Magbasa ka kasi

Hindi namin napigilang matawa nang mabasa ang isang balita na inilathala ng Inquirer, na nagsasabing ang Pilipino ang isa sa pinaka-mali ang pag-unawa sa nangyayari sa mundo.

Ayon sa Perils of Perception 2017 survey ng Ipsos, isa sa pinakamalaking kumpanyang gumagawa ng market research sa mundo, pumapangalawa lamang ang Pilipinas sa Brazil.

Ang basehan ng resultang ito ay mga tanong tungkol sa murder at suicide rates, terrorism death rates, at teenage pregnancy at health issues — mga tanong na may eksaktong kasagutan kaya madaling malaman kung ang sumasagot ay tama o nagdudunung-dunungan lang.

At hindi lang iyan. Ang mga Pilipino rin ay pumangalawa lang sa India sa pagging sigurado na sila ay tama, kahit sa katotohanan ay mali ang kanilang sagot.

May paliwanang ang gumawa ng pagsusuri kung bakit nangyayari ito. “We are often most incorrect on factors that are widely discussed in the media, such as deaths from terrorism, murder rates, immigration and teenage pregnancy,” ayon kay Bobby Duffy, ang managing director of Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute sa London. “There are multiple reasons for these errors – from our struggle with maths and proportions, to media and political coverage of issues, to social psychology explanations of our mental shortcuts or biases.”

Mayroon din kaming paliwanang kung bakit ganito ang Pilipino—mula sa aming sariling karanasan.

Tingnan mo ang aming Facebook page (hanapin ang The SUN Hong Kong) at makikita ang pagmamagaling ng Pilipino. May mga komento pa nga na malinaw na nagpapakitang hindi man lang nila binasa ang balitang kanilang tinutuligsa.

Hindi masamang magbigay ng opinyon. Magbasa nga lang muna para maintindihan ang sinasalihang diskusyon, at upang maiwasang ipakita na sila’y tanga.

May payo si James Madison Jr., ang ika-apat na pangulo ng Estados Unidos at isa sa sumulat ng Saligang Batas nito, sa mga pinipiling maging mangmang: “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.”

Bail refused for Pinoy tourist gang of pickpockets

Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho

A magistrate in Eastern Court rejected on May 3 a bail application by two of five Filipino tourists who are facing an attempted theft charge following a botched bid to pick the wallet of a Korean woman in April.

Four of the defendants appeared in court before Magistrate Peter Law. They were Rasim Linambos, Arlene Gerodias, Manuelito Camacho and Delia Neri.

A fifth defendant, Zenaida Aviles, was absent, as she was reportedly taken to a hospital a few days earlier because she vomited blood. She was scheduled to appear solo in the same court on May 2, but failed. Magistrate Law was told she remained in hospital.

Aviles, Linambos, Gerodias, Camacho and Neri were arrested on Apr 24 after their failed attempt to steal the Korean woman’s wallet in an MTR station on Hong Kong Island.

The attempt failed because the Korean felt someone was tugging at her wallet. It turned out the wallet was secured by a chain to the bag. Plainclothes police who were nearby arrested the five.

On May 3, the duty lawyer representing the five said Linambos was offering to put up a $2,500 bail for his temporary release while Gerodias was offering $1,650, but Law rejected their applications.

The magistrate adjourned their case until May 24 and ordered them remanded in custody.  - Vir B. Lumicao. All rights reserved.

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Pioneering court interpreter passes on after lingering illness

Menchu Rivera with her closest friends among the interpreters:
Jo Ann Bautista, Yollie Santos and Gigi Wearing-Smith

A well-loved member of the Filipino community who spent nearly four decades working as a court interpreter in Hong Kong, died in Manila early on Apr. 24.

Carmen Eizmendi Rivera, 75, who was fondly known as “Menchu” in the community, passed away due to bladder cancer. She left behind two children, Louie and Socci. A third, her youngest son Ramon, died from drowning three years ago.

Socci said in a message to Menchu’s friends in Hong Kong that her mom passed away peacefully after fighting a “very painful battle.” Socci said Menchu was cremated on the same day that she died, and her remains interred at the St. Therese Columbarium in Pasay City on Apr 29.

Mercifully, Menchu’s last hours were reportedly “filled with laughter, love and prayers.”

Menchu with Jan Yumul, who became close to the affable
interpreter while covering court stories for The SUN 

The jovial and sharp-witted interpreter was known for her fluency in Filipino, English and Spanish, and was often called upon to handle difficult court cases. She was friendly with many in the community, and was known for always turning up smartly dressed and well-coiffed for any occasion.

Told of how saddened people in the community were on hearing of her mother’s death, Socci said: “We all miss her. Her smile, her colourful and matching accessories…that's my mom!”

A longtime Hong Kong resident, Menchu joined the interpreter’s office of the Hong Kong Judiciary in 1981, and served until November last year, when she had to go home for medical treatment. She had noticeably lost weight by then, but remained her funny self that many of her friends were shocked to hear of her untimely death.

Several masses were offered for Menchu in Hong Kong, including one on Apr 21 by her interpreter-friends, shortly after news about her deteriorating condition was relayed by her son Louie; and another at the Philippine Consulate on Sunday, Apr 22. More masses were offered after she passed on. – Daisy CL Mandap

 

Louie Rivera (leftmost, on the floor) and Socci Cristi (in pink dress) were joined by relatives
at the inurnment of Menchu's ashes at St Therese Columbarium on Apr 29.

A memorial mass for Carmen “Menchu” Rivera will be held on May 19, 2018 (Saturday), 6pm, at the Catholic Centre on the 18th floor, Grand Building, 15-18 Connaught Road, Central. Join her family, friends and colleagues in commemorating Menchu’s life and passing.

Filipina in Fortress MTR incident taken to hospital

By The SUN 

(first posted: May 3, 2019)

A Filipina domestic worker is now under observation at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital after she was found acting strangely at Fortress Hill MTR Station on May 1.

Footages of the worker who appeared to be deep in prayer while reportedly chanting, “Ako ang tagapagligtas ninyong lahat”  went viral on Facebook after they were posted by fellow Filipinas who were at the MTR station at the time.

At one point, the OFW prostrated herself on the floor beside the station’s turnstiles, while security officers and other people watched. A Filipina in one of the videos could be heard telling the people around her that “she is Filipina.”

