Cricket champs SCC Divas seeks new players as training set to start

By Vir B. Lumicao

All-Filipina cricket champion SCC Divas is looking for more players as it plans to make its presence felt by fielding a team in each of the three leagues on Cricket Hong Kong’s calendar in coming seasons.

A structured training begins this Sunday, Aug 5, for SCC Divas’ players to prepare them for the 16-over Development League, the next-level T20 and the 35 Overs League for the 2018-2019 season beginning on Sept 5.

Coach Najeeb Amar in a groufie with players. Supporters and sponsors  gave them individual trophies for Best Player of the Year, Best Bowler of the Year and Best batsman of the Year and medals for their contributions to the team.

“We are inviting new players. Anyone who is interested, we welcome them,” manager Animesh Kulkarni told The SUN during the team’s victory party at the United Services Recreation Club’s Garden Room in Yaumatei on Jul 22.

The team was awarded the Development League championship trophy, while individual players were given three smaller trophies and six gold medals for special awards. Another 24 gold medals were given those who saw action last season.

“Our vision is to field three teams with a hope that SCC Divas will make an impact and let its presence felt in the Main League, taking forward its performance this year in the Development League,” said Kulkarni, an Indian businessman.

On its cricket debut last season, the all-domestic-worker SCC Divas swept all its nine games to become the grand slam champion in Hong Kong’s Development League.

But Kulkarni admits the triumph of the team, organized by captain Josie Arimas and trained by Pakistani coach Najeeb Amar, may be hard to repeat in the higher leagues because Divas will be facing National Team players distributed in the various sides. “The girls will be playing against the national side. We may not win every game like this time, but we may not lose badly. I’m very confident we will give them a run,” the manager said.

“We know we will have limitations playing against the National Team players, but with the help of coach Najeeb Amar, we will prepare our players through more structured training in skill development starting on Aug 5,” Kulkarni said.

Kulkarni said those of the 32 who played this year will be promoted immediately to the higher league, the T20, where teams will compete in the 20-over format.

He said those who did not play last season will maintain the team’s trophy in the Development League, the 16-over division that is considered the entry level in the sport.

Ravi Lulla, manager of JD Jaguar men’s cricket team and a sponsor of SCC Divas, congratulated the team and promised continuous support to the Filipinas as they move to a higher league.

“It will not be an easy game next season, but if you do half as well as you have done, then you’ll do very well,” Lulla said.

He said the Filipinas will be given T-shirts for their training this Sunday and their official training kits before their next games.

As the SCC Divas advances, Kulkarni said he is seeking their recognition by the cricketing body in Manila. “Now I am in contact with the Philippine Cricket Association to plan future meetings,” he said.

He said he will also train the team members to do scoring and every aspect of cricket as he wants the Filipinas to hone up their skills.

Anyone who is interested to join the team can contact captain Josie Arimas.  He said Divas will form one development team, which will start cross-training on Aug 5.

Another Filipina’s death linked to heat wave

By Daisy CL Mandap

A female Hong Kong resident has died amid the heat wave affecting the city.

Marissa Danao, 60 years old, from Pasig City, died on Jul 28, a Sunday, after reportedly coming home from work and complaining of the heat. She immediately went to bed and was found dead the next day.

Danao had complained of the heat
the day before she was found dead in bed

Officials at the Consulate say Danao, who was divorced with one child, had a thyroid problem which could have triggered her death. But the exact cause will not be known until the autopsy report is released within the next few months.

A funeral service for Danao was held on Sunday, Aug. 5, attended by about 80 of her friends and relatives. Her remains are scheduled to be repatriated to the Philippines on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 9.

Danao was the third Filipina whose death within a week of each other was linked to heat-related causes. The two other victims were both domestic helpers who were found lifeless in the toilets of their respective employers’ flats.

The first victim was a 62-year-old native of La Union who was found dead on Jul 28. The second was 54 years old and hailed from Ilocos, who was found dead in the morning of Aug 2.

Also the previous week, two Filipina domestic workers were rushed to hospital in an ambulance after feeling unwell while on the 18^th floor offices of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office at Mass Mutual Tower in Wanchai.  

Romulo has expressed alarm at the rising number of health-related deaths among overseas Filipino workers that she is planning to hold quarterly wellness seminars at POLO. Tapped to conduct them is Assistant Labor Attache Angelica Sunga, who is a registered nurse in the Philippines.

