New labor attaché bares plans for bigger shelter, office space

 

Labatt Chavez promises an open-door policy during his watch

The Philippine Migrant Workers Office is set to open thus week a new and bigger shelter for distressed Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong.

This was one of the changes disclosed by the country’s labor attaché to Hong Kong, lawyer Cesar L. Chavez, Jr, when he met with a select group of Filipino community leaders at the OFW Global Center in Admiralty on Sunday, Jan. 25.

Labatt Chavez said in an interview with The SUN afterwards that he intends to hold more meetings with stakeholders in the next few days so he can get a better grasp of the issues and concerns affecting Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong.

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He said the new shelter in Tai Po will have 6-7 bedrooms, and can accommodate more than 30 OFWs at any given time.

This is more than three times the capacity of the existing halfway-home in Kennedy Town which has three bedrooms and can only take in a maximum of 10 residents.

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Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac first disclosed the move to set up a bigger shelter during his visit to Hong Kong in November last year (see story here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/search?q=OFW+shelter)

Secretary Cacdac said then that he wanted a more vibrant refuge for OFWs in distress, “not ostentatious but something that is clean, up to standard, spacious, and can house a whole array of activities and events.”

Chavez addresses Filcom leader at Sunday's 'meet and greet' (photo by Marie Rivera)

In line with this, Chavez said the MWO is hiring four “house mothers” to oversee operations at the shelters on a permanent basis, so that OFWs who run into trouble can seek refuge there “at any time of the day and night.”

Apart from the four new personnel who will be assigned to the shelter, the MWO is also asking the head office for six additional personnel who will be tasked with handling their frontline operations.

Chavez said one of his immediate concerns is to improve services to the OFWs through automation, installing queue ticket dispensers and providing bigger space for their transactions.

He said there are plans to move the current MWO to a bigger space, also at United Centre building, when its lease expires in August this year.

This should allow the MWO to conduct more trainings and other activities for OFWs, alongside those provided at the OFW Global Centre on the 18^th floor of the same building, which is managed by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

At his dialogue with the Filcom leaders, Chavez said many participants asked for improvement in services, in particular, to address the perennial overcrowding and long queuing time for those applying for the overseas employment certificate, especially during the peak travel season around Christmas.

The queue for OEC applications often spill out into the lift lobby, all the way to the ground floor

Asked if it was possible to get volunteers to help speed up the processing of OEC applications, he said the MWO could not share sensitive records in their system because of data accountability.

But he agreed that those who have not changed employers since they last obtained their OEC need not spend their precious time queuing at the MWO as their records do not need any updating. 

They can simply ask a friend or a volunteer to help them obtain the exit clearance they are required to present at Philippine airports online, wherever they may be.

Chavez took over as MWO head after his predecessor, Melchor Dizon,  retired and went back to the Philippines months ago. Appointed in the interim as officer-in-charge was assistant labor attache Tony Villafuerte who has since been recalled to the home office.

 

Filipina jailed for 57 months in $8.7M money laundering case set to appeal

The bulk of the more than $8 million in tainted money was found in Acosta's Mox bank account

A 40-year-old Filipina who was paid $400 to share her HKID card with two mainland Chinese men for a “game” was today sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment after she was found guilty of complicity in an $8.73 million money laundering case.

The sentence imposed at the District Court on Lynie B. Acosta, a widow with a teenage son in the Philippines, was the longest ever meted on a foreign domestic worker in Hong Kong for money laundering.  

It was made longer by nine months because of the prosecutors’ request for an enhancement of the sentence as further deterrence, citing statistics showing a continuing rise in money laundering cases in Hong Kong.

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A stunned silence followed the pronouncement of the sentence, apparently because of its severity. The defence had urged for leniency in an earlier hearing, saying the sentence should be no more than two years in jail.

Acosta who was already red-eyed at the start of the sentencing, wept as she was led away from the dock. Her lawyer hurriedly gave her instructions on how she must fill up a form so an appeal against her conviction could be launched immediately.

Even before the sentence was read out by District Judge Edward Wong, the defence counsel said he  was lodging an appeal, insisting that Acosta had no involvement at all in the crime she was charged with.

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Outside court, the lawyer said, “She was only told she was going to join a game, and there was no mention at all of a bank account being opened.”

But in sentencing, Judge Wong reiterated his reasons for finding Acosta guilty in an earlier hearing. He said the defendant should have known that the bank accounts that were opened using her HKID card and “selfies” she willingly took for 45 minutes were able to take in money from illicit activities.

“Any reasonable person would find it hard to believe that she did not know the money (that passed through her accounts) was tainted,” said the judge.

