The SUN HK

. Hong Kong gripped by more protests as CE imposes mask ban

Posted on 04 October 2019 No comments

Lunchtime protest in Central ahead of the announcement of the mask ban

By The SUN

Protests are ongoing right now, six hours after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam used emergency power to impose a ban on the use of masks at public assemblies, in a bid to stop a civil unrest that is now on its 18^th week.

Speaking at a press conference at 3pm after a meeting with the Executive Council, Lam invoked a tough, colonial-era emergency law that has not been used for more than 50 years, to impose the ban from midnight tonight, Oct 5.

The law carries a penalty of one year in jail or $25,000 fine for violators, Security Minister John Lee said.

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As CE Lam spoke, thousands of people, many of them workers in the financial sector, poured into the streets of Central, blocking vehicular traffic with barricades.

A Maxim’s restaurant on Connaught Road had two of its glass windows smashed by protesters. A fire was also burning outside the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce nearby.

After the mask ban was announced, more anti-government protests were reported in several districts, including Kowloon Tong, Whampoa and Tuen Mun, where people have begun setting up roadblocks.

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Hundreds of people were also reported to be on their way to the Central Government Offices in Admiralty to show their anger at the mask ban.

Explaining her decision to impose the ban, Mrs Lam said: “As a responsible government, we have the duty to use all available means in order to stop the escalating violence and restore calmness in society.”

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She said the four-month-old protest had reached a very alarming level of violence, “causing numerous injuries and leading to a chaotic and panic situation”.

She expressed concern that many students are taking part in the protests “or even riots, jeopardizing their safety and even their future.”

She said that she decided to invoke her power under the Emergency Regulations Ordinance to order the “Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation”,or the anti-mask law.

Nighttime protest in Whampoa after the mask ban was announced

“I would like to emphasize that the decision to invoke the (ERO) is a difficult but also a necessary one for public interest,” Lam said.

But she clarified that: 1) Hong Kong is not in a state of emergency despite being in serious danger; 2) the objective of the regulation is to end violence and restore order; 3) the regulation targets only rioters or those who resort to violence; and 4) it could be subject to negative vetting or rejection when tabled for discussion at the resumption of the Legislative Council session on Oct 16.

Lam reiterated her offer to continue a dialogue with the public to find solutions to deep-seated social problems and allow Hong Kong to move forward.

At about 1pm earlier, protesters wearing masks gathered on Chater Garden to show opposition to the planned regulation by raising their right hands and shouting “Hong Kong resist”, “Liberate Hong Kong,” “F.. the Popo” and other anti-government slogans.

Police were out of sight as the crowd spilled onto Queen’s Road and moved down the western lane of Des Voeux Road, halting traffic.

The kilometer-long procession turned right on Queen Victoria St towards Exchange Square and IFC 2, then returned to Chater Garden before participants ended the protest and returned to their offices.

But after office hours, the crowds again swelled, blocking all transport routes to the Central financial district. Shops closed early and MTR staff tried to pull down the shutter at one exit but protesters forced it open.

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. Pinay convicted of jaywalking told she mustn’t cross on blinking green light

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Defendant told she must not start to cross road when the green light is already blinking

By Vir B. Lumicao

A long-time Filipina domestic helper in Hong Kong who stubbornly fought, but lost, her jaywalking case in a trial in West Kowloon Court on Oct 4 was ordered to pay a $350 fine.

Geny B. Toledo insisted before Magistrate Tony Li that she was not guilty of a charge of disobeying the red traffic light signal. She said the green light was still blinking when she began to cross, but the magistrate told her that is already a criminal offense.

According to the Transport Department’s Road Users Code, a pedestrian must not begin to cross the road when the green light is blinking. That means, you can only cross when the light is a steady green, but may continue even if it starts to blink.

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Toledo was booked by a traffic warden for the offense on Dec 19, 2018, after she allegedly crossed Sha Tsui Road in Tsuen Wan while the red light for pedestrians was on.

In his testimony, the traffic warden said he saw Toledo step onto the road when the light was already red, then stopped on the safety island. She waited and crossed again when the light was green.

As soon as she had crossed, he accosted Toledo and asked for her Hong Kong ID card. He wrote down her ID number, address, and other personal details on a pocket notebook

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The traffic warden was asked to give evidence when Toledo insisted that she did not want to plead guilty despite being given a copy of the facts that she admitted to beforehand.