'Ako ang tagapagligtas ninyong lahat',
she reportedly chanted

The worker falls flat on the floor

A netizen later posted in one of the Facebook chats that the woman was her townmate in Southern Leyte. She said she had informed the OFW’s relatives of what happened, but assured them that she was already in the hospital.

Lorna Obedoza from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration office in Hong Kong confirmed to The SUN that the woman is a domestic helper working in North Point. Her employers had reportedly been told about the incident, and had visited her in the hospital.

Obedoza also confirmed that the worker's relatives in Southern Leyte had been informed.

The worker is said to be single, and has been working for the same employer for the past seven years. It is unclear what had caused her apparent breakdown.

The Police Public Relations Branch said in an emailed statement that the police received a report at about 9:15 am on May 1 about a “44-year-old foreign woman” causing obstruction to other users inside Fortress Hill Station.

“Upon police arrival, the woman was brought to Ruttonjee Hospital for medical treatment. The case was classified as ‘suspected mentally disordered person found’,” the police said. 

The helper was apparently moved afterwards to Eastern Hospital which has a psychiatric ward. 

Obedoza said OWWA was informed by friends of the worker about her situation on May 2. The welfare officer said her staff would visit her in hospital tomorrow afternoon.

Soon after the videos of the helper were posted, a clamor went up for the footages to be deleted, but some are still online, and continue to be shared. All Rights Reserved

Pinoy to do 160 hrs of community work for indecent assault on OFW leader

Magistrate said case was at "low end"of the offence

By Vir B. Lumicao

(May 2, 2018)

A technician convicted in Eastern Court on two counts of indecent assault on a Filipina community leader has been sentenced to 160 hours of community service.

Jesnar Bade, the 55-year-old offender, cried when Magistrate Cheung Kit-yee pronounced the sentence earlier today after receiving a copy of the community service report submitted by the defense lawyer.

He had been in custody since being convicted of the offence on Mar 27.

Bade had pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting the victim identified only as “Miss X”, who testified in open court about the incident in late July last year.  Bade chose not to give evidence.

“All women should be protected in their workplaces,” Cheung said, noting that Bade committed the two counts of indecent assault right in the workplace of the victim.

But the magistrate said she accepted the recommendation of the probation officer for  community service after considering the merits of the case, which she described as being at the low end of the indecent assault bracket, as well as Bade’s background.

She said it was the technician’s first offense; he had been working hard all his life; he had shown deep remorse and willingness to do community service, and he had the support of his wife, who was present in the courtroom.

Cheung ordered Bade to do 160 hours of community work on each charge to be served concurrently, specifying 8 hours of service every Sunday under the supervision of the probation officer.

She warned that in case of any breach of the probation order, the court would cancel the community service and impose a new sentence.

Miss X, married and a mother of three girls, testified that in late July last year, Bade embraced her from behind twice, trying to touch her breasts, when the technician was sent by his company G4S, to fix the alarm system at her employer’s house.

She said the assaults happened while she was learning how to bypass the alarm system. Each time, she said, she covered her breasts with her arms and halted Bade’s advances by elbowing him and telling him to stop.

DH fined $2,000 for shoplifting in supermarket

For taking several grocery items worth more than $700 without paying for them, a Filipina domestic worker was fined $2,000 by an Eastern Court magistrate on Apr 18.

Rosemarie Sano, a widow and mother of six, was convicted and fined by Magistrate Peter Law after she pleaded guilty to one count of theft.

The prosecution said the 55-year-old woman was observed by the manager of the Fusion by Park n Shop supermarket in Cyberport, Pokfulam, putting the goods in her rucksack on Mar 27.

When she tried to leave the supermarket without paying, the manager intercepted her and demanded to inspect the woman’s backpack.

Found inside the bag were a pack of sushi, a box of body lotion, four oranges, a pack of mushrooms, two eggplants, six pieces of avocado, a pack of vegetables, two packs of underwear and two packs of socks.

The manager called police and Sano was arrested. She was released after putting up a 1,000 bail.

The prosecutor said the defendant had a clear record.

In mitigation, the duty lawyer assigned to represent Sano asked for a lenient sentence by way of a fine, saying she had a clear record and had pleaded guilty to the charge.

He said Sano was a domestic helper earning $7,000 a month. Her husband died four years ago and she has single-handedly supporting her two daughters and four sons.

Magistrate Law said that as the value of goods Sano had stolen was quite large, he was imposing a fine of $2,000, half of it to be taken from her bail money and the remainder to be paid within one week. – VB Lumicao

DH fired after overstaying while in China sues employer

By Vir B. Lumicao 

A Filipina who had overstayed her visitor’s visa while she was on the mainland serving her employer, has filed a $112,000 claim against the latter for terminating her contract upon hearing her stay permit had expired.

Myles A. Alfaro laid the claim against Lin Haiyan, a mainland businesswoman residing in Hong Kong, but the defendant did not show up for the hearing in the Labour Tribunal on Apr 26.

The Labour Tribunal building on Gascoigne Road, Yaumatei.

The defendant sent her cousin, a Mr Kwok, as her representative purportedly because she was in Sri Lanka for an important business meeting.

Lin’s absence upset Presiding Officer Isabella Chu, who said she could not allow Kwok to represent the defendant as he was not in a position to address the issues against the employer.

Kwok explained that Lin had thought of appearing in the hearing but that she really had a very important business meeting.

Chu, however, did not accept that explanation.  She said the tribunal hearing was an equally important meeting that had been set a month ago.

She said Lin should have informed the Tribunal that she would be outside Hong Kong on the day of the hearing so that another date would have been booked.

“It’s not fair to the taxpayer. It’s not just the defendant who is busy, I am busy as well. Digest what I said to you just now: ‘Don’t waste the time of the court, don’t waste the taxpayers’ money.” 

She told Kwok the defendant would be charged the full cost of the day’s hearing, then instructed him to call Lin and ask her to choose a date in early May when she is available to attend court.

Alfaro tearfully expressed her concern that Lin might not appear again in the next hearing, but Chu assured her that in case that happens, she would deal with the case in favor of the domestic worker.

Alfaro is claiming $630 in arrears in wages, one-way air fare to Manila of $1,120, $100 food allowance, $97,492.50 for the unfinished portion of her contract that includes wages in lieu of notice, as well as expenses incurred totaling $12,384.87.

