4 suspected illegal workers arrested during covert operations

A mainland woman who provided sale & delivery services was among those arrested

 Four suspected illegal workers were arrested yesterday, Sept. 29, during two separate undercover operations.

In the first case, a mainland resident aged 36 was arrested for allegedly providing cross-boundary purchase and delivery services.

Immigration investigators posing as customers booked such services after checking Mainland social media platforms and identified several suspicious posts. However, only one suspect was arrested for breaching her condition of stay by engaging in illegal work.

In a separate operation, immigration officers posed as customers as they targeted 11 massage parlors. A total of three suspected illegal workers comprising one man and two women aged 32 to 49 were arrested.

An investigation is still being conducted into who had employed them.

Tourists found to have engaged in unauthorized work in Hong Kong could be punished for up to two years in prison and fined a maximum of $50,000.

If the illegal worker is an overstayer, illegal immigrant or subject to a deportation order the maximum jail term is three years, plus $50,000 fine.

Employers face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.

Shoplifting costs DH 25 days in prison

 

Store where offense took place (Google Maps photo)

Many people may view shoplifting, or taking items from a store and leaving without paying for them, as a minor offense that sometimes go unpunished.

Domestic helper Esther Rosimo, however, learned that the offense would cost her a total of 25 days in prison.

Rosimo, 49 years old, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft in a hearing at Kowloon City Court last Friday (Sept. 26) before Acting Principal Magistrate Peony Wong.

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Magistrate Wong sentenced her to 20 days after she admitted taking the following from a Wellcome Supermarket on Austin Road, Yau Ma Tei, last August 17: 22 boxes of Eclipse candy, six packs of sliced cuttlefish, two packs of nut, 16 boxes of peanuts,  eight salmon Snackits, one box of 3in1 white coffee, two boxes of 2in1 white coffee, one box of pizza, six boxes of shrimp shaomai, two Fumakilla vape skin mist, two roti paratha, eight packs of Mosquitout patch and three bottles of anti-bug spray.

Rosimo was sentenced another 10 days for stealing two boxes of salmon fillet at the same Wellcome store more than two weeks later, on Sept. 3.

Wong ordered that five days in the second sentence run at the same time as the first, leaving a total of 25 days.

DH pleads guilty to laundering nearly $1M

 

Another domestic helper pleaded guilty to money laundering today at Kwun Tong Court, but her sentencing was put off for two weeks for a background check.

Lea Callo, 32 years old, was accused of handling proceeds from crime amounting to $937,789.50  by allowing the use of her Bank of China account through deposits and withdrawals made between May 24 and Oct, 26, 2022.

She was charged with dealing with property known of believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence, in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

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Callo was remanded to jail to await her sentencing on Oct 13.

Also remanded was Jeresa Baylon, 44 years old and unemployed, who is facing a similar case which had been adjourned to Nov. 28.

Baylon appeared at Fan Ling Court last Friday (Sept. 26) accused of handling $5,144,27.30  of funds derived from crime through her Standard Chartered Bank account between July 1 and Oct. 25, 2023.

Because of the amount involved, with is beyond what magistracy courts are allowed to penalize, the case is likely to be elevated to the District Court.

Minimum wage for FDHs raised to $5100

 

The new MAW is significantly lower than the $6,712 demanded by migrants' groups

The government has raised the minimum allowable wage for foreign domestic helpers to $5,100 per month, higher by 2.2 percent from the current $4,990.

The food allowance for those not provided free food by their employers will remain at the same rate of $1,236 per month for the second consecutive year.

The new MAW will apply to all FDH contracts signed on or after tomorrow, Sept. 30. Those signed today or earlier will still be processed at the existing MAW of $4,990 provided that the applications reach Immigration Department on or before Monday, October 27.

The biggest alliance of FDH groups, the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, did not reject the wage increase outright, saying it was the result of relentless campaigning of migrant domestic workers’ groups.

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However, it is still a far cry from the “living wage” of $6,172 that they had been fighting for.

On the other hand, it came as a relief as well, since a pro-employers' group had asked for a wage freeze, a call vehemently condemned by AMCB.