Asked what her defense would be, Toledo said the light was a blinking green when she stepped onto the road and that she had a heavy load and her knee was very painful.

“But that’s not a defense, I have explained the law to you,” the magistrate said patiently, trying to accommodate the 51-year-old worker who had worked here for 23 years.

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Toledo insisted she was not guilty and agreed to face the witness.

Ho, under examination by the prosecutor, described the incident similar to the defendant’s version, but differing only at the timing of the red light.

Cross examining him, Toledo told Ho that he only saw her when the light was turned red. But Ho disagreed, insisting she crossed when the light was red.

Toledo took the witness stand after Ho and said the same things about the blinking light, her heavy load and aching knee when grilled by Wong.

But at one point she said she was familiar with the road crossing, then changed it by saying it was her first time to cross it. She also said she limped while crossing, but, under questioning, she said she walked hurriedly to cross when the light was blinking.

When the magistrate returned his verdict, he said both parties admitted the facts, but he found the prosecution witness’ evidence clear and reliable.

He said Toledo was consistent, except when she said she was familiar with the crossing then contradicted herself by saying it was her first time to cross it.

Li said he found her unreliable.

He asked her how much her salary was. Toledo said she was receiving $4,510 but was saving only $1,000 because she was sending the rest to her family. Li fined her $350.

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HK migrant group blasts Uson’s appointment to OWWA

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By The SUN

Image may contain: 6 people, people smiling, suit, closeup and indoor

Shortly after her appointment, Uson joined President Duterte
in his official trip to Russia (photo from Mocha Uson Blog)

Militant Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong have denounced the appointment of

erstwhile sexy dancer Mocha Uson as deputy executive director of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, saying it’s aimed at siphoning funds from the welfare agency.

"Mocha Uson has no qualification to represent the OFWs. As a matter of fact, she put the lives and security of Filipino workers in Kuwait when she was the PCOO assistant secretary appointed by President Duterte," said Dolores Balladares-Pelaez, chair of United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil Migrante HK).

In a statement issued by Unifil today, Oct 4, Pelaez also alleged that Uson’s “recycled appointment” is designed to allow the Duterte government to control the multi-billion peso OWWA fund and other resources allocated to benefit OFWs.

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She cited as proof Uson’s recent statement that "she will now have more time to focus on the needs of overseas Filipino workers including the creation of a Department for OFWs."

"Since the establishment of (OWWA) it has been used as a piggy bank for government officials who are appointed to head this office. Billions of OWWA funds have been misused, re-channeled, and unaudited up to the present," Pelaez said.

During her stint at the Presidential Communications Operations Office, Uson figured in a botched attempt to rescue Filipino workers from their employers’ houses without police coordination, leading to sanctions by the Kuwaiti government.

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Uson was forced to give up her post after lawmakers dragged their heels in approving the PCOO budget in the wake of the fiasco.

In the May mid-term election, she was named as first nominee of the party-list AA-Kasosyo, which, however, failed to win enough votes to send a representative to Congress.

But just five months since that failed bid, Uson was given the plum OWWA post, for which she’s reportedly paid Php155,000 a month plus perks.

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Her appointment stirred protests from many observers, who invoked the one-year ban on appointing losing candidates to government posts.

This was immediately dispelled by the spokesman for the Commission on Elections, Jesse Jimenez, that the ban did not apply to party-list nominees, but only to individual candidates.

However, incumbent Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon disagreed, saying that losing party-list nominees should be treated as any other candidate because they are not a “protected class.”

Unifil said Uson’s appointment was unacceptable to OFWs who are mandated by law to pay OWWA membership upon deployment, and each time they renew their contracts.

The group also cited an ongoing probe into PCOO’s alleged misuse of funds amounting to Php39 million during Uson’s time there. The projects being looked into including Uson’s sexually suggestive “Pepederalismo” video which, however bombed; and the noticeable spike in its foreign travel expenses.

The group vowed to remain vigilant and to “oppose and expose Duterte's fake welfare policies” which Uson is expected to push given that she owes her plum posts to President Duterte.

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OFWs showing off butts during hike prompts PCG warning

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One of the photos that prompted the Consulate’s advisory.