The expenses include such items as the $1,780 air ticket, accommodation in China following her termination and the fine she paid the mainland immigration for overstaying her visa for 20 days.

Alfaro said Lin wanted her to fly back to the Philippines right after her termination, but the helper called up her agency, which lent her money to buy an air ticket to Hong Kong.

Chu set the next hearing for May 10 and instructed Kwok to remind Lin that she might have to be in court the whole day so she must set no other business meetings on that day.

When Alfaro asked whether she could start looking for a new employer, Chu said she should ask the Immigration Department.

‘Mystery’ cleanup drive on island set for ‘Earth Day’

A recent cleanup was well-attended by Filipino domestic helpers.
Photo: AquaMeridian Conservation & Education Foundation.

A massive cleanup drive in one of Hong Kong's outlying islands has been set for April 22 to mark Earth Day. But the location of the event is not being disclosed - yet.

“The location is a secret - adds more fun,” said Robert Lockyer, operations director of the AquaMeridian Conservation & Education Foundation, which is leading the cleanup.

Lockyer said his group has been organizing regular cleanup events in Lamma where he lives, and on Lantau and Hong Kong islands. Hundreds of people, many of them foreign domestic helpers, take part.

“Every month we do a big cleanup event and each weekend we do smaller cleanups, hiking or hiking trails cleanups,” he said.

At each event, more than 100 FDHs reportedly turn out to join and help. The biggest turnout for helpers according to him was on Feb. 25 when about 300 of them came to help.

“On Sunday 25th February, over 500 people comprising of over 300 domestic helpers, about 50 children, more than 100 local residents from Hong Kong, about 50 members from the Lamma Island sports clubs descended (on) TaiWanTo to start the Year of the Dog with one big cleanup,” he said.

The group reportedly collected over 1400 kilos of rubbish  left on Lamma's beach in just under two hours.

Lockyer said the trash, mostly polystyrene left from typhoon Hato which devastated Hong Kong in September 2017, had been on the beach for at least 6 months.

“The mission today was to get a head start on cleaning the beaches before the 2018 typhoon and monsoon seasons began and our beaches become too devastated again,” Lockyer said after the operation.

After polystyrene he said the second most common item picked up that day was plastic cutlery and drinking straws.

A participating team  from the Hong Kong Ghost Net Facebook Group also managed to remove some plastic nets that had become entangled in the rocks.

Following the cleanup, a representative from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department reportedly said that it took 15 village vehicles to remove all the trash that was collected that day.

Keilim Ng, from the Lantau-based marine environmental organization EcoMarine said: "It’s so rewarding to see so many people inspired to come along today. We all hope and wish that they will carry the memory of today with them and replicate this all over Hong Kong.”

A representative from one of the main supporters for the event, The European Union Office of Hong Kong and Macao, thanked all the volunteers, and expressed hope that everyone could change their pattern of behavior in everyday life and consume less single use plastic.

Lockyer said: "Whilst approximately 400 bags of trash were collected from the beach, sadly this will all end up in Hong Kong landfill due to the limited opportunities and funding for recycling in Hong Kong and the single waste transport facility that is on north Lamma Island".

He said that for the whole of 2018, his group will be organizing monthly public cleanups to help promote a healthier and happier lifestyle by using less “single use plastic”

Police to interview more victims of PEYA booking fiasco

Scene at PEYA'S shop in Worldwife Plaza at the height of the booking fiasco in December last year

By Vir B. Lumicao

More victims of last year’s PEYA Travel airline booking fiasco will be interviewed by the Hong Kong police this Sunday, Apr 29, in a bid to hasten their investigation of the case, a Consulate official said.

ATN head, Consul Paulo Saret

Consul Paulo Saret, head of the assistance to nationals section, told The SUN in a telephone conversation that about 20 complainants will be interviewed at the Wanchai police station.

He had offered to have the interview done at the Consulate to speed up the process, but the police declined due to their longstanding policy of not taking their records out of the police station.

“There’ll be 20 or so complainants whom we will accompany to the Regional Crime Unit on Sunday for the interview,” Saret said.

Saret said investigators told him they must have at least 250 statements from the victims to evaluate before deciding if they should file a deception case against Peya’s executives. But they have not given a timeframe for filing, he said. 

In an interview earlier he said fewer than 200 of the 1,200 Filipinos who had complained of getting bogus bookings from the travel agency had been interviewed by the police. He urged the other complainants to step forward to help the police speed up their investigation.

The police had reportedly told Saret that many of those on the list provided by the Consulate either did not answer phone calls or failed to show up for their scheduled interviews

Saret had contacted the police for an update on the case, amid online queries from complainants on how the case was progressing.

“Tanong ko lang po mga madam/sir tungkol sa refund ng PEYA Travel agency, kasi hanggang ngayon e wala pa po kayong update,” a certain Emie Lee asked.

Police are still looking for Grospe

Commenter Ladyjoy Magna Quina replied that the victims should go to the police to file their statements so that the case would move forward. But others blamed the Consulate for not informing them of the need to go to the police.

According to Saret, Another hindrance cited by the police was the disappearance of PEYA marketing manager Arnold Grospe, who they also want to investigate. Grospe is reported to have fled to Macau in the wake of the booking fiasco, and was reportedly spotted afterwards in Baguio City in the Philippines.

Grospe was invited to the Central Police Station on the evening of Dec 20, when the booking mess unraveled, as hundreds of Philippines-bound were not allowed to board their flights by airline staff who said PEYA did not pay for their tickets.

PEYA owner Peter Brian Boyce was arrested Dec 27, two days after his wife and co-owner Rhea Donna Bayona-Boyce, or Yanyan, who also acted as general manager, was taken by police from their Wanchai flat.

Police said the couple was being investigated for possibly defrauding customers of some $2 million in bogus airline bookings. On Apr 23, the Police Public Relations Bureau told The SUN that the couple was ordered to report again to the police in early May.

Saret said PEYA victims still trickle into ATN to file complaints, adding they are likely those who had bought replacement tickets on their own, and only recently learned they could still recover their loss with help from the Consulate.

HK art exhibit featuring works of Filipino migrant workers opens tonight

"Beyond Myself' opens in HK after
successful runs in London & Manila

Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong are among those whose works will be on display at the ‘Beyond Myself’ exhibition which will be launched at Hive Spring in Aberdeen at 7-9pm this evening.