This is despite acknowledging the defense submission that there was no international element in the offence, that the defendant had no control over the three stooge accounts opened in her name, and there was no evidence that she made any more money apart from the $400 that was deposited into her Alipay account.

The judge cited a Court of Appeal ruling that a money laundering case in which at least $8 million was involved should merit no less than four years in jail. In that case, the sentence of three years and six months was deemed to be “too low,” he said.

Using 48 months as a starting point, he added a 1/5 enhancement in line with the prosecutors’ request, to come up with a total of 57 months in jail for the first charge, and 14 months each for the second and third charges, with the sentences to run concurrently. 

“There is no mitigating factor involved,” said the judge in closing.

Acosta was charged with three counts of dealing with proceeds from crimes along with three persons, a fellow Filipina named Jane Corpuz and two unidentified Chinese men who she said had tricked her into passing on her HKID card to them, saying it was for an online game.

In the first charge, she and the three unknown individuals are alleged to have dealt with the biggest chunk of the money, amounting to to $8,597,833.36, which passed through a Mox Bank  account in her name between March 25 and May 19, 2023.

In the second charge, Acosta was charged with working with the three in dealing with tainted money amounting to $92,940.08 in her account with the Standard Chartered Bank on March 31, 2023.

The third charge was over the $45,100.78 deposited into her account with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, which she again allegedly dealt with, along with Corpuz and the unknown males.

Acosta pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was put on trial.

In her defense she said she did not know that her personal details that Jane and the two men had obtained would be used to open the three bank accounts in her name. Bank records showed the listed contact person for the accounts was Chinese, with a Sham Shui Po flat as the mailing  address.

During the trial, among those who testified were local people who had deposited money into Acosta's bank accounts for online purchases that were not delivered, including one for a PS5 game console, and another for concert tickets. 

For earlier stories on the case, please click this link: https://www.sunwebhk.com/search?q=lynie+acosta

 

Mandatory use of seatbelt on buses takes effect Sunday

 

Most buses still have only a few seatbelts installed 

Passengers on public buses and coaches must wear seatbelts – if they are installed on the seat they are occupying – starting Saturday.

The tighter laws caused confusion among passengers wary of being fined, and even possibly, jailed for non-compliance, as many of the buses are still not fitted with seatbelts, or have ones that do not work.

Not a few fiddled around their seats to look for the confining straps before sitting down, only to realize that the bus that they are on still lacks them.

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The confusion continued online, where some netizens seriously asked if standing on buses would no longer be allowed, as passengers who can’t get a seat will obviously not be able to strap in during their commute.

In a TV interview, Transport Secretary Mable Chan eased the concerns, saying the new regulations are meant to protect passengers and not punish them.

“We hope to enforce the law in a humane manner,” she said. “Introducing this policy is not to penalize passengers or to give them a fine.”

Chan said the intention of the law is to ensure passengers wear seatbelts for their own safety, adding that even the police had said early on that they will carry out more publicity and education campaign than to imposed penalties.

Under the new law, failing to wear a seatbelt could incur a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for up to three months.

Another law that took effect Sunday requires drivers to install no more than two mobile devices on their vehicles, with their screens measuring a maximum diagonal length of 19 centimeters.

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The regulation was imposed to curb the previous practice of some taxi drivers of installing as many as 10 mobile phones on their dashboards to maximize income by monitoring numerous ride-hailing apps and local booking services simultaneously in search of passengers.

Violators face a maximum fine of $2,000.

 

Anti-illegal work operations nets 19 people in 7 days

 

11 women and 2 men were arrested for illegal work

A combined team of operatives from the Immigration Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department carried out anti-illegal work operations in the past week, or from Jan 16 to 22, and arrested a total of 19 people.

Those arrested comprised 13 suspected illegal workers, four employers and two aiders and abettors. They were arrested during raids on several target locations across the city, including restaurants, flats under renovation and grocery stores.

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IOf the 13 suspected illegal workers, there were two mean and 11 women, aged 24 to 62. Two of the women hold recognizance papers or applications against deportation, which prohibit them from taking up employment.

The suspected employers were all locals, two men and two women aged 36 to 62. The aiders and abettors, or facilitators of the suspected illegal employment, were a man aged 35 and a woman aged 50.

Immigration said an investigation into the employers is continuing, and further arrests are likely.

It also again warned that taking up illegal work, or one that is not approved by the Immigration Director, is a serious offence, for which the maximum penalty is two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $50,000.

If the offender is an illegal immigrant, an overstayer, or subject to deportation, the maximum jail term goes up to three years.

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Aiders and abettors are equally liable.