By Daisy CL Mandap

The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong has posted a public advisory against the sharing of indecent or obscene photos on social media in the wake of the spread of pictures of two women migrants showing off their butts while on a hike in Shatin last Sept. 29.

The pictures emerged over the past two days of the women shedding off their undergarments to show their butts as they posed at the edge of a cliff, with their hands held up high to make a “V” sign.

Another photo showed the two as well as a third woman pulling at each other’s shorts to expose their butts while going up a hill. Just ahead of them was a man.

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A couple of photos emerged of the two also straddling a stream, but those in the know said these were fake, as the hike did not involve walking through water.

Also fake was a widely shared photo showing the incident supposedly featured in the TV show “Sumbong at Aksyon” by host Raffy Tulfo. A dead giveaway was the ungrammatical Tagalog caption.

Unconfirmed reports say the display was part of a “Butt Challenge” among hikers that has been going on for sometime.

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The “fun hike” reportedly started as part of the regular activity of the group, Domestic Workers Corner, to encourage newly arrived migrant workers to engage in some form of exercise on their day off.

A picture showed a big group of about 50 hikers posing with the DWC banner just before the trek to Lion Rock Park in Shatin started.

But what happened after was something that DWC founder and co-administrator Rodelia Villar said was unknown to, much less, sanctioned by her group.

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“Wala kaming kinalaman doon, kaya lahat kami nagulat nang kumalat ang mga litrato,” she said. “Maraming hindi members ang nadaanan nila at sumali, pero bandang huli ay naghiwalay-hiwalay sila. Yung mga nasa litrato ay nauna, at iilan lang sila. Pero dahil madami ang sumama hindi na namin alam kung sino ang member at sino ang hindi.”

Villar said she was saddened by the spread of the photos, but was also alarmed that the hikers chose to strip down during what was supposed to be a wholesome activity.

But she said, “Nakausap po namin ang nasa larawan at sila ay humingi ng paumanhin.”

She also appealed to everyone not to spread the pictures which she said were lifted off a group chat without permission from the owner.

In its advisory posted earlier on Oct 3, the Consulate said that “posting or unloading obscene or indecent photos or videos of oneself or of other people is a crime in Hong Kong,” for which the maximum penalty is $1,000 fine and three years’ imprisonment.

However, no warning was made about the crime of indecent exposure, for which the penalty for one found liable is a fine of $1,000 and a jail term of six months.

It was the second such warning from the Consulate this year. Earlier, it was prompted by the spread of pictures of nearly-nude Filipinas taking part in a sleazy beauty contest in Wanchai.

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HK government hands out $4,000 windfall to 3million residents

Posted on 03 October 2019 No comments

3 million HK residents get the $4k windfall

Hong Kong’s Caring and Sharing Scheme has been substantially completed with three million permanent residents approved for the one-off $4,000 allowance.

According to a government statement released today, Oct 3, the Working Family Allowance Office had processed about 3.4 million applications for the bonanza by Sept 30. This made up 98% of 3.47 million applications received.

Among the 3 million approved applications, payments in the sum of $10.6 billion have been approved for 2.99 million applications, or 99%, a government spokesman said.

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He said payments for around 20,000 remaining applications that were approved recently will be paid within the week via bank transfer, or via check by post for applicants who do not possess bank accounts.

About 350,000 applications, or 10%, were rejected, and around 46,000 or 1.4%, were duplicate or applications withdrawn by applicants

The WFAO has indicated that more than 60,000 applications, or 1.8%, are yet to be processed, including more than 50,000 in which the applicants have not provided sufficient information for further checking, such as copies of their Hong Kong ID cards.

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The WFAO will process the applications promptly once the relevant information has been received, the spokesman said.

About 12,000 application forms that have been duly received, acknowledged and their initial data input into the system, may have been packed away with processed forms and have not yet been located, thus their processing is pending.

The WFAO has contacted the applicants concerned via SMS to expedite rocessing of these cases. It will also check all the application forms in hand to locate the misplaced application forms.

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If any application forms cannot be located, the WFAO will follow up with the affected applicants separately and will notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, the spokesman said.

Applicants who wish to know the status of their applications may email their enquiries to the WFAO at careandshare@wfsfaa.gov.hk or call the hotline at 3897 1088.

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