The exhibit in Hong Kong follows successful runs at Goldsmiths, University of London and UP Vargas Museum in Manila. It is co-organised by Enrich HK and Curating Development project (a collaboration of Goldsmiths, University of London, University of Hong Kong and Keele University

‘Beyond Myself’ represents the experiences of some of nearly 400,000foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong, majority of whom are Filipinos.

The exhibit focuses on their contributions and sacrifices through language, as well as the images and objects that are produced in their daily lives. It also identifies the major obstacles they face in making their hard work turn into economic benefits for themselves and their families.

Enrich executive director Lucinda Pike explains: "Beyond Myself is unique because the artwork, photography and stories are created and told by migrant domestic workers themselves, through their day-to-day experiences, dreams, struggles and achievements. Enrich strives to empower domestic workers with financial education and a particular theme that is creatively explored in the exhibition are their financial goals and difficulties."

Accompanying events include a special reception for domestic workers on Apr 29, and the screening of the documentary, The Helper, on May 2.

Also featured in the exhibit are the works of various Filipino artists, including Nathalie Dagmang, Hong Kong-based domestic worker group Guhit Kulay, rights organization Voices of Women Media (VOW Media), and National Geographic photo contest runner-up Joan Pabona.

The exhibit is open to the public and will run until Monday to Friday, 9am-7pm, and on selected Sundays, until May 14.

Arnel Pineda topbills HKMU’s 70th year concert on Apr 29

HKMU's 70th anniversary concert poster

by Daisy CL Mandap

A Filipino singing legend is returning this weekend to Hong Kong, his home for many years, to pay tribute to a group he was once part of. 

Arnel Pineda, soloist of the world-famous American rock band, Journey, will join his former Hong Kong band mates on stage this coming Sunday, Apr 29 at the Cultural Centre Piazza in Tsimshatsui, for the Hong Kong Musician Union’s concert to celebrate its 70^th year.

Arnel Pineda at his Manila concert in Sept

Pineda, 50, will sing with his former Most W@anted band mates in what HKMU chair Manuela Lo said will be “a kind of reunion for them.”

Lo said she and former HKMU chair Jun Cortes, both convinced Pineda to find time to support the milestone in the union’s history.

“He was with HKMU for years when he was still here in Hong Kong,” said Lo.

Pineda, along with his Most W@anted band mates, sang six days a week in a club in Central in the early 2000s. On Sundays, their only day off in the week, they often obliged requests to sing at community events, including the annual Philippine Independence Day celebrations.

Pineda moved back to Manila in 2006 to join a new band, The Zoo, and was discovered on YouTube the next year by Journey’s lead guitarist Neal Schon. By the early 2008, he was already part of Journey, and began touring with the legendary band in the same year.

(Check The SUN's earlier story on Arnel Pineda and his life's Journey here: http://sunweb.com.hk/Story.asp?hdnStoryCode=4185&)

Over the years, Pineda would visit Hong Kong and jam with his friends, do short singing stints at community events, or perform solo, like the one he did last January at the Dog House in Tsimshatsui.

HKMU chair Manuela Lo

Lo said he will resume his world tour with Journey next month.

Pineda is not the only luminary to perform at the concert to mark a milestone in the Filipino community’s oldest organization.

Also part of the program are a motley of talents, including the Hong Kong Youth Jazz Orchestra with Taka Hirohama, Boyet Herrera and the ICEBOX Band, Chris Polanco & His Azucar Latina Band, Suzan Guterres, Anders Nelson, and two groups of selected HKMU artists.

Lo described Guterres as a popular TV personality in Hong Kong, and the daughter of a veteran singer who was also famous during her time. Nellson, Hirohama and Polanco are all popular performers who are active supporters of HKMU.

The concert is a dream come true for Lo, who is on her third two-year term as HKMU chair.

“It has been tough putting it together, but we are determined to do it,” said Lo.

Organizing charity concerts is just one of the many challenges confronting Lo and the HKMU at the moment. Seven decades since it was founded, the Union is struggling to keep afloat, mainly because of the rapid drop in demand for live performances.

“Life has been tough in the music industry for the past few years. We are trying our best to find jobs for the other musicians and help them as much as we can,” said Lo.

Corollary to this is the Union’s effort to keep members within the fold so they could continue enjoying benefits, as well as the life insurance that assures their families of financial help in case of their untimely death.

Tough as the challenges are, Lo is resolute on forging ahead. She is now looking at offering more music courses at the HKMU’s clubhouse in Kowloon as a way to help both members and the Union financially.

Having gone this far, she is determined the HKMU, and the music it provides, must never end.

HK Pinoy bowlers to join Asian tournament in Makati

Consul General Tony Morales gives pep talk to Filipino bowlers in HK

By Vir B. Lumicao

Top keglers in Hong Kong’s Filipino community are leaving for Manila on Apr 26 to vie for trophies and renew friendships in the Asian Filipino Bowlers Friendship Games 2018 in Makati this weekend.

Twenty members of Filipino Bowling Club Hong Kong divided into five teams will compete against male and female OFW bowlers from around the region and Australia, according to FBCHK founder and chairman Jenny Gafate.

“We are not aiming to be a winner kasi madaming magagaling. But we always aim for our friendship on the lanes as always. To be part of this international tournament is already a winner for us,” Gafate said.

Jenny Gafate has led the FBCHK for years

The Makati campaign follows FBCHK’s fruitless participation in Singapore last year, in contrast to its first year in the annual tournament also in the Lion City in 2015, when it emerged as team champion.

The team collected more trophies in the 2016 edition of the Friendship Games in Melbourne.

“Sa Australia, ang nakuha namin ay overall second runner-up singles for men by Jon Suarez, and Emy Clarke was overall first runner-up and Rina Spalding second runner-up singles for women,” Gafate said.

Despite being unable to snare a trophy last year, FCBHK considers the campaign fulfilling, according to Gafate. “Actually, we always have fun every time we attend this annual tournament... it’s the time to renew our friendship on the lanes,” she said.

Gafate said hopefully, it will be FBCHK's turn to host the Friendship Games in 2019.

Her group has been hosting top-league bowling tournaments in Hong Kong, with legendary Filipino players Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno and Olivia

"Bong" Coo coming over as guests.

The venue for this year’s tournament will be the Superbowl Bowling Center, a 42-lane tenpin facility at Makati Cinema Square.