Employers face the more severe penalty of up to 10 years in jail, and a maximum fine of $500,000.

The High Court also mandates immediate custodial sentence for those found engaging, abetting or contracting illegal work.

Pinay jailed after her bank account is used in love scam

 

File photo

An online romance scam in which a local woman was tricked by her supposed “boyfriend” into forking over $868,847.54 to a syndicate, has led to a Filipina being jailed for five months and two weeks for money laundering.

Nhona Esmana, a 37-year-old unemployed recognizance form holder, pleaded guilty last Jan. 5 to 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.

Recounting details of the case at Kwun Tong Court on Friday (Jan. 23), Magistrate Lau Suk-han said the online “boyfriend” repeatedly asked for money from the victim, who in turn made 44 deposits into Esmana’s Hang Seng Bank account, from March 13 to June 4, 2020.

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Of the $868,847.57 deposited, $868,900 was taken out through 57 withdrawals using Esmana’s ATM card.

When the victim could no longer contact her “boyfriend”, she complained to the police, Magistrate Lau said.

There was no evidence Esmana got the money, she added, but the use of her bank account to launder it made her culpable.

Esmana’s lawyer, in mitigation, explained that her ATM card was borrowed by her “boyfriend” and she had no idea that it ended up being used in the scam.

He claimed she emailed the bank that she had lost the ATM card, but Magistrate Lau noted that the bank denied receiving the report.

In sentencing, Magistrate Lau chose a starting point of nine months. Esmana’s guilty plea entitled her to a one-third discount, for a sentence of six months.

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She gave another two weeks’ discount for the delay in prosecuting Esmana, resulting in a final sentence of five months and two weeks.

Esmana was arrested on April 28, 2022 but was charged in court only on Nov. 24, 2025. The prosecution did not explain the delay.

Filipina charged with laundering HK$6.4 M in 8 banks

 

Tainted money laundered through banks is withdrawn using ATM cards (File photo)

A Filipina who used to work as a domestic helper appeared unrepresented in District Court on Thursday, charged with laundering a total of about HK$6.45 million using eight different bank accounts.

Vermadel P.Canonero, 48 years old, is also accused of overstaying her visa for about four months, until her arrest in March last year.

District Judge Stanley Chan adjourned the case until April 28, and remanded the Filipina in jail until then.

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The charges against Canonero show what appears to be the longest money laundering activity ever linked to a foreign domestic worker, spanning a period of more than two years, or from Apr 16, 2022 to Nov. 13, 2024. The total amount involved was HK$6,448,441.26 

She allegedly opened her first bank account with Mox Bank on Apr 16, 2022, and kept it active until July 13, 2024. During that period, tainted money totaling $3,053,717.57 allegedly passed through the account.

The second charge involves a ZA Bank account in her name, where a total of $775,475.86 in illicit money was allegedly funneled between Nov. 23 2023 and Jun 9, 2024.

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Between Mar 4, 2024 and Apr 22, 2024, she is also accused of allowing an account in her name at digital services company HKT Payment Ltd to be used in laundering a total of $766,823.34.

Between Mar 27, 2024 and Nov. 13, 2024, another account in her name with China Citic Bank was allegedly used to launder a total of $261,626.80.

Between Mar 25, 2024 and Jul 5, 2024 she also allegedly caused a total of $536,919.61 to be laundered in her account with Airstar Bank, Ltd.

Between Apr 8 and 18, 2024, she also allegedly used her account with Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation to launder $229,300.

Between Apr 8, 2024 and Jul 4, 2024 she is charged with laundering a total of $345,000 using her account with Bank of China.

Finally, she is accused of using her Livi Bank account to launder a total of $479,548.09 between May 22, 2024 and Aug 12, 2024.

A ninth charge pertains to her alleged breach of her visa condition by overstaying. She was said to have been permitted to remain in Hong Kong only until Nov. 18, 2024 but stayed until her arrest on Mar 17 last year.

Verdadero was originally charged at the magistrate’s court, but the discovery of more bank accounts in her name where the alleged tainted money had passed through, resulted in her case being elevated to the District Court.

Money laundering, or what is formally known as “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence,” in violation sections 2(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, is punishable with a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment and fine of up to $5 million.

Court rejects $50K bail offer of Pinay accused of assaulting baby

 

Community where crime was allegedly committed (Google Maps photo)

The 28-year-old Filipina domestic helper arrested for brain injuries sustained by a four-month-old baby in her care, was returned to jail after her offer of $50,000 cash bail was rejected during her first hearing today at Fanling Court.