Over the past weeks, Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection has been posting daily advisories on preventing heat stroke and sunburn “in very hot weather”.

Part of the advisory states:

"The public should carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities," a spokesman for the CHP said.

             "Those engaged in strenuous outdoor activities should avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcohol, as they speed up water loss through the urinary system," the spokesman explained.

            "The obese, the sick, including those with heart disease or high blood pressure, the old and the young are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. They should pay special attention," the spokesman added.

            The public should adopt the following precautions:

1) Wear loose and light-coloured clothing to reduce heat absorption and facilitate sweat evaporation and heat dissipation;

2) Avoid vigorous exercise and prolonged activities like hiking or trekking as heat, sweating and exhaustion place additional demands on the physique;

3) Perform outdoor activities in the morning or late afternoon;

4) For indoor activities, open all windows, use a fan or use air-conditioning to maintain good ventilation; and

5)  Reschedule work to cooler times of the day.

If working in a hot environment is inevitable, introduce shade in the workplace where practicable, and start work slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Get into a cool area for rest at regular intervals to allow the body to recuperate.”

Nasobrahan sa pagiging pangahas

Saklot ng pagsisi si Linda, 45, ng Pangasinan matapos niyang mapagtripan na gupitan ang aso ng kanyang amo na ikinagalit nito sa kanya, at naging sanhi para siya palayasin. Masyado kasing naging kampante si Linda dahil sa kabaitan ng amo kaya huli na nang mapagtanto niya na naging masyado siyang pangahas.

Aminado naman siyang mali ang kanyang ginawa, at sana man lang sana ay tinanong niya muna ang amo niya tungkol dito.

Pagdating ng amo galing sa trabaho ay ganoon na lang ang pagkabigla nang makita ang sobrang iksi ng buhok ng aso kaya nagtatalak nang nagtatalak, at pinalayas siya kinabukasan.

Mabuti na lamang at natiyempo na nangangailangan ng katulong si Paupau -- nanay ng kanyang amo -- at sinalo siya nito.

Ngayon ay ingat na si Linda kay Paupau at lagi nang isinasangguni ang nais gawin sa bahay nito. Nameligro siyang mawalan ng trabaho, bagay na ayaw na niyang maulit.

Malaki ang kanyang pasalamat kay Paupau sa pagtitiwalang ibinigay sa kanya sa kabila ng kanyang kapalpakan. – George Manalansan

Isang kaibigang tunay

Nagkakilala sina Florence, 49,  at Ana, 42, sa Hong Kong mga pitong taon na ang nakakaraan at naging matalik na magkaibigan. Lagi silang magkasama sa mga lakad sa unang limang taon ng kanilang pagkakilala, at nagdadamayan tuwing may problema ang bawat isa.

Kailan lang ay nasubok ang lalim ng kanilang magandang samahan nang ihanap ni Florence ng amo si Ana, na nagdesisyong umuwi na at magpakasal dalawang taon na ang nakakaraan. Kahit kasi nagkalayo na sila ay patuloy pa rin ang kanilang kamustahan sa Facebook.

Dahil may edad na nang nag-asawa ay hindi na nagkaanak si Ana, kaya naisipan ng kanyang asawa na bumalik sa kanyang trabaho sa Qatar para madagdagan ang kanilang ipon. Nagdesisyon si Ana na bumalik na lang din sa Hong Kong, na sinang-ayunan naman ng asawa.

Dahil sa kanyang edad ay nagdalawang isip si Ana na mag-apply sa ahensya kaya naisip na humingi na lang ng tulong kay Florence. Nangako naman si Florence na tutulong, at agad na kinausap ang mabait na amo kung mayroon ba itong kaibigan na naghahanap ng katulong.

Pagbalik ng amo kamakailan galing sa bakasyon ay ibinalita nito kay Florence na inirekomenda niya ang kaibigan nito sa kapatid, at pumayag naman ito. Tuwang tuwa naman si Florence dahil makakabalik na rin ang kaibigan sa Hong Kong, at mas madalas pa niya itong makakasama.