The team that will see action in Makati will be led by Gafate. The other team members are Ador Bernardino, vice chairman-external; Gracia Pierrepont, vice chairman-internal; Merlie Tacderan @ Mary Gulles, secretary; Melody Sotero and Racquel Shepstone, treasurer;  and Rina Spalding, auditor.  

The tournament directors are Gerome Barja, Marlyn Brutus, Danna Geary and Minda Marfori. The advisers are Emy Clarke and Benray Francisco.

Maalingasaw ang pagsibak ng DOLE kay Labatt

Tila natigatig ang mga opisyal ng Department of Labor and Employment sa hindi nila inaasahang malawak na suporta ng mga OFW dito sa Hong Kong kay Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre, na biglaang pinababalik sa Maynila.

Paiba-iba ang sinasabi ni Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III na dahilan ng pagpapatawag niya kay Labatt Dela Torre. Noong unang tinanong siya ng The SUN tungkol sa balitang sisibakin niya ang pinuno ng Philippine Overseas Labor Office sa Hong Kong ay sinabi niyang “fake news” iyon.

Ngunit wala pang isang buwan pagkalipas niyon ay nagpadala si Bello ng memo kay Dela Torre na ganito ang nakasaad: “In the best interest of the service, you are hereby recalled to Home Office effective immediately.”

Nang mag-rally ang mga OFW laban sa recall order dalawang araw matapos ipadala ito ni Bello ay sinabi naman ni Bello sa ibang mga mamamahayag na pansamantala lamang iyon. Ngunit taliwas sa sinabi niyang “temporary” lamang ang recall, ipinasuko na niya ang lahat ng pera, mga gamit at dokumento na pag-aari ng POLO sa kanyang assistant labatt.

Ayaw ring tanggapin ni Bello na kusang nagpuprotesta ang mga OFW dahil mahal nila ang labor attaché na nakita nilang tunay na nagmamalasakit sa kanila. Ayon sa isang pahayagan sa Pilipinas, sinabi diumano ng pinuno ng DOLE na si Dela Torre ang nanawagan sa mga manggagawang Pinoy sa Hong Kong upang mag-rally para sa kanya.

Ayaw maniwala si Bello na ang malawakang protesta sa magkasunod na Linggo at sa mga darating pang mga araw laban sa kanyang desisyon na pauwiin si Dela Torre ay taos sa pusong isinasagawa ng mga OFW bilang pagsuporta sa isang opisyal ng POLO na tapat na naglingkod at nagtanggol sa mga karapatan nila.

Nagpahiwatig ang kalihim ng paggawa sa kanyang memo ka Dela Torre na mayroong hindi magandang ginawa ang pinuno ng POLO, gayundin sa mga sinasabi niya sa iba’t ibang taga-media. Ngunit, ayon na rin kay Dela Torre, hindi sinabi sa kanya ni Bello kung ano ang kanyang nagawang mali o di-kanais-nais.         

Sinabi naman ng malalapit kay Bello na ang dalawang dahilan ay ang “favoritism” diumano ni Dela Torre sa pagbibigay ng accreditation sa mga employment agency dito sa Hong Kong  at ang pag-iisyu niya diumano ng mga overseas employment certificate sa mga OFW na nasa Shenzhen of mga kalapit na lugar sa China.

Tungkol sa unang paratang, sinabi ni Dela Torre sa manunulat na ito na wala siyang natatandaang ahensiyang tinanggihan niyang bigyan ng akreditasyon. Sa tingin niya ay pinalulutang lamang ng mga may galit sa kanya ang bintang na may pinapaboran siya.

“Accreditation is inherently a discretionary act, and it is up to the Labor Attache to recommend accreditation to which agencies to (the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration),” ani Dela Torre.

Sa katunayan ay nagpatupad siya diumano ng bagong sistema ng akredistasyon na tinatawag na “8Ps” upang alisin ang “discretionary” o di-sapilitang aspeto ng proseso sa akreditasyon upang ito ay higit na magiging hayagan at naaayon sa mga matuwid na pamantayan sa pangangalap ng mga manggagawa.

Tungkol naman sa pagbibigay diumano ng OEC sa mga OFW sa China, sinabi ni Dela Torre na sang-ayon iyon sa POLO Manual.

Kung gayon, ano ang maaaring dahilan kung bakit pinauuwi si Dela Torre nang hindi sinasabi sa kanya ni Bello kung ano ang nilabag niya sa mga alituntunin ng DOLE? Bakit ganoon na lang ang pagmamadali niyang pabalikin sa Maynila si Dela Torre nang hindi sinasabi sa kanya ang mga dapat niyang saguting paratang?

Ang sapantaha ni Labatt Dela Torre ay posibleng may kinalaman sa pag-recall sa kanya ang pagtanggi nito sa mga karagdagang job order para sa mga “bar dancer” na Pilipina pagkatapos niyang matuklasan na ang unang pangkat ng 25 mananayaw na inaprubahan niya ay nagtatanghal sa mga bar sa Wanchai na kaunti lang ang saplot.

Simula noong inaprubahan niya ang unang pangkat ng mga bar dancer ay nagkaroon uli ng 123 job order para sa mga mananayaw na balak ipadala sa Hong Kong ng dalawang ahensiya sa Maynila, ayon sa listahan ng mga active job orders ng POEA.

Nabinbin ang mga job order dahil sa hindi pagpasa ni Labatt Dela Torre sa mga ito matapos matuklasan ang hindi magandang kinalagyan ng mga nauna sa mga bar sa Wanchai. Saan pa hahantong ang mga kababayan nating iyon?

Kung ang paghadlang na ito ni Dela Torre sa maaaring kauuwian ng mga iluluwas ng Pilipinas na dancer ay itinuturing ni Bello na paglabag ng kanyang labor attaché sa mga alituntunin ng serbisyo ng DOLE, nasaan ang moralidad ng tanggapang iyon ng gobyerno?

May umaalingasaw sa desisyon ni Bello at hindi kapani-paniwalang si Pangulong Duterte ang nag-utos niyon. Tila higit na karapat-dapat kay Bello ang palakol.

Pinoy sales exec admits possessing photos and videos of child porn

Gelizon's computer had  32 photos and 138 video clips of child pornography

by Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipino sales executive was taken into custody on orders of the District Court on Apr 23, after he pleaded guilty to child pornography. He admitted downloading and storing 170 video clips and photographs showing children in erotic poses and doing sexual acts two years ago.