Acting Principal Magistrate Veronica Heung adjourned the case to April 9 against the Filipina, identified only as A.J.R.E.N., and remanded her in jail, saying she was facing a serious charge and lacked local ties that would ensure she would return to the court.

Magistrate Heung agreed with the prosecutor who said the baby was so badly injured and had a slim chance of surviving at the Intensive Care Unit of the Prince of Wales Hospital, that the charge against A.J.R.E.N. may have to be upgraded from the present “assault by those in charge of child or young person,” contrary to section 27(1) of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance.

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The prosecutor’s objection to her bail prevailed despite additional conditions offered by Yasmin Zahir, the lawyer hired by the Migrant Workers’ Office at the Consulate, such as reporting regularly to a police station, not leaving Hong Kong, not going back to the place of offense and not contacting the baby’s parents.

The lawyer added that since A.J.R.E.N. would be staying at a shelter operated by the Philippine Consulate in Kennedy Town, her presence in future court dates would be ensured. However, she failed to convince the magistrate.

No other details of the case were made available, with Zahir asking for transcripts and copy of the video-recorded interview conducted by police on the Filipina.

In court to lend support to the Filipina was the newly installed Philippine Labor Attache to Hong Kong, Cesar L. Chavez, Jr.

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The police complaint alleged that the Filipina , “being a person over the age of 16 years who had the custody, charge or care of boy X, a child aged 4 months, did willfully assault the said boy X in a manner likely to cause the said boy X unnecessary suffering or injury to her health.”

The alleged assault took place last Jan. 18 at the employer’s flat in Tsiu Keng village, on Fan Kam Road, Fanling.

Police said in a news briefing yesterday that the baby was taken to North District Hospital early on Sunday where the brain injuries were discovered.

He was immediately transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital for emergency surgery, and remains in intensive care.

CCTV footage from the family’s home reportedly showed the Filipina harming the infant in the early hours of Sunday. 

But the police said the home surveillance camera covered only the living room area, and no severe abuse was seen in the footage from the past few days.

Read previous reporting here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2026/01/filipina-dh-faces-child-abuse-rap-after.html

Filipina DH faces child abuse rap after 4-month-old ward found with brain injuries

 

Police officers say the Filipina DH was arrested along with her Indonesian co-worker

A 28-year-old Filipina domestic helper is due to be charged at Fan Ling court today with ill-treatment of a child, after a four-month-old infant she had been looking after was found with brain injuries and had to undergo emergency surgery. 

The boy’s 16-month-old brother is also in hospital, after reportedly being found with bruises at the family’s residence in Sheung Shui.

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A 45-year-old Indonesian DH who was employed in the same household for about six months was also arrested but remains under police investigation.

Police said in a press briefing on Wednesday that the boys were under the care of both helpers, who were arrested on Tuesday.

The officers said they received a report from Prince of Wales Hospital on Sunday after doctors found suspicious injuries on the infant, including bleeding in the brain and retina, which were consistent with what is commonly known as “shaken baby syndrome.”

Photo uploaded online by someone claiming to be the baby's father

The baby was taken to North District Hospital earlier that day where the brain injuries were discovered. He was transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital for emergency surgery and is now in stable condition, but remains in intensive care.

CCTV footage from the family’s home reportedly showed the Filipina who had been employed at the household for three months, harming the infant in the early hours of Sunday. She is also suspected of injuring the older boy.

But the police said the home surveillance camera covered only the living room area, and no severe abuse was seen in the footage from the past few days.

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They added doctors have indicated that injuries associated with “shaken baby syndrome” do not occur from a single incident.

The police said medical experts will be consulted on how the injuries were inflicted, and whether there are indications of prolonged abuse.

Ongoing investigations will also include a check on the family background and caregiving arrangements.

The police did not comment on a social media post by someone claiming to be the boys’ father who said his baby was rushed to hospital after he was found unresponsive by the younger helper.

The home CCTV allegedly showed the Filipina shaking the baby and grabbing him by the neck.

The police briefing on the case was held just one day after the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance came into effect.

The Ordinance mandates 25 categories of specified professionals, including doctors and social workers, to report as soon as practicable any suspected case of child abuse encountered in the  the course of their work.

Any specified professional who fails to comply could be jailed for up to three months and fined up to $50,000.

 

45 months in jail for Filipina in $5.3M money laundering case

 

Defendant's Standard Chartered account was used to launder $5.3M in tainted money

By Daisy CL Mandap

Harsher penalties being sought by the Hong Kong police in cases of money laundering have resulted in a Filipina domestic helper being sentenced Tuesday to 45 months’ imprisonment for her role in the laundering of more than HK$5 million in tainted money.