What AMCB deplored was the government’s decision not to increase the food allowance which they called “seriously unhealthy and insufficient” especially considering the continuing food price increases in Hong Kong.

“Such a move will leave many MDWs (migrant domestic workers) struggling with whatever little finances they have in order to afford decent meals everyday,” said AMCB.

But in its statement, the government said that in coming up with the MAW, it ensures that its level is commensurate with Hong Kong’s economic and labor market conditions.

As before, it considered a “basket of factors” including Hong Kong’s general economic performance and labor market conditions over the past year, near-term economic outlook, affordability of FDH employers, basic living needs of FDHs and views or different stakeholders.

The Philippine government itself has stipulated a minimum wage of US$500 monthly for overseas Filipino workers in its latest advisory, which is far lower than what Hong Kong provides for MDWs.

HK to test for more cancers

Lo says the new screenings will be for lung, liver and cervical cancers

Hong Kong’s plan to roll out more screening schemes for cancer will target lung, liver and cervical cancers, Secretary for Health Lo Chung Mau said Sunday.

These are on top of the screening programs already in place for colorectal cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer.

Lo told reporters after a radio interview that cancer is the number one killer in Hong Kong, claiming the lives of 15,000 people year, so early diagnosis is important.

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He said artificial intelligence or AI will be used for the screening of lung cancer, which afflicts the most number of people in Hong Kong.

A local university will be tapped to conduct the AI-aided screening, which will target individuals with a history of lung cancer in the family. The program is expected to start early next year.

As for liver cancer, he said the government will look for possible carriers of hepatitis B, which is the cause of 80% of all liver cancers.

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To do this, the government will incorporate the testing in its Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme, which is at present targeting patients with high blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol level.

As with the existing scheme, he said, “the percentage of subsidy and co-care will be roughly in half-half.”

He said the liver cancer screening will be rolled out in phases and will initially target high-risk individuals, including those born before 1988 and did not receive the universal hepatitis B vaccination, as well as family members of the virus carriers.

“We estimate there will still be roughly over 400,000 chronic hepatitis B carriers, and 40 percent of them…don’t know that they are carriers themselves,” said Lo.

“The most common …among those are the family members, so these are the targets we are looking at, and that will be the program we are rolling out.”

He said there are roughly 700,000 family members of chronic hepatitis B carriers and about 40 percent of them, or 300,000 are eligible for screening.

The last scheme will involve testing for the human papillomavirus or HPV, which almost always causes cervical cancer.

Currently, cervical cancer screenings are provided at maternal and child care centers and clinics run by non-government organizations, which charge a nominal fee.

Women aged 25 to 65 who have had sex are urged to do the test annually, as they are the most vulnerable to HPV infection.

 

535 OFWs take Philippine teachers’ board exam in HK

 

The examination started shortly after 8am last Sunday at the OFW Global Centre

A total of 535 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) took the Special Professional Licensure Examination for Teachers held at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Global Center in Admiralty on Sept. 21.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in the Philippines administered the SPLE simultaneously in Hong Kong, Thailand and across various testing centers in the Philippines. A similar examination was held in June this year in the Middle East, Singapore and Taiwan.

It was the first time that the SPLE was held in Hong Kong again since 2019, after pro-democracy protests and the Covid-19 pandemic halted it. Since then, the Filipino Overseas Professional Teachers (FOPT) in Hong Kong had lobbied to have it administered here again.

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FOPT president Gemma Lauraya said the examination for both elementary and high school teachers which began shortly after 8am went on without a hitch.  

However, a number of would-be examinees showed up without the required Notice of Admission (NOA), which was a pre-requisite to taking the examination. Most of them did not know that they had to secure the NOA before being allowed to sit the exam, while some did not get the certified true copy of their documents in time to secure the clearance.

A week before the SPLE, a delegation from the Professional Regulation Commission came to oversee final preparations and check the original copies of documents submitted online by the test applicants so they could be issued NOAs.

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Lauraya said her group is looking forward to a higher pass rate for the HK examinees, as it is not easy juggling domestic work and reviewing for the examination. The last time the SPLE was held here, the pass rate for HK examinees was a mere 13%.