Lordjel Gelizon, 33, will be sentenced on May 7. Judge Isaac Tam ordered him detained pending a psychological report, and a psychiatric assessment of the case’s impact on him.

Gelizon, single and a sales executive for an electronics company, was arrested in a police raid on a flat in Tsimshatsui at 6:30am on Apr 19, 2016, during an anti-child pornography operation. He had been living with his parents and a younger sister in the flat.                     

The accused will be sentenced at the
District Court in Wanchai on May 7.

Prosecution said the officers recovered 32 photos and 138 video clips that Gelizon had downloaded from child pornography websites. The illicit content was stored in 22 files recovered from a notebook PC that the defendant owned and used exclusively.

The charge sheet said the images showed children aged from one and a half years to 15 years in erotic poses and sexual acts, including “penetrative activity” with adults who were not using condoms.

The prosecution submitted to the court a folder of photos and still shots from the videos.

Gelizon remained silent on the day of his arrest, the prosecution said. But in his first video-recorded interview by police, he admitted downloading and storing the material in his PC. He said it was for his own viewing and he did not disseminate them.

In a second video-recorded interview, the defendant was shown the video clips and photos, but he reportedly refused to view them, saying he had since changed his lifestyle.

His lawyer passionately argued for a lenient sentence, but Judge Tam he will wait for the two reports on May 7 before handing his sentence.

The defense said the psychiatric report was necessary as Gelizon had been under “tremendous stress” due to his fear of the unknown while anticipating his “day under the guillotine”.

In mitigation, his lawyer said Gelizon had a clear record. He was born in Hong Kong where he attended elementary school, but left for the Philippines for his high school and college education.

Although he was unable to finish his college course, Gelizon managed to set up a hollow block production business where he employed 12 relatives. But he sold the business after a decline in production.

He returned to Hong Kong and worked for various companies, where he rose from a customer service officer in a logistics solutions firm to sales executive in an electronic services company, the defense counsel said.

He resigned from his job after his arrest and has been unemployed since.

Naiwanan ng eroplano dahil sa hipag

Pabalik na sa Hong Kong mula sa ilang araw na bakasyon sa Pilipinas ang maghipag na sina Helly at Lyn na naninilbihan sa iisang bahay, nang maiwanan sila ng eroplano. Huling huli na kasing dumating sa airport si Helly, na matagal na sa amo, samantalang si Lyn na ilang buwan pa lamang na naninilbihan ay maagang nagpunta sa airport, ngunit hindi maka check-in dahil ipinaubaya sa kasama ang mga dokumento.

Agad nilang tinawagan ang amo para ipinaalam na hindi sila nakasakay pabalik sa Hong Kong, at agad naman silang binilhan ng ticket pauwi, pero kapalit ng tig-isang buwan nilang sahod.

Masama man ang loob ni Lyn ay wala siyang magawa dahil kahit mas matanda siya sa hipag ay ito ang tumulong para makapagtrabaho siya sa Hong Kong. Gayunman, ang mga kakilala nila ay naawa kay Lyn dahil masyado siyang kinakawawa ni Helly.

Nariyang ayaw siyang pagamitin ng cell phone ni Lyn, bagaman hindi naman ito pinagbabawal ng kanilang amo. Ayon pa sa ilang mga kakilala nila, minsan ay binigyan nila ng telepono si Lyn para may magamit pero kinuha ito ni Helly at sinira.

Gusto daw kasi nito ay siya lang ang humahawak ng telepono, at pinapagamit lang ito kay Helly kung kailangan nitong makipag-usap sa pamilya.

Tuwing araw ng pahinga ni Lyn ay palagi siyang pinapauwi ng maaga ni Helly, dahil ayaw daw nito na nakikihalubilo ang hipag sa kanilang mga kaibigan sa Hong Kong. Dahil sa lagi siyang pinapauwi ng maaga ng diktador na hipag ay nagsabi si Lyn sa amo na huwag na lang siyang mag dayoff para kumita ng pandagdag sa  kanyang sahod. Nang malaman ito ni Helly ay gumaya para may dagdag din siyang sahod.

Ang isa sa ikinakagalit ni Helly sa hipag ay nawala daw iyong dagdag na $200 sa kanyang sahod buwan-buwan magmula nang magkaroon siya ng kasama. Nang ma-recontract siya kamakailan ay inalis ang dagdag na $200 at ibinalik sa minimum ang sahod niya.

Ang maghipag ay naninirahan sa bahay ng kanilang amo sa New Territories, parehong may anak at asawa. – Marites Palma

Palautang, kaya iniiwasan ng kapwa OFW

Natatawa na naiinis ang mga kakilala ni Jona na mga kapwa kasambahay sa kanilang liblib na lugar sa Taipo dahil kahit napkin ay inuutang. Malayo kasi ang kanilang tirahan kaya walang maliliit na tindahan, kaya kailangang bilhin mo lahat mga personal mong kailangan tuwing day off para di ka maubusan ng gagamitin kapag ikaw ay biglang dinatnan.

Pero kakaiba si Jona dahil hindi niya pinaghahandaan ang kanyang buwanang dalaw, kaya kung kani-kanino na lamang siya nanghihingi ng napkin kapag dinatnan siya. Tuloy, halos nahiraman na niya lahat mga nakikilala niya na nakakasabay sa pagpastol ng alagang aso.

Mahilig din daw siyang manghiram ng tag $20, at lahat din ay nahiraman na.

Mabuti na lang at nagbabayad naman kapag naalala siyang singilin, pero kapag hindi pinaalalahan ay no pansin siya sa lahat, at nakatutok na lamang daw ang mukha sa telepono niya.

Kapag may kailangan naman ay kusa siyang lumalapit at namamansin, kaya kapag nakikita na siyang parating ng ilan ay agad siyang iniiwasan dahil baka hihiram na naman ng napkin o kaya ay $20. Si Jona ay nagmula sa Maynila, may asawa at anak, at malapit nang matapos ang kontrata sa mga among Intsik sa Taipo. – Marites Palma

May nangangarap na mapunta sa US, may hindi

Naging matalik na magkaibigan sina Lyn at Susan na parehong hiwalay sa asawa, dahil iisa ang kanilang mga hilig, at parehong kasapi ng isang organisasyon sa Hong Kong. Nagkataon pa na pareho silang may kasintahan na nasa Amerika.