The sentence was the highest ever imposed on a foreign domestic worker implicated in a money laundering case, and it was partly the result of a request from the police for an “enhancement” of sentences imposed in crimes of this nature.

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In sentencing Ma Rochel C. Fuentes, Deputy District Judge Tim Casewell used a starting point of 39 months’ imprisonment, then added six more months in response to the enhancement request from the police contained in a letter sent on Dec 21 last year.

Judge Casewell noted that police statistics furnished the court showed a “plateauing” in the number of money laundering cases last year, but said he was still bound to impose a sentence that will serve as a deterrent to others.

The sentence meant that Fuentes, who is 37 years old and has been detained since two years ago, will have to remain in jail for at least six more months, assuming she gets a 1/3 discount for good behavior.

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Fuentes was found guilty after trial on one count of money laundering, legally described as “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, Cap. 455.”

She was arrested at Hong Kong International Airport on Jan. 26, 2024, as she was about to board an Air Asia flight to Manila. She told friends and relatives that she was going home to wait for her new employment visa after being made redundant in her previous job.

Her arrest came after a total of $666,300 in tainted money was initially found in her Standard Chartered Bank account number 978-8-718887-1.

Subsequent investigations showed the money that passed through her account from Apr 1-17, 2023 was actually much more. The updated calculation showed it to be a total of $3,758,465.59, resulting in the transfer of her case from the magistracy to the District Court.

Then, further inquiries revealed that the illicit money had flowed in and out of her account much earlier. From March 20 to April 17, 2023, the total amount came up to $5,391,996.74.

After her arrest, Fuentes told the police she was not the one who opened the Standard Chartered bank account. She said the only account she had was with the Philippine National Bank.

Fuentes said an acquaintance gave her $410 and asked for a copy of her HKID card, saying it was for a game. But after she received the money, she said this unknown person blocked her on Facebook.

Initially, she indicated she wanted to plead guilty to the offence so she could benefit from a reduced sentence. But she subsequently changed her mind, insisting she had no knowledge of any of  the illicit transactions made using the bank account opened in her name.

Commenting on this, Judge Casewell said he accepted that Fuentes played a minimal role in the money laundering and that she received only a small amount for this.

But, said the judge, it was clear that the defendant knew that the account opened in her name would be used for the processing of tainted money.

Not only did she provide her HKID card, she also took a selfie which was part of the process of opening the account.

“She must have known what was taking place,” said the judge. “I do not accept that it was for a game.”

Judge Casewell said that in sentencing he took note of Fuentes’ clear record, of her being a single mother with two children aged 16 and 15 years old, that she finished high school and worked in a factory before going abroad to work as a domestic helper.

 

Police confirm arrest for assault of Filipina's employer in viral video

 

Still from the video taken near Olympic MTR station

Hong Kong Police have confirmed the arrest last Thursday of the employer of a Filipina helper seen on various videos uploaded online being apparently assaulted, but said the suspect was released on police bail afterwards..

The confirmation of the arrest came five days after the videos were posted, including the last one taken just outside the Olympic MTR station where the employer was seen slapping and pulling the hair of the Filipina, oblivious to the people passing by and shouting for the police to be called.

Subsequent footage showed rescuers at the scene talking to the Filipina, while one officer could be seen talking to the employer on the other side.

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In an email sent to The SUN earlier today, Tuesday, the police said they received a report at about 11:30am on Jan. 15 of a woman “suspected of assaulting a foreign woman by hand near MTR Olympic Station.”

The police said the 58-year-old local woman was arrested for common assault but was later released on bail and is required to report back in mid-February.

The Filipina, described in the police report as a “33-year-old foreign woman” was sent to Kwong Wah Hospital for a medical check-up.

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The investigation by the police in Mong Kok is said to be underway.

The police report came after Philippine Migrant Workers Secretary Hans J. Cacdac issued a statement Monday night saying the Filipina migrant worker called “Bernadette” was being assisted in her case by the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong.

Cacdac said the worker was to be accompanied to the police station today “for the formal investigation” by Hong Kong Labor Attache Cesar L. Chavez, Jr and a lawyer.

Cacdac (centre) says 'Bernadette' is getting full assitance from the MWO

The statement also said that after learning about the alleged assault, a team from the MWO sought out Bernadette and took her to a hospital for a medical examination, then to a “protected” shelter where she is now staying.

Bernadette is said to remain under observation while waiting for her medical results.

Based on several other videos that surfaced online, the worker was apparently assaulted at least twice before by her employer, one inside a mall just before the MTR incident, and another inside a house.

Netizens claiming to be her friend said Bernadette had been working for her employer for just a month.