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.

Basahin ang detalye!

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.

Basahin ang detalye!

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.

Basahin ang detalye!

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.

Basahin ang detalye!

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.

Basahin ang detalye!

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 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.

Basahin ang detalye!

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)

 

 

Elderly Filipino who claimed he had US$10B at HSBC to undergo psychiatric tests

 

Siu Lam Hospital

A Filipino tourist arrested in Central after he allegedly presented fake documents purporting to show he had US$10 billion in deposits at the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., was made to undergo psychiatric tests to find out if he is fit to plead or needs to be hospitalized.

Ramon R. Revillosa, Jr., 68, was thus remanded to the Siu Lam Hospital in Tuen Mun, which specializes in psychiatric care, until July 10 when the case resumes at Eastern Court.

Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung ordered the medical checkup during Revillosa’s latest appearance in court on Thursday (June 26), charged with using a false instrument, which is punishable under section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance with up to 14 years in jail.

PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO

He is alleged to have presented a bank capability letter, guarantee letter and a certificate of balance, all purporting to have been issued by HSBC, which he “knew, or believed to be, false.”

Earlier reports from the Philippines said the government had asked Hong Kong authorities to conduct a full examination of Revillosa as he was showing signs of dementia when he made “grandiose claims of wealth.”

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the request was relayed by the Consulate to relevant authorities in Hong Kong.

Basahin ang detalye!

De Vega said in an interview that the 38-year-old Filipino woman arrested with Revillosa was allowed to post bail and return to the Philippines. But the woman, who was said to be a lawyer, was told to return to Hong Kong to attend proceedings on her own case.

The two were arrested last Feb 10 after they allegedly presented fake documents with a face value of US$10 billion to the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation branch at China Building in Central to allegedly induce a staff member to believe they were genuine.

Arrested with them were a Malaysian man, a Taiwanese man and a woman who used a Hong Kong and Macau Travel Permit to enter Hong Kong.

They were all reportedly detained after bank staff who examined the documents became suspicious and called the police. But it is not clear whether charges were also filed against the three, or if they were released pending further police inquiries.

Pinoy cook gets 2 jail terms after conviction for assault on wife

 

Domestic violence took place in one of the flats here (Google Maps photo)

A Filipino cook was jailed for two months and two weeks today after the Eastern Court adjourned a scheduled case and turned its attention to two older assault cases that called for his imprisonment.

M. Tan, 47 years old, was originally scheduled to answer charges of escaping from lawful authorty, assaulting a police officer in due execution of his duty and common assault.

The three charges, for which Tan was remanded in jail, took place while he was being investigated on May 15 at the Queen Mary Hospital, three days after an assault on his wife who was taken there for treatment.

The first charge arose after he allegedly broke free from a police officer investigating him. The second charge arose from his allegedly assaulting the officer as he tried to escape. The third charge arose after he also allegedly assaulted a Chinese woman while trying to escape.

Basahin ang detalye!

After the case was adjourned to Aug. 22 at her request, the prosecutor told Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung that they were ready for Tan’s plea to the earlier case of assaulting his wife O. last May 12 at their flat on Water St., Sai Wan.

The wife sustained a wound that needed treatment at Queen Mary Hospital.

Tan pleaded guilty, and his lawyer sought leniency, saying he had apologized to his wife who in turn wanted to attend the hearing to express her support, but had to work.

Magistrate Cheung stressed that domestic violence is a serious offense, and  sentenced him to two months in jail, which in turn activated a suspended two-week jail sentence meted on him in an earlier assault case. The two sentences will run consecutively.

In that earlier case, Tan was convicted after a trial at Eastern Court, of wounding another Filipino.

He had denied “unlawfully and maliciously” wounding fellow Filipino D. Nunag, who emerged with a bleeding head from a fight with Tan at the corner of Water St. and Queen’s Road west in Sai Wan last Dec. 11, 2023.

He avoided getting jailed because Deputy Magistrate Chung Wing-sze downgraded the charge to the less-serious offense of common assault, which brought him a sentence of two weeks, suspended for 15 months.

Today’s conviction took place within those 15 months, thus activating the jail sentence.

DH gets 10-month jail for $1.1M money laundering

 

File photo from HK Monetary Authority

A domestic helper was jailed today for 10 months and two weeks after she was found guilty of dealing with $1.1 million in crime proceeds, otherwise known as money laundering.

Ma. Gretel Mago, 48 years old, had earlier pleaded not guilty at Fanling Court, saying she had no part in depositing and withdrawing a total of $1,125,603.96 in her Hang Seng Bank account between 2^nd and 27^th of July 2021.

But Deputy Magistrate Chan On-ting gave more weight to the prosecution evidence, such as the bank account which was in her name.

Basahin ang detalye!

She ruled that Mago violated sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

In a separate case at Tuen Mun Court, another domestic helper was remanded in jail after her case was adjourned to July 29.

Reamae Davila, 40 years old, is accused of money laundering for the $934,596.60 that went in and oit f her Bank of China account between 13^th and 28 of May 2024.

Pinay jailed 15 months for illegal work

 

Building where offense took place (Google Maps photo)

The government underlined the severity of illegal work today when the Eastern Magistrates’ Court sentenced a Filipina to 15 months imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to working as a trash cleaner.