Matagal ng pine-petisyon si Lyn ng kanyang nobyo na isang Pinoy na naninirahan na sa Amerika pero ayaw niya dahil alam daw niyang kailangan niyang kumayod doon nang husto para mabuhay at mabili ang mga gusto.

Wala naman daw katiyakan na ibibigay lahat ng nobyo ang mga gusto niya, at higit sa lahat, iba pa rin ang may sariling pera. Magaan kasi ang trabaho niya sa Hong Kong, at kung tutuusin ay pwedeng pwede na siyang umuwi sa Pilipinas dahil nakapagtapos na at kasalukuyang nagtatrabaho na ang kanyang mga anak.

Kabaligtaran naman ang sitwasyon ni Susan dahil gustong gusto nito na pumunta ng Amerika pero hindi niyayaya ng kasintahan na Pinoy din. Ayon kay Susan, handa siyang gumastos para lang makapunta doon, pero sa ngayon ay marami pa siyang pinagkakagastusan dahil nasa kolehiyo pa ang dalawa niyang anak na mag-isa niyang itinataguyod.

Minsan, napapaisip si Susan na hiwalayan na an

g kasintahan at maghanap ng iba na handa siyang dalhin sa Amerika sa lalong madaling panahon. Payo ni Lyn kay Susan ay maghintay na muna dahil darating din ang pangarap nito na makapunta sa Amerika. Minsan tinutukso ni Susan na dapat ay nagkakilala sila ng nobyo ni Lyn dahil gusto itong ipetisyon pero ayaw naman, samantalang siya ay atat na atat nang makapunta doon.

Ayon naman kay Lyn, iba-iba lang talaga ang suwerte ng mga tao. – Ellen Asis

Filing of claims: some usual questions

While attending to fellow migrants seeking assistance at the Mission, many questions in their mind get in the way of pursuing cases. Their doubts cause apprehensions because most want an assurance that they can still stay in Hong Kong or leave and come back. They want to know if they can transfer employment, or if they are committing any offence if they pursue a case, or even if they cancel a case. This is very much understandable because it concerns the future of their family back home – the one thing that is most important to them.
What are these questions?

If I file claims against my employer in the Labour Department, will I still be allowed to work in Hong Kong?
The Labour Department attends to disputes between you and your employer. Meanwhile, the Immigration Department deals with your permission to stay in Hong Kong (visa) and the status of your stay.
Labour cases are not criminal in nature and they cannot be used as a ground to prevent you from staying or returning to Hong Kong even if it was you who initiated the termination of contract. In fact, some cases can be considered as “constructive termination” like when employers are deemed to have cut the contract through a violation of its provisions or making it hard for you to comply with your obligations.
If you win your claim for wage in lieu of notice for underpayment, or assault is the reason why you were compelled to terminate the contract, these are circumstances that may help convince the immigration officer about the reasonableness of your act.
So remember to claim all that is due you according to the contract. You may ask assistance from service providers like the Mission (2522-8264) to identify them.
But even if for some reason, you failed to explain well your grounds and you did not get what you are claiming at the Labour Department/Tribunal, you still did not commit a crime to make the Immigration Department prevent you from getting a new employment and come back to Hong Kong.
There are just some conditions that may be considered because the status of a foreign domestic worker (FDW) is bound by the contract that is restricted by several Immigration policies, one of which is the “New Conditions of Stay” (1987) or the so-called Two-week Rule. Employment status, length of stay, requirements to exit Hong Kong in-between contracts and related exceptional cases are bound by this rule.

Do I need a lawyer in the Labour Tribunal?
The Labour Tribunal (LT) was established to quickly resolve employer-employee disputes that were not resolved at the level of the Labour Relations Division (LRD). The LRD will refer the disputes to either Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board (MECAB) or LT, depending on the amount of claims.
Though it has the semblance of a formal court as far as the setting is concerned, it is more of an informal court in the sense that the only allowed parties in the tribunal are the Claimant, the Respondent and the Presiding Officer (acting like a judge in a formal court). Lawyers are not allowed to represent the Claimant nor the Respondent.
But submission of statements is required from both the Claimant (including his/her monetary claims and its computation) and the Respondent. Also, the questioning is allowed (so-called cross examination in formal courts), depending on the decision of the Presiding Officer, by either the Claimant or the Respondent in relation to the statements submitted to the Tribunal. Each item of the claims can be disputed.
The important thing here is because the Tribunal does not allow the presence of lawyers, then the FDW claimant must seek the assistance of institutions like the Mission to assist them on how to write their statement and prepare them for the hearing.

If I file claims against my employer, will they call the police to arrest me?
A labour claim is a civil one, meaning it is not criminal in nature. That is why it is being heard or attended to in a conciliation manner and not in the Court of Law. Even if the employer files a counter claim, it is done at the LRD and not the police. Police cases are criminal in nature while a labour claim is by and large a civil case/claim. The employer cannot use the employment contract provisions to file a swindling case, for example, which is criminal in nature. So, police intervention is just to prevent any untoward incident that might aggravate the situation and lead to a criminal one like physical assault.
But all the contract-related disputes will be resolved at either the LRD or MECAB or Labour Tribunal, not in a regular court. If you are threatened by the employer or by the placement agency by calling the police, ask why they were called and what the complaints are. If it is a crime they are accusing you of, say nothing to the police and let the one that called the police establish their complaint. If you are being arrested, you have the right to remain silent because whatever you say can be used against you. Consult a lawyer or service providers like the Mission.

If I file claims against my employer, could they file counter charges?
Either a FDW or employer can file claims or counter-claims against the other party. No one can prevent that as long as the Presiding Officer (PO) allows it. Of course there are cases where the PO might consider the claim as nuisance but it is totally dependent on the PO. The Respondent can examine each claim and dispute it especially if there is no proof. If the FDW-claimant does not question the counter claim and just kept quiet about it, the PO might take it as an admission that the counter claim is true and correct. If it is not true and was only filed to harass you, contest each item in the counter claim with sufficient evidence.
It there are any unclear explanations above, please contact us at the Mission office (25228264) or through The Sun.

Filipina dies alone at employer’s home

Mary Jane and husband Noel

By The SUN

A Filipina domestic worker who died in her employers’ flat while they were away on a holiday will be making her final voyage home to Ilocos Norte late this month, according to her aunt.

But officers at the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-Hong Kong said on Apr 20 they were still waiting for the undertaker of Mary Jane Respicio Jamon to transmit her repatriation papers.