Things are looking up for, however, as HK OFW Ma Adoracion R. Octavio who took the June SPLE in Taiwan placed second overall, securing an average grade of 89.20%.

Long before the OFW Center opened for registration, the examinees had already lined up

Officers at the Philippine Consulate have always encouraged OFWs with a degree in education to take the SPLE here, especially if they wish to return home and teach.

If they pass, they can apply for placement in a public school in the Philippines under the “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am, Sir” (SPIMS), a reintegration project for OFWs which is now administered by the Department of Migrant Workers.

The DMW’s Migrant Workers Office and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration offices in HK collaborated with the Philippine Consulate General and the PRC in administering test.

The FOPT provided administrative support and co-organized free review sessions provided earlier by the Carl Balita Review Center.

Court rejects $30K bail offer by Pinoy claiming to have US$10B in HSBC

 

HSBC branch where incident was reported (Google Maps photo)  

An elderly Filipino charged with using a false instrument after presenting papers purporting to show he had US$10 billion in deposits at Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., returned to confinement Frday after his offer of $30,000 cash bail was refused at Eastern Court.

The amount offered by the lawyer of Ramon Revillosa Jr, 69, for his release from Siu Lam Hospital in Tuen Mun was 50% higher than the $20,000 he offered last Sept. 19. He has been remanded since arrest last Feb. 10.

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Principal Magistrate David Cheung told Revillosa that he rejected both offers because the charge against him was serious and his release will be a threat to himself and the community as he was still under psychiatric treatment, which doctors recommended should last four to six months.

Magistrate Cheung left untouched two hearing dates that he had set earlier – Oct. 3 to review Revillosa’s second psychiatric report and Nov. 6 to accept his plea of either guilty or not guilty.

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Revillosa is alleged to have presented a bank capability letter, guarantee letter and a certificate of balance, all purporting to have a value of US$10 billion and issued by HSBC, which he “knew, or believed to be, false”.

Using a false instrument is punishable under section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance with up to 14 years in jail.

Indo DH, local man arrested for ‘wave chasing’ with 2 kids

 

Kennedy Town waterfront, where the alleged 'wave chasing' happened

Hong Kong police have announced the arrest of an Indonesian domestic helper and a local man said to be the father of two young boys they took to watch waves along the Kennedy Town waterfront at the height of the onslaught of Super Typhoon Ragasa.

The arrests was prompted by a video that surfaced online on Sept 24 showing two adults and two young children watching waves crash near the shore at the intersection of Cadogan Street and Kennedy Town.

Many netizens expressed concern for the boys’ safety as powerful waves could be seen frequently slamming onto the road amid the No 10 typhoon signal, despite protective wire netting along the coast.

Western Police District officers who investigated the incident said the two boys were not harmed in the dangerous excursion.

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But as a result, their 46-year-old father and the family’s 33-year-old Indonesian helper were arrested for allegedly endangering the safety of the two boys aged 4 and 6 years old.

Earlier, two women, an Indian and a Sri Lankan, were also arrested after videos showed them taking selfies amid the raging storm along the coast in South Horizons, with an eight-year-old boy in tow.

The video captured them being engulfed by a strong wave, which police later said caused some bruising on the child’s legs and palms, while the women were not injured.

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Police said they are also following up the case of a family of three falling into the sea as they watched powerful waves crashing on the shores of Lei King Wan in Chai Wan.

The three were taken to hospital, and the father has since been discharged. But the mother and her 5-year-old son who were previously in critical condition, are now said to be stable. 

Police have called on the public to offer support to the recovering mother and child, who have not been spared for calls for similar prosecution.

They are also said to be looking at videos online if there were other people who had taken young children to engage in the so-called wave-chasing activity while the T10 warning signal was in forces.

PCG warns OFWs to beware of offers of ‘free groceries’

 

Not true that the HK govt is giving free groceries to OFWs, says PCG

The Philippine Consulate General has warned overseas Filipino workers to be wary of a post advising them to go to a shop in Sham Shui Po to avail of free groceries worth $5,000 supposedly from the Hong Kong government.

The post also said OFWs aged 65 and above can also avail of free eye check-up and eyeglasses from an optical shop in Central.

