think again.

Hong Kong’s immigration director Benson Kwok said that mere suspicions that a visitor would work illegally here could be enough reason to deny entry to that person.

Kwok said in an interview with RTHK today, July 6,  that more than 12,000 people were denied entry to Hong Kong in the first five months of the year alone.

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"There were a number of reasons, for example if we were suspicious about their reasons for coming to Hong Kong, like they could be here to work illegally and affect the job opportunities of locals," Kwok said.

The other reasons were the incomplete travel documents presented by the visitor, like not having a visa as required by Hong Kong for citizens of certain countries.

There were also those who were turned away because immigration suspected that they were carrying forged travel documents.

While 12,000 may seem a lot in terms of actual figures, that represents only 0.06 percent of the 20 million visitors to the city for the same period, said Kwok.

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He said young Hongkongers who left the city in the wake of the unrest in 2019 are welcome to return if they are patriotice and love Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong people enjoy the freedom to enter or leave the SAR. So long as the person didn't violate the law, the Immigration Department will not stop him or her, never mind asking the person questions," he said. 

Kwok added that now that more young people in Hong Kong travel to the mainland in their free time, they get to have a better understanding of the importance of safeguarding national security.

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.

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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. 

HK visa extension fee to rise to $330 from Sept 8

Immigration Department

The Immigration Department plans to increase on Sept. 8 the fees it charges for its services to recover the costs incurred in providing them.

The list of 28 fees to be increased include that for issuing and extending visas, which will rise from $230 to $330.

A bill that proposes the fee revisions will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting on July 2, and will take effect once approved. 

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“The Government sets and reviews various fees and charges according to the 'cost recovery' and 'user pays' principles, while fees charged by the Government should in general be set at levels adequate to recover the full cost of providing the goods or services," a government spokesman said.

“Taking into consideration that it is impractical to recover the full cost of all fees in one go, the fees of the services concerned will be increased by 3 per cent to 51 per cent with a view to achieving full cost recovery gradually. The fees will have little impact on the daily lives of most people and limited impact on general business activities," the spokesman added.

The proposed increases are expected to generate an additional $104 million in annual revenue oncwe they take effect in September.

According to documents submitted to the Legislative Council by the Security Bureau and Immigration Department on Monday, the proposed increases will affect 28 services, with two increasing by less than 10 %, six rising 10 to 20%, and the remaining 20 all going up by more than 20%.

The key changes include a 13-percent increase for a 48-page HKSAR passport, or from $460 to $520 for applicants 16 years old or older, and $230 to $260 for children below 16.

The 32-page HKSAR passport will cost $430 for applicants aged 16 or older, from the previous $370; and from $185 to $215 for those younger than 16.

The other fee adjustments will include a 20% rise in transit visas, which will cost $170 from $120, and multiple HKSAR re-entry permits jumping from $935 to $1,350.

The visa fee increase is likely to create concern among foreign domestic workers, especially those who are terminated but are pursuing claims and cases against their employers, a process that could last for days, if not months. 

It could also impact those who are trying to convince Immigration to let them stay and process a new employment contract after their previous one was prematurely terminated on unfair ground.

This means that they will have to worry not only about having a place to stay while they wait for the outcome of their cases or applications, but also about visa renewal fees and other expenses while they remain in Hong Kong.

15 people arrested in anti-illegal work operations

 

Some of those arrested are led away for questioning

Four consecutive days of anti-illegal work operations by the Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Police have resulted in 15 people being arrested.

According to a statement from Immigration, the 15 comprised 12 suspected illegal workers, two employers and one abettor. They were arrested during raids on 81 target locations including restaurants and other commercial establishments between June 9 and June 12.

The suspected illegal workers comprised five men and seven women, aged 21 to 57.

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Three of them, two men and one woman, held recognizance forms that allow them to stay pending the outcome of their application for non-refoulement or deportation but prohibits them from taking up any kind of work. 

Two others, a man and a woman, had forged Hong Kong identity cards in their possession.

One man aged 30 and a woman aged 63, were suspected of employing the workers while another woman aged 32, was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting a person to breach the condition of stay.

Immigration warns that anyone who contravenes a condition of stay in Hong Kong, like tourists and foreign domestic workers found to have taken illegal work, faces a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are likewise liable to prosecution and penalties.

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Overstayers and asylum seekers or those on recognizance face a higher maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and $50,000 fine.

Those found in possession of forged HKID cards face a more severe penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.

Employers could be held most culpable for illegal work, with a prescribed maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

45 days’ jail for 3 years’ overstay

 

A Filipino who overstayed his visa for three years has been sentenced to 45 days in prison - effectively, 15 days for each year that he remained in Hong Kong without the permission of the Immigration Director.

Johnson Mockiat, 40, was meted the sentence after he pleaded guilty at Shatin Court Tuesday (June 3) to overstaying, in breach of condition of stay, a violation of section 49 of the Immigration Ordinance.

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Mockiat arrived in Hong Kong on Sept. 8, 2019 as a visitor and was permitted to stay for two weeks.

However, he remained Hong Kong until he was arrested on Feb. 6, 2022.

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During his period of overstay, he has claimed non-refoulement, seeking to prevent the Hong Kong government from forcibly sending him back to the Philippines. The application is still pending.

Immigration's FDH section to have extended office hours

Business hours at the FDH section will be stretched to5m pm Monday to Friday

From June 23, the working hours of the Extension and Foreign Domestic Helpers sections at the Administration Tower at Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan O will be extended to 5pm from Monday to Friday.

Thus, the Section will be open from 8:45am until 5pm, instead of closing at 4:30 pm on regular working days. It will be closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Most services relating to FDHs like renewal of contracts, change of employer, and entry visa for new FDHs may be done online. Please check this link: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/fdh.html

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For enquiries, please contact the ImmD by the enquiry hotline (2824 6111), by fax (2877 7711) or by email (enquiry@immd.gov.hk).