Police said they received a report about 4:15pm on April 4 that a 44-year-old foreign woman was found collapsed inside a unit on Cloud View Road, North Point. Officers who responded certified that the woman was dead at the scene.

The case was classified as “dead body found”. Initial investigation revealed no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death, the Police Public Relations Bureau said in reply to an inquiry by The SUN.
      

Jamon’s aunt Alona V. Agustin said police called by the female employer’s father had to force the main door open to enter the flat after phone calls to the maid went unanswered. They found her body on the toilet floor.

Agustin said the employers tried to call up Jamon as they were about to return to Hong Kong to tell her to ask their Filipino driver to pick them up.

Alarmed that no one was answering, the female employer called up her father and asked him to go to the flat. But the old man found the door double-locked and dialed 999.

Agustin, wife of the deceased’s paternal cousin, said police told her that Jamon must have just urinated when she collapsed because she was not able to flush the toilet.

“Siguro nahilo siya kasi may lahi silang high blood,” Agustin said, adding that the victim often had flu. She said Jamon was supposed to join her and some friends for barbecue on Apr 5, a public holiday.

Agustin said she saw a big bump on Jamon’s forehead and dried blood and broken tooth in her mouth when she checked on the remains at Victoria Funeral Parlor in Kennedy Town.

Herself a helper here, Agustin said she had been liaising with the police, the Consulate, the funeral parlor and Jamon’s employers as she processed the documents needed for shipping Jamon’s remains to her home in Barangay Sta Maria, Piddig.

She said a public viewing of the deceased OFW will be held on Apr 26 at 2pm to 2:45pm, and the shipping of her remains via a Philippine Airlines flight will take place the following morning.

Officers at the ATN and OWWA, however, said the final schedule is not yet known as the undertaker, Tim Fook Funeral, has not yet handed the repatriation papers to the Consulate.

Jamon was born on Oct 20, 1973. She was married to Noel P. Jamon from Cabatuan, Isabela, with whom she had a 5-year-old adopted child.

Agustin said Jamon had worked for her employers for six years and had just signed her fourth contract with the family. Jamon went home for a vacation in the Philippines last year.

The aunt is waiting for a copy of Jamon’s birth certificate and marriage contract so that OWWA Hong Kong can send her long service pay and salary to her husband.

Agustin also told The SUN about her difficulty conveying the news to relatives because she did not know who to inform first. So, she relayed it to Jamon’s sister in Finland, so she could inform her other siblings in Canada and Hawaii. – Marites Palma and Vir Lumicao

Officers grilled about Filipina theft suspect's claim of repeated strip-searches

Two of the strip-searches allegedly happened at Western Police Station

by Vir B. Lumicao 

 

A Filipina maid said she was “ashamed, stressed, and shivering in cold” when several police officers strip-searched her several times in the early hours of Jan 3 after arresting her for the alleged theft of $500 and a lip balm.

But five of six officers who Margie Lotino reportedly pointed at during an identification parade at the Wanchai police station on Apr 13 denied they had gone beyond the body search level stipulated in police guidelines.

Lotino, giving evidence during her trial in Eastern Court on Apr 20 for theft, was emotional each time she was queried by both prosecution and defense lawyers about the alleged strip-searches.

Another body search reportedly happened in Wanchai Station

She said that during two separate body searches in the toilet of her employers’ flat in Pokfulam, various officers took turns ordering her to strip down to her underwear. She was reportedly told to take off her top clothes first, then her lower garments.

“They told me to take off my jacket and shirt, and then they pulled my bra and looked into it. Then they ordered me to take off my trousers and socks. They pulled my panty and also looked into it,” Lotino said, breaking into a sob.

At one point, Magistrate Simon K. F. Ho called a break as the Filipina, who is in her 30s, became too emotional.

She positively identified five female officers who allegedly conducted the body searches on her on four separate occasions: first in her employers’ house, second at the Western Police Station, third at the Wanchai Police Station, and fourth, back at the Western Police Station.

She also identified a male officer who signed the custody search document, which contained details of the searches.

Earlier on Mar. 13, Lotino pleaded not guilty to stealing a $500 bill from her employer on Jan. 2, claiming she had been set up.

Lotino said she found the bill on the floor while she was cleaning the master bedroom, and put it on a cabinet top in the living room.  She said she told her employer about finding the money when the latter got home that evening. The employer, who was then in the bathroom, reportedly thanked the maid but reached out for the money with a towel, a suggestion that she did not want her own fingerprints on the bill.

Not long afterwards, police came and Lotino and her belongings were searched.

Lotino said she was forced to sign a cautioned statement admitting the offence because she was cold, hungry, and was under intense pressure from the repeated body searches and interrogation she was made to endure.

“You better admit you stole the money and I will send you to the Philippines,” on officer allegedly told her at one point, but the maid said she insisted she was telling the truth.

Lotino said during one search at Western Police Station, a male officer entered the room while she was only wearing a bra and panties. In another search, a male officer came in with a pair of scissors and cut the cord of her jogging pants so it could be pulled down easier.

She also complained that her wrists hurt because she was handcuffed tightly when she was transferred to Wanchai Police Station, then back to Western Station. She said she had spotty bleeding and developed a lump in her left hip after the searches.

The defense said the investigation of the maid began at 1:30am on Jan 3 and finished only at 3:15pm on the same day. The defense lawyer challenged the cautioned statement, saying there were several parts that the defendant disowned.

Lotino said she signed the cautioned statement even if her mind was blank because she was not feeling well. “I told the (Tagalog) interpreter that I was stressed, no sleep because they banged my bed; I felt ashamed because they looked at my private parts. I felt cold, they did not give me proper food and water,” Lotino said sobbing.

She said the investigators let her sign parts of the statement without letting her read them. At one point, she said, the interpreter told her to just write what she dictated.

Before the Filipina took the witness stand, six of the officers she pointed to in the police ID line-up were called in to give evidence. Four of them answered “disagree” or “I can’t recall” when asked the same questions about searching the helper bodily.

Each of them was also asked about the first guideline in the conduct of body searches, and the reply was Level One, meaning a search only of a suspect’s outer clothes.

The investigator, when asked why she did not make a custody search report, admitted she forgot to do it but saw a higher officer prepare the document after the examination. 

The magistrate ordered both parties to make written submissions when the hearing resumes on May 6, and extended Lotino’s bail.