“No such program (from the Hong Kong government) exists,” said Vice Consul Gino Soriano, head of the assistance to nationals section.

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Even if it were true that groceries were being given away free to Filipino domestic workers, Soriano said they were definitely not from the Hong Kong government.

He said the post that has been circulated within the Filipino community has already been reported to the Aberdeen Police Station in Western District for a possible investigation.

In its advisory titled “Warning Against Scam Messages Offering Aid from Hong Kong Government” the PCG said such offer of free deals and rewards may be attempts to lure possible victims into disclosing and sharing their personal information which will then be used for such criminal activities as money laundering.

“The Filipino community is advised to be vigilant and discerning with random messages received online,” said the advisory.

Shared HKID cards and personal details may lead to one being dragged into a scam, says PCG

Checks with some OFWs who admitted to dealing with the two shops mentioned in the post revealed that no free groceries are actually being offered, but products aimed at the elderly, which are charged against the $2,000 medical vouchers given as a benefit by the HK government to any resident aged 65 years old and above, including migrant domestic workers.

As many OFWs are not aware that they can use these vouchers for medical, dental and eye check-ups with many clinics across Hong Kong, including such reputable chains as Quality Health Care, they are made to feel that they are getting a freebie when their Elderly Care Health vouchers are being charged for everything that is given them.

The vouchers that may be used for all kinds of medical and wellness services including physiotherapy, acupuncture and such, can also be accumulated to up to $8,000 their value if not used fully or partially.

To use the vouchers, all that the entitled resident should do is present his or her HKID card to any clinic that accepts them, and the charges that they should be informed about is deducted from the outstanding balance in their account.

For full information about the medical voucher scheme, please click on this link: https://www.hcv.gov.hk/en/index.html

As for sharing their HKID card and other personal details such as mobile phone number and address with an unknown group, the PCG’s warning is also very timely, given the prevalence of scams in HK and the number of OFWs who fall for them, particularly money laundering.

 

 

Migrant workers hit out at call for wage freeze

 

A Labour Dept representative receives the protesters' statement calling for $6172 minimum wage

Migrant domestic workers again picketed the Labour Department offices in Sheung Wan on Thursday to demand that their minimum wage be raised to $6,172 and denounce calls by an employer support group to freeze wages.

Protesters under the banner of the Asian Migrants Coordinating (AMCB) have reiterated their long-standing demand for a “living wage,” as the government is set to announce the result of its annual review of the minimum allowable wage (MAW) for MDWs.

Traditionally, the new MAW is made to take effect starting in October each year. Currently, it is set at $4,990 each month, while the food allowance for those who are not provided free food by their employers get an extra $1,236.

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Apart from outlining their reasons for calling for an increase of more than $1,000 a month, the protestors also submitted the signatures of some 4,000 people from various sectors who support their call for a living salary and oppose calls for wage freeze.

AMCB spokesperson Rosidha said in a statement that migrant domestic workers “do not deserve a wage freeze.”

While it may be true that the Hong Kong economy is on the decline, she said MDWs should not be made to bear the brunt of the decline, as they are already suffering from “slave wages.”

The government should provide the solution to this problem, and not pass on the burden to them, said the protesters.

“We do not deserve a wage freeze now, much more a wage cut,” Rosidha said.

As a result of the slump that followed the onslaught of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003, the Hong Kong government imposed a $300 cut in the salaries of MDWs, the first and only time that it has done so.

Do not punish us more with a wage freeze, says AMCB

The call to freeze the MAW was made by the Quadripartite Alliance for Harmonious Employment Practices (QAHEP), which argued MDWs must do their part in alleviating the economic pinch.

“We can't think of a problem that will call for a wage freeze as a proper and logical solution, because it will cause more issues,” said Rosidha.

“The loan issue QAHEP is harping about? Wage freeze will eventually lead to more and bigger loans, as the wages of migrant workers are already too low to sustain our needs,” she added.

 

 

2 women arrested for taking child outdoors in T10 weather

Some people purposely go outdoors during stormy weather to witness the wrath of nature
(HK Free Press photo)
 

Police have arrested two women for allegedly endangering the life of an eight-year-old boy when they took him storm-chasing while Super Typhoon Ragasa was raging across Hong Kong, and Hurricane Signal No 10 was in force.