Tuwang tuwa din si Ana dahil may mabait siyang kaibigan katulad ni Florence. Sa ngayon ay naghihintay na lamang ng visa si Ana para makabalik ng Hong Kong at mag-umpisang manilbihan sa among taga Aberdeen. Si Florence na tubong Iloilo ay halos 10 taon na sa mabait na amo na taga Kennedy Town. – Ellen Asis

2 Pinay moms fail in final bid to stay with kids in Hong Kong

Two Filipina mothers have failed to get permission from the High Court to go to the Court of Final Appeal to challenge the Immigration Department’s refusal to let them stay on in Hong Kong to be with their resident children.

Milagros T. Comilang, Desiree R. Luis and their co-applicant/co-appellant children, who were all on Legal Aid, were also ordered by the Court of Appeal on Jul 24 to pay the Immigration Director’s court costs of $250,000.

The High Court.

Comilang and Luis, both former domestic helpers, filed separate applications on Jun 4 to seek leave to appeal the appellate court’s decision denying them the right to remain in Hong Kong so they could look after their children who are all minors.

Named as co-applicants were Comilang’s daughter Zarah Noor Ahmed and Luis’ three sons David John, Carl Benz and Mark Joelry.

Gladys Li, SC,who represented the mothers, cited “great general or public importance” as the main ground for asking for leave to appeal. She also cited international laws to support her claim that the CA had failed to consider the appeal properly.

The two mothers and their children, through Li, raised nine questions, including whether a non-Hong Kong resident parent-caregiver and her resident child could not rely on Art 37 of the Basic Law to guarantee their enjoyment of family life in Hong Kong.

The three justices sitting as Court of Appeal, answered all the questions point by point, before refusing the application.

While accepting that the case could have potential impact on other families similarly situated, the CA said they were not convinced any of the questions raised on behalf of the appellants were reasonably arguable and satisfied the requirements for using the “general public interest” ground.

The application stemmed from the decision by the Court of Appeal on Mar 26 this year, dismissing the appellants’ challenge to the Director of Immigration’s decision denying them the right to remain in Hong Kong.

Comilang married a Pakistani citizen in April 2005 and gave birth to Zahrah on Feb 2, 2006, who acquired permanent residency by birth. Since September 2007, Comilang had made several futile applications to extend her stay in Hong Kong so she could take care of her daughter.

Desiree Luis married a fellow Filipino domestic helper in 1997, and they had four sons, the
eldest of whom was born in the Philippines and the three others in Hong Kong. Her second son has gained permanent resident status.

Since 2011, Luis had applied but failed to get an extension of stay to take care of her three sons in Hong Kong, so she overstayed. In May 2014, Luis applied for leave for judicial review, which was granted her in July that year.

However, her appeal against the Director’s rejection of her application to stay in Hong Kong was also denied in March this year.

The Court was made up of Vice President Justice of Appeal Jeremy Poon, who penned the decision; and Chief Judge Andrew Cheung and Vice President Justice of Appeal Johnson Lam.

POLO vows help for OFWs forced to undergo useless ‘retraining’

By Vir B. Lumicao

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office has vowed to take action against employment agencies that require overseas Filipino workers returning to Hong Kong to undergo retraining despite being in possession of valid training certificates.

Labor Attache Nida Romulo issued the statement after being told that agencies in the Philippines are requiring holders of Tesda (Technical Education Skills Development Authority ) NCII certificates to go through  training again because the document has been renamed.

Labor Attache Nida Romulo interviews workers who were made to retrain for new NCII.

But Romulo cautioned the affected OFWs to ensure they have documentary evidence such as receipts so POLO can take action.

“Kailangang meron tayong ebidensiya laban doon sa mga ikino-complain natin ha, kasi mas maganda iyon dahil may mga aksiyon tayong gagawin,” Romulo said, as three workers dopped by her office on Jul 29 to complain against the retraining.

Other Hong Kong-bound workers who are still processing their papers in Manila have also told The SUN about the new practice of agencies.

Training is one of the biggest costs borne by a Filipino worker before she flies to her destination abroad. A two-week training offered by agency partners costs upwards of PhP15,000.

The agencies are apparently capitalizing on the name change of NCII , which was for “household service,” to a new certificate for “domestic work” to further squeeze money from OFW applicants.

One worker who said she still had three years left in the validity of her NCII was charged PhP25,000 for retraining. She said she had used two years of the five-year validity certificate as a domestic helper in Malaysia.