Pinay DH, 3 African asylum-seekers charged with conspiracy to steal $259K

 

A Filipina domestic helper has found herself in jail with three African asylum seekers after being dragged into a conspiracy to commit theft.

Cherry Morbo, 31 years old, was remanded in jail with the three others after their case was adjourned to July 4 by Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung at Eastern Court last Friday (May 16).

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It was not mentioned in court how Morbo became associated with Tanzanian Vivian Lymo, 40 years old, Tanzanian Sophia Modsony, 41 years old, and South African Aka Eba, all of them unemployed and using a recognizance form to serve as their identity document.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

It was also not mentioned how any one of  them, including Morbo, is associated, whether personally or by work, to the victim, Peter Thomas Wilkinson

According to charge filed by Wanchai Police last May 10, the four are accused of conspiring to steal $259, 300 from Wilkinson last Feb. 22, in violation of section 9 of the Theft Ordinance and section 159A of the Crime Ordinance.

Basahin ang detalye!

Splash to open Sunday swimming classes for beginners on Tuesday

 

Many of those who have benefited from Splash's swimming lessons are MDWs

A non-government organization that teaches Hong Kong people, including foreign domestic workers, to swim, for free, is set to open registration for its Sunday Beginner programs this coming Tuesday, May 6, starting at 10am.

Splash Foundation says its learn-to swim adult program is designed for absolute beginners, but those with some swim experience are also welcome.

Its Sunday programs are primarily open to migrant domestic workers, and will be held at the West Island School in Pokfulam on all Sundays from May 18 to July 20, at these times:

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·       8:30am - 9:15am

·       9:45am - 11:00am

·       11:00am - 12:15pm

·       12:15pm - 1:30pm

Online registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Splash makes the first class mandatory, and a has a strict attendance policy, so those who register are urged to make sure they are able to take part on the dates and time they choose.

“Don’t take someone else’s opportunity to learn to swim away,” said its statement.

Registration will be through the Splash Foundation website at the button below. Links will be visible starting May 6, Tuesday at 10am.

https://www.splashfoundation.org/en/how-to-register

Basahin ang detalye!

Reminders for registration:

·       Prepare for registration by finding stable internet connection

·       Have your HKID, email address, Whatsapp phone number ready to input

·       Have access to your email account (email address and password ready)

·       Double check all your contact details!  

Email admin@splashfoundation.org if you have any questions

The Splash Foundation started its first swimming lessons in 2015, with a group of 30 migrant domestic workers being taught how to swim by a dedicated group of swimmers at a pool not used on Sunday afternoons.

Since then, it has taught this like skill to more than 7,500 people, mainly migrant workers and children.

Pinay posing as DH gets 4 months’ jail

 

The case was heard at Shatin Court

A Filipina has just realized how serious an offense lying to an Immigration officer is in Hong Kong.

M. David, 32, was jailed for four months Thursday (April 17) after pleading guilty at Shatin Court to a charge of “making a false representation to an Immigration officer lawfully acting under or in the execution of Part III of the Immigration Ordinance.”

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The offense is punishable under section 42(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance.

She was brought to court as a result of lying to an Immigration officer on Oct. 2, 2023 when she was applying for an extension of stay, that she would work for a local resident as a domestic helper, “knowing the same to be false or not believing the same to be true.”

7 Pinoys arrested for illegal work appear in court

 

Immigration Department photo of those arrested 

Seven Filipino men who were arrested for working illegally in a cargo company in Kwai Chung last March 4, have appeared at Shatin Court, charged with violating the Immigation Ordinance and the Immigration Regulations.

Of the seven, only Rodrigo Sarabia, 60 years old, was charged with breach of condition of stay because he was allowed to stay in Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper at the address specified in the employment contract he used to get his visa.

In a hearing on March 19, Sarabia was allowed by Magistrate David Chum to post bail of $1,000.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Earlier reports said six  of the suspected illegal workers arrested in the raid were asylum seekers or non-refoulement claimants holding recognizance papers which prohibit them from taking up work. The seventh is a male FDH while the eighth was a female overstayer.

Two of the asylum seekers arrested were Junipher Sambalod, 41 years old, and Marcelino Guisinga, 44. Both were also allowed to post bail but at $10,000 cash plus surety of another $10,000.

Both are facing a charge of “taking employment while being a person in respect of whom a removal order is in force” in violation of section 38AA(1)(b) and 38AA(2) of the Immigration Ordinance.

The four others, who are facing similar charges – Julie JR Arcega, 43, Aris Pareja, 51, Christian Mendane, 34, and Joel Lorente, 46 – were returned to jail to await their next court date on April 22.

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Arcega is one of four Filipinos and a Bangladeshi who were cleared by the District Court last March 19 of acting indecently towads a child, but was not freed because he was detained at that time for this case.

Last March 5, the Immigration Department announced it has arrested nine persons in an anti-illegal work operation conducted by its agents in Kwai Chung last Mar 4, eight of whom were Filipinos. The ninth is a 51-year-old male Hong Kong resident who is suspected of employing them.

The statement said the eight suspects were caught while performing transporting and wrapping duties in a unit of the industrial building. They comprised seven men and one woman, aged 34 to 60. 

The woman, who was reportedly an overstayer,  was not among those who appeared in court to face charges. 

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Immigration warned that illegal work is a serious offence that merits a jail sentence.

Those who are convicted of the offence while on tourist or domestic helper’s visa could be jailed for up to two years and fined $50,000.

Recognizance paper holders or overstayers face a maximum of three years in prison and a fine of $50,000.

Those found to have employed illegal workers could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of $500,000.

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