Officers said the two women, aged 32 and 36, along with the boy, were caught on video being hit by strong waves while they took selfies along the waterfront in South Horizons in Ap Lei Chau, on Wednesday afternoon.

The women, one of whom was said to be the boy’s mother, were described as friends. One of them is Indian and the other, Sri Lankan.

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Chief Inspector in Western District Cheung Wai-shan told reporters none of the three was seriously hurt but the boy had scrapes on his hands and feet.

Both women were arrested on suspicion of “ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of a child or young person."

"The government had called on the public through multiple channels – before Ragasa hit Hong Kong – not to go storm-chasing during the typhoon. But there were still people who did not listen, putting themselves in danger," Cheung said.

"The police force strongly condemned such irresponsible acts of those bringing young children storm-chasing under extreme weather conditions."

Cheung said the police will review footages uploaded online while Ragasa was raging to see if there are any other similar cases so they can take appropriate action.

She added that they had received reports of people entering a closed beach in Tuen Mun during the No 10 signal.

In the morning of the same day, a family of three was struck by giant waves as they were storm-chasing off Chai Wan. The mother and her 5-year-old son were washed into the sea, and the father jumped in to save them.

Their young daughter who accompanied them sobbed loudly from the shore as she watched the horrific scene unfold.

Luckily a group of people saw them, and immediately launched a rescue operation. All three were rushed to hospital where they are still confined.

The authorities have repeatedly warned people to stay well away from the harbor during stormy weather, or refrain from “wave chasing” activities as these endanger not only them, but rescue service personnel as well.

Despite the warnings, many people have been captured on videos going outdoors in severe weather condition to chase waves or test the winds as if it were a sport.

 

DH charged after dog in her care dies

 

To Kwa Wan development where offense allegedly took place (Google Maps photo) 

A domestic helper has found herself facing a criminal charge of cruelty to animals after a dog died while in her care at her employer’s home in To Kwa Wan, Kowloon.

L. Portelo was remanded in jail after she appeared in a hearing today before Magistrate Philip Chan at Kowloon City Court.

Portelo, 38 years old, is accused of “repeatedly kicking a dog” at a flat in the Sky Tower on Sung Wong Toi Road last Sept. 14.

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“The dog was later certified dead,” the charge filed by the Kowloon City Police said.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, under which Portelo is charged, prescribes maximum penalties of a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for 3 years.

Signal No 8 to remain until 8pm at least

 

Water barriers set up near the Lei Yue Mun pier (HK Free Press photo)

The Hong Kong Observatory has lowered Hurricane Signal No 10 to 8 at 1:20pm today, Wednesday, as Super Typhoon Ragasa spared the city from a direct hit, passing 120km around the south of Hong Kong earlier this morning. 

However, forecasters warned the public to remain alert, saying strong winds are still affecting many places of the territory. 

They also said the T8 signal will remain in place until 8pm tonight, and depending on how local winds weaken in the next few hours, it will be lowered to T3, which means all public transportation will resume service.

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Ragasa brought with it wind gusts exceeding 200 km per hour to some exposed and offshore areas, but the bigger part of the city only experienced around 100 km/hr winds. 

Despite warnings that Ragasa was stronger than Super Typhoon Mangkhut which wreaked extensive havoc in Hong Kong in 2018, the number of fallen trees this time appeared smaller, and reports of flooding and landslide were far lower. 

As of noon today, authorities received 437 reports of fallen trees while 15 reports of flooding, and one of landslide were recorded at 1pm.

A total of 62 people had sought treatment at public hospitals for various injuries as of noon.

This was despite photos and videos on social media showing major storm surges in coastal areas, including Victoria Harbour, Tai Po Kau and Tsim Bei Tsui where water levels rose up to 3.8 meters.

Man looks helplessly as waves crashed through the glass doors of Ocean Park Fullerton

A video that has gone viral showed waves crashing through the glass door of The Ocean Park Fullerton Hotel beside Ocean Park in Aberdeen, and a man in the lobby being washed away by the floodwaters.