Her two companions, who were charged PhP26,000 each, had worked previously in Kuwait and Malaysia.

Filipino community leader Leo Selomenio said she has also received reports about the apparent scam being used on returning OFWs. “Marami talaga”, she said in a message.

One worker who went through a new training offered by an agency partner said she and her batchmates were taught nothing new. “We were just made to watch videos,” she said.

Romulo said her office will forward the complaints to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in Manila.

 “Unang-una, i-endorse natin iyan sa POEA para sa anumang dapat nilang gawin doon. Sabay niyan dito ay pag-aaralan namin, kasi kung madami talaga kayo ay bakit ganun, di ba? May gagawin din kaming mga aksiyon,” Romulo said.

However, she did not specify what action might be taken against the errant agencies.

Earlier, Assistant Labor Attaché Ma Nena German also said there was no need for holders of valid NCII certificates to retrain.

She said all they have to do is go to assessment centers accredited by the Tesda and show their valid NCII and employer’s certificates to get the new certification.

German said the name change was announced by Tesda in a resolution some time ago. But she said the costly retraining can be avoided if the worker would just go for skills assessment and pay only Php470-630.

Foreign domestic workers in HK call for $5,500 minimum wage

By Daisy CL Mandap

The speakers show what they hope to bring
 to tomorrow's meeting with HK labor officials

Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong are calling for their minimum monthly salary to be raised to $5,500, and their food allowance to no less than $2,500 a month.

The call was issued earlier today, Aug 6, a day before the biggest support organizations for migrant workers were due to meet with Hong Kong labour officials for the yearly consultation on the “minimum allowable wage” (MAW) for foreign domestic helpers.

The migrant workers, along with three of the biggest organizations fighting for their rights and welfare, announced their position at a media briefing called to unveil the findings of a survey that shows where their monthly earnings go.

The joint study by the Mission for Migrant Workers and the Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrants showed that three-fifths (3/5) of FDWs’ salaries, or $2,700 goes to paying for goods and services in Hong Kong, leaving only about $1,700 for savings and family remittance.

Given these figures, the Mission said: “It is estimated that they (migrant workers) infuse over $562 million per month or over $6.75 billion per year towards the Hong Kong economy through purchases alone.”

Despite their huge contribution to the local economy, the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB) said in a statement that wages given to FDWs leave them unable to cope with the steady rise in the cost of goods, utilities and services in Hong Kong.

Using the government’s own estimates of the cost of living in Hong Kong, and even granting that FDWs have to live with their employers, AMCB said they should be getting $5,585 for working 10 hours a day on average.

The demand for a $2,500 monthly food allowance is also said to be based on government statistics on the per capita expenditure on food by Hong Kong residents.

According to the group, the current minimum wage of $4,410 is “a measly 44%” of what is needed for a person to survive in Hong Kong. The current monthly food allowance of $1,053 is said to be 59% lower than what is considered sufficient in the city.

AMCB spokesperson Dolores Balladares-Pelaez said that her group intends to bring to tomorrow’s meeting a reiteration of their call to be paid the same wages as local workers, and for the government to use a more transparent scheme for computing the MAW.

Indonesian migrant leader Sringatin, also of AMCB, said they also want to call on both Hong Kong and the sending countries to work jointly on promoting the rights and welfare of FDWs, and acknowledge their great contribution to their respective economies.

The Mission’s Cynthia Tellez said that her group would push for a more realistic MAW based on a more transparent mechanism - and “better yet”, align it with the statutory minimum wage for other workers in Hong Kong.

She also wants the Hong Kong government to actively address the recurring issues of illegal recruitment and illegal agency fees, and to enact an anti-human trafficking law based on the United Nations-Palermo protocol.

APMM’s Ramon Bultron backed the other groups’ calls, but put emphasis on ensuring that the rights and welfare of FDWs are protected, and reiterated the need for Hong Kong to pass a law against human trafficking.

He also called on the media and other groups to continue working with organizations that support and promote the rights of migrants.

5 Pinoys lose valuables to jailed Repulse Bay thief

The intense summer heat prompts many people to go to Repulse Bay beach

By Vir B. Lumicao

A 29-year-old Chinese man was jailed for eight months on Friday, Aug 3 after he pleaded guilty in Eastern Court to five charges of stealing the properties of Repulse Bay beachgoers who included five Filipinos, three of them tourists.