Jonites Garcia, 48 years old, was arrested last May 28 while hauling garbage inside a rear staircase of Block 9 in City Garden in North Point.

It turned out she was holding a recognizance form as identification document, being subject to a removal order due to the failure of her application for asylum.

Basahin ang detalye!

Under sections 38AA (1)(b2) and 38AA (2) of the Immigration Ordinance, people with removal order are prohibited from taking up employment, whether paid or unpaid. But many are able to remain in Hong Kong because of a legal challenge they filed against the Immigration Director's decision to deny them refuge.

Violators face a fine of up to level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment of up to three years.

Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung gave Garcia a one-third discount on her sentence for pleading guilty and thus saving the court’s time and resources in resolving the case.

Pinay DH’s drug trafficking case set to be moved to High Court

 

Place where drug trafficking allegedly took place (Google Maps photo)

The two drug trafficking charges against a Filipina, who had been left in jail after similar charges against her co-accused were withdrawn earlier, is set to be elevated to the Court of First Instance after details of the drugs allegedly seized from her were presented at Kowloon City Court yesterday, June 24.

Alisa Tandual, 29 years old, was charged with C. Padillo, 30 years old, who walked free on Tuesday (June 23) after two separate charges against her were dropped (read the full story here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2025/06/pinay-dh-accused-of-drug-trafficking.html).

Magistrate Philip Chan transferred Tandual’s case to the Eastern Court for committal to the High Court on Aug. 4. He also had Tandual’s rights read to her, including her right to a private lawyer or one provided by the Legal Aid for her defense.

Basahin ang detalye!

Tandual was arrested with Padillo, a fellow domestic helper,  last Jan. 22 after two alleged instances of drug trafficking in rooms 1 and 3 of a lodging house in the first floor of 542 Canton Road, Yau Ma Tei.

Results of government laboratory tests of the dangerous drugs seized from Tandual resulted in an amended complaint presented by police to the court, listing the drugs in detail.

In all, she is charged with trafficking in nearly 2 kilos of various dangerous drugs including cocaine or ice (shabu).

In the first charge, Tandual is accused of trafficking in a plastic bag containing 1.08 grams of a solid containing .87 gram of cocaine, and another plastic bag containing 0.43 gram of cocaine, which were found in Room 1.

The second charge arose from the seizure of the following drugs from her in room 3:

• 1 plastic bag containing 973 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (also known as ice or shabu).
• 1 plastic bag containing one plastic laddle and 431 grams of a crystalline solid containing 415 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 49.2 grams of a mixture containing 35.8 grams of heroin hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 16-grams of a solid contining 108 grams of cocaine.
• 1 plastic bag containing 201 grams of a crystalline solid containing 196 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 200 grams of a crystalline solid containing 196 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 1 plastic bag containing 28.1 grams of a crystalline solid containing 26.9 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride

Drug trafficking cases are automatically elevated to the High Court, and are punished on indictment with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and fine of up to $5,000. 

123 people arrested in Immigration’s swoop on catering & renovation premises

 

Most of the arrests involved illegal workers in restaurants, along with their employers 

The Immigration Department has made one of its biggest crackdowns on illegal work, particularly in industries known to be prone to the illicit practice, arresting a total of 123 persons in nearly a month.

Of those arrested, 58 have been prosecuted for violating the Immigration Ordinance, with 46 of the being sentenced to prison terms ranging from 54 days to 22 months.

From May 19 to June 23, officers conducted raids at 815 targeted locations across various districts in Hong Kong, resulting in the arrest of 89 illegal workers, 31 employers and three aiders and abettors.

Basahin ang detalye!

About 2/3 of the illegal workers arrested, or a total of 60 persons, were working in restaurants as dishwashers, kitchen workers, waiters, waitresses and food delivery riders.

Another 14 illegal workers were apprehended while engaged in renovation and cleaning work at various sites across the city.

A number were found to work illegally as renovation workers

During its operation targeting the catering industry, Immigration said its investigators employed different strategies including undercover work at restaurants and hanging out at popular gathering spots for food delivery riders in various districts.

The arrested illegal workers, aged between 21 and 67, comprised 45 non-ethnic Chinese individuals, including 14 men and nine women holding recognizance papers that prohibit them from taking up work; and 44 Mainlanders.

Among them, 18 persons held and were suspected of using forged Hong Kong identity cards while three possessed identity cards belonging to other people.

The 34 people arrested and charged with employing or aiding and abetting the illegal workers were all Hong Kong residents.

Those prosecuted faced relevant charges, including breach of conditions of stay or using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card, or taking employment while being an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land.

Immigration said it does not rule out the possibility of further arrests or prosecutions.

Anyone found doing illegal work faces a maximum fine of $50,000 and prison terms of two or three years. Those found to have used forged HK identity cards or those belonging to another person could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of $100,000.

Employers of illegal workers could be fined up to $500,000 and jailed for 10 years.

 

Items seized from the raids conducted for nearly a month

Immigration said it is committed to combatting illegal employment by illegal immigrants, visitors, foreign domestic helper and imported workers bound by specific employment conditions in order to protect the local labour market.

Anyone who notices ongoing illegal activities may contact Immigration’s dedicated hotline, (2824 1551), email (anti_crime@immd.gov.hk) and online reporting platform (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/online-services/) to report illegal employment activities.