However, the hotel later said no one was injured in the incident, and that it has immediately deployed additional staff to clean up the debris brought by the floodwaters. It has also assured that all its guests are safe and comfortable.

Ragasa caused the T10 signal to remain hoisted for 10 hours and 40 minutes, just 20 minutes shorter than the longest T10 ever raised for Typhoon York in 1999.

The super typhoon caused T8 to be raised at 2:20pm yesterday, then elevated to T9 at 2:20am today, before being raised further to T10 at 3:20am.

 

 

T10 up in HK, ‘likely to remain for some time’

 

Satellite image of Ragasa at 3am, Wednesday

Hurricane-force winds and heavy rain are lashing Hong Kong as Super Typhoon Ragasa continues to move closer to the city. The highest-level No 10 signal was raised at 2:40am on Wednesday, just one hour after T9 was issued.

The Hong Kong Observatory has warned the strongest weather warning is likely to remain for some time as Ragasa (rapid flow in Filipino) comes closest to the city later this morning, bringing with it strong winds, relentless downpour and thunderstorms.

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At 3am, Super Typhoon Ragasa was centered about 130km south-southeast of Hong Kong. It is expected to move west-northwest at about 22 km per hour, which means it would come closest to the city and the rest of Western Guangdong at about 9am.

In the past hour, maximum sustained wind speed at Waglan Island was 120 km/hr with gusts of over 143 km/hr. Earlier, maximum sustained wind speeds near Ragasa’s center reached 220 km/hr.

HK Observatory photo of Ragasa's approach 

All schools and offices will remain closed for the day, and there will be limited public transportation, if at all.

It is the second time that the No 10 signal has been raised this year, with the first one being issued for Typhoon Wipha in July.

Reports say it is the first time in more than 60 years that two T10s have been issued in the city within a year. In 1964, the highest-level storm warning was raised for Typhoon Ruby and Typhoon Dot.

Forecasters say Ragasa is one of the strongest typhoons to have been recorded globally this year. But since it entered within 400 km of the city only late in the afternoon, the damage has been minimal so far.

As of 2am, the Hospital Authority said five people had sought treatment at public hospitals. These included a family of three who were rescued after falling into the sea off Chai Wan. 

Authorities received 15 reports of fallen trees and one report of a landslide.

ICC charges Duterte with 3 counts of crimes against humanity

Duterte at his first appearance at ICC in The Hague

Former Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte has been charged with crimes against humanity for the dozens of murders that allegedly took place as part of his so-called war on drugs, launched between 2016 and 2018; and earlier killings while he was mayor of Davao City.

The 80-year-old who is detained at the ICC jail at The Hague, faces three charges: the first over his alleged involvement in the killings of 19 people between 2013 and 2016, while he was mayor of Davao City; the second involves 14 victims of targeted killings from 2016 to 2017; and the third, for the 43 people who died during so-called clearance operations between 2016 and 2018.

The ICC's charge sheet, which includes several redactions, dates from July but was only made public on Monday.

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Duterte is the first Asian head of state to be indicted by the ICC. He was flown in March to the The Hague in the Netherlands where the court is based, and has been detained there since.

Recently, his lawyers asked that Duterte not be indicted, citing his supposed poor mental state.

ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang said Duterte was an "indirect co-perpetrator" in the killings, which were allegedly carried out by others, including police, on his orders.

Prosecutors alleged how Duterte and his co-perpetrators "shared a common plan or agreement to 'neutralise' alleged criminals in the Philippines (including those perceived or alleged to be associated with drug use, sale or production) through violent crimes including murder".

The former leader who was called “The Punisher” during his term, has offered no apologies for the brutal “tokhang” killings of supposed drug addicts and pushers. Official figures put the number of victims to more than 6,000 but human rights activists say it could actually run in the tens of thousands.

Duterte said his anti-drugs crackdown was necessary to rid the country of street crimes, but critics saw it as his way of instilling fear and solidifying support for him and his allies.

Despite his detention, Duterte was again elected mayor of  Davao City in 2022. His youngest son, Sebastian Duterte has served as mayor in his stead.