Lo Kam-fuk, a construction worker and HKID holder, was sentenced by Magistrate Peter Law after admitting to stealing various items between Jul 21 and 31 this year.

His first victims were tourists Sebastien Zoe G. Rodriguez, 17; Mark Francis Almonte, 22, and Ian Jeric Gatmaitan, 23, who went swimming near No.1 observatory at Repulse Bay Beach on Jul 21.

They placed one Nikon camera, one Gopro camera, a pair of sunglasses, on G-shock wristwatch, a white and brown waistbag, a Philippine passport, a Security bank credit card, a BDO debit card, an iPhone 7 mobile phone and $700 cash in Sebastien’s green backpack before they went into the water.

When they came ashore around 5:10pm, they found the backpack gone, and immediately reported the loss to the police. They had all since returned to Manila.

At about 7pm on Jul 24, Merly B. dela Cruz, 50, and her friend Nora Berondo, 49, Filipinas who both held HKIDs, also lost a blue handbag containing their belongings near No. 3 observatory at the same beach. The bag contained two brown wallets, two Hang Seng Bank cards, a wrist watch, a pair of earrings, a ring, $580 cash, a HKID card, another blue bag, as well as a Sony and Honor mobile phones. 

The thief struck again around 7:30pm on Jul 28, this time near No. 4 observatory, and made off with one black rucksack containing $400 cash and a Samsung mobile phone  owned by Kwok Chi-hang.

On Jul 29, Lo returned to the beach at 5pm to steal again, but the blue bag he took from an “unknown person” contained just a pair of sunglasses, five keys and one lipstick.

He went back to the beach near No. 2 observatory at 8:05pm on Jul 31 and stole a rucksack containing two black wallets, $200 cash, 63 yuan, a driver’s license, a bank card, two Netherlands passport and an iPhone 6 mobile phone belonging to Dutch tourists Johanes S. Mulder, 19, and Floris M. Hagedoorn, 21.

That was Lo’s last outing, however, as a police officer who was staking out the area intercepted and arrested him.

The court was not told if any, or all of the missing items, had been recovered.

      

Kaibigang putik pala ito

Laking pagsisisi ni Christine dahil nagtiwala siya sa isang kaibigan na biglang naglaho matapos niyang ipangutang ng $38,000 sa isang financing company. Muntik pa siyang nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa 10 taon na pagtatrabaho niya sa amo ay ngayon lang ito nadismaya sa kanya.

Dahil sa hindi nabayaran ng kaibigan niyang sinungaling ang utang ay natawagan siya ng kolektor sa landline ng kanyang mga amo na nagkataong nasa bahay ng mga oras na iyon. Naiiyak na humingi ng paumanhin si Christine at sinabi ang totoong dahilan kung bakit nagkautang siya ng ganoong kalaking halaga.

Ilang araw din siyang hindi nakapagtrabaho ng maayos dahil sa takot na baka i-terminate siya dahil sa kanyang kapalpakan. Ibinigay niya kasi sa pautangan pati ang address ng amo ng walang pahintulot.

Nang biglang maglaho ang dating kaibigan ay noon lang napagtanto ni Christine na ni hindi niya kilala ang sino mang kaibigan nito o kapamilya. Mabuti na lang at nanaig pa rin ang kabaitan ng mga amo at inalok siya na babayaran nila ng buo ang utang, at ibabawas na lang sa suweldo niya buwan-buwan sa loob ng isang taon.

Pero may kundisyon ang amo na kung gagawin pang muli ni Christine ang mangutang ay tatanggalin na siya at hindi babayaran para sa long service. Laking pasalamat ni Christine sa alok ng amo, at agad na ipinaalam sa asawa at apat na anak na mababawasan ang kanyang padala sa kanila buwan-buwan habang binabayaran ang utang na hindi naman niya napakinabangan.

Nakilala ni Christine ang kaibigan sa isang pagtitipon apat na taon na ang nakakaraan at mula noon ay lagi na silang magkasama tuwing Linggo. Hindi akalain ni Christine na gagamitin ng kaibigan ang kanilang matagal na pinagsamahan para maisakatuparan ang pangarap na magandang buhay, na siyang gusto rin niya para sa sarili.

Kahit nanghihinayang si Cristine sa isang taong pagbabayad inisip pa rin nya na swerte nya at hindi sya na terminate ng kanyang employer. Si Christine at 42 taong gulang, taga Davao at nagtatrabaho sa Kennedy Town. - Rodelia Villar

Pinoys in US$5B bank draft case denied bail

By Vir B. Lumicao

District Court.

Three Filipino male tourists, one of whom is a government lawyer, failed in their attempt to gain temporary freedom after an Eastern Court magistrate denied their bail application on Jul 19,  saying their offense of trying to pass off a fake US$5billion bank draft as genuine, was a serious one.

The failed bail bid happened two days after two other Filipino male tourists appeared in District Court, both charged with trying to encash fake bank instruments worth nearly US$1trillion. One tried to encash fake traveler’s checks worth US$50,000 in February this year, while the other tried to get a fake HSBC deposit slip with a face value of a whopping US$943 billion credited to his account in April.

In the first case, Elmer P. Soliman, 57, his son Eric Jude P. Soliman, 31, and Eliseo L. Martinez returned to the court with bail money and addresses to stay in Hong Kong in case they gain temporary release, as well as a promise not to leave the city and report to police daily.

But that did not convince Magistrate Peter Law to grant their bail applications. He ordered the three defendants, who are facing a charge of “using a false instrument”, were ordered back in jail.

HSBC staff called police after seeing the fake US$5billion bank draft

Soliman and his son, who claimed to be a secretary and engineer, respectively, submitted an address on Jordan Road near the Tsimshatsui Police Station. They also offered bail money of $15,000 each and their Hong Kong Chinese friend who was in court was ready to put up a surety of $3,000 each, their lawyer told Law.

Third defendant Martinez, a lawyer, offered bail of $15,000 in addition to an offer of $15,000 surety from his friend “Mr Pieter”,  a Hong Kong resident. His lawyer also offered a new address, also in Saikung, where Martinez would reside.

Despite the offers, however, Law remained firm in refusing their bail applications, saying the charge against them was serious. But he said they could try their luck at the High Court.

Law told Martinez he had considered his case separately, but rejected his bail application. 

Martinez, wearing a red round-neck shirt, smiled to his wife and daughter as he emerged in the dock along with the Solimans. The daughter wiped off her tears as she beheld her father, a 46-year-old municipal lawyer in Tarlac province.

For the Solimans, a son and grandson of Elmer came with two local Chinese friends and a Filipina companion.

  Magistrate Law said the case could now go to a pre-trial review on Aug. 9.

The three defendants were arrested on Jun 25 at the HSBC main office in Central after they tried to open an account using the fake bank draft worth US$5 billion. Two other unidentified persons who were with them were initially arrested but were later released by the police.

The prosecution said the elder Soliman approached a female staff to open an account. He then presented the bank draft that was handed to him by Martinez. The staff called the police when they noticed that the bank instrument was spurious.

A raid on their hotel room in Tsimshatsui followed, and police seized a suitcase with documents. Investigations are continuing.

In the District Court, Filipino tourists Noel Rambuyon and Brudencio Bolaños appeared for the first hearing of their individual cases of “using a false instrument” since the transfer of their respective cases from Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho.

No plea was taken from either of the defendants. Their lawyer from Legal Aid applied for a six-week adjournment to study the cases.

Judge Gary Lam adjourned the cases until Sept 4 and ordered Rambuyon and Bolaños back in jail.

Bolaños was arrested on Apr 9 after he allegedly tried to update his account at HSBC on using the US$943 billion deposit slip.

Staff called police after he allegedly tried to convince them that the document was genuine.

Rambuyon faces a charge of using a false instrument after his arrest around the Lunar New Year this year when he presented the Thomas Cook traveler’s checks worth US$50,000 for exchange at a money shop in Central.

A police forensic examination determined that the travelers checks were fake, and this was confirmed by the bank that used to issue similar instruments in Britain.

The cases are the latest in a recent string of similar incidents involving Filipino tourists, mostly professionals who are middle aged to elderly, trying to pass off as genuine fake bank instruments supposedly worth astounding sums.

A Consulate officer had earlier said the resurgence of money scams involved people claiming access to Marcos-era hidden wealth in the form of bank instruments and looking for investors who are willing to exchange these for cash in Hong Kong.

There are now three other such cases pending in the District Court.