Spliced video used to accuse Filipina DH of child assault

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The trial of the case at Kowloon City court will last until tomorrow

A series of video clips were shown in Kowloon City Court today, May 17, to support allegations of child abuse against a Filipina domestic helper.

However, not a single part of the spliced footage showed the defendant, C. Villegas, in the act of hurting the alleged victim, who was four years old at the time.

This led Magistrate Yu Chun-pong to remark at the end of the day that the prosecution could not rely on the edited CCTV clips and the testimony by the girl’s mother who was called as the first witness in the case.

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Yu also expressed concern about the reliability of the video recorded interviews with the alleged victim and her twin brother who are now both five years old, and the evidence they are expected to give tomorrow

The magistrate said what the children would say in court may be different from what they had said a year ago, and that would not be good for the prosecution's case. He said children at age 4 do tell stories.

Villegas pleaded not guilty to three counts of ill-treating her young ward at the start of the two-day trial.

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The children’s mother, Mrs Leung, has accused the helper of pinching and hitting her daughter  on three occasions on Oct 4, 2019, on Jan 21, 2020 and again on Feb 9, also last year. She called police on the third occasion and the Filipina was arrested.

The alleged assaults reportedly caused a bruise on the girl’s left inner thigh, a red mark on her left cheek, and red mark on her lower left cheek with a small injury near her mouth.

Leung provided the prosecution six CCTV clips totaling about 18 minutes that showed only edited segments of the scenes inside the employer’s living room during the dates of the alleged assaults.

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During her testimony, the prosecutor played back the video and asked Leung to interpret them.

However, the clips did not show the defendant pinching or assaulting the girl, who was crying aloud. Leung would refer to points in the clips where the girl was bawling as the upset defendant tried to spoon-feed her.

“I suspect the defendant pinched her, look at her lowered hand,” Leung said each time the girl cried loudly.

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During cross-examination, defense lawyer Phil Chau played back one particular scene where the frustrated helper grabbed the girl’s iPad because she didn’t want to eat and the girl cried aloud.

Chau also played back a scene where the Filipina was shouting “Don’t hit me, I will tell your dad,” as the girl’s twin punched her a few times. The video also showed the boy climbing on the helper’s back.

The lawyer also got the mother to admit that the twins would often fight over toys and that both kids would cause scratches and red marks on each other. But the woman said the injuries were only light, unlike what the helper had allegedly inflicted.

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After Leung finished her testimony, Chau asked the magistrate to allow him to have a copy of the complete CCTV footages from which the witness had extracted the scenes that she provided the police.

Leung told the court the original videos were already gone, but Chau told the magistrate the witness had with her in court a USB containing a copy of each of the original CCTV footages.  

Leung was called back to the witness stand after lunch but she denied having copies of the footages.

The trial continues tomorrow. 

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Singapore among 7 countries downgraded to 'high risk'

By The SUN

Stricter boarding & quarantine rules are enforced for travelers from 'high-risk' places

Hong Kong has announced that seven countries currently experiencing an upsurge in Covid-19 infections will be relegated to the category B “high risk” status: Argentina, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Singapore.

A statement issued by the government said the move was taken because of the persistent unstable epidemic situation in these places, and the widespread transmission of cases involving “the more transmissible and potentially more serious mutant virus strains.”

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Among those included in this category currently are the United States, Canada, France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Romania, Kazakshtan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

Designated as “very high-risk” (A2) are the United Kingdom, South Africa and Ireland, while classified as “extremely high-risk (A1)” and therefore subject to a flight ban are the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Nepal.

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The downgrade to “high risk” means everyone coming from these countries must be returning residents, who will be subjected to more stringent boarding and quarantine restrictions.

Everyone who has stayed in the designated places on the day of boarding or 14 days  before, will have to present a negative test result for a nucleic acid test for Covid-19 taken within 72 hours before boarding.

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In addition, those who aren’t fully vaccinated should present a confirmed booking for a 21-day quarantine at a designated hotel.

If the traveler has taken two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the travel date, the quarantine is cut to 14 days, but a confirmed hotel booking must also be presented.

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On arrival at the airport, each traveler will be tested again, and won’t be allowed to move to their quarantine hotel until their test shows a negative result.  

Previously, the places identified were on medium to low-risk status, meaning travelers from there need not present a negative Covid-10 test result prior to boarding. 

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For low-risk countries where Singapore used to belong, even non-residents were allowed to enter Hong Kong, and the quarantine period could be reduced to seven days for vaccinated travelers. The only countries left in this category now are Australia and New Zealand.

Details on the grouping of specified places and their respective boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements can be found at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/high-risk-places.html. 

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Travel bubble with Singapore goes pfft as HK records single infection

By The SUN  

Under the suspended deal, visitors from either place could have enjoyed quarantine-free travel 

The planned air travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore, which is due to take off on May 26, has been postponed yet again, this time because of the spike in coronavirus cases in the city state.

Singapore yesterday reported 38 local Covid-19 cases, the highest daily tally in more than a year. Eighteen of these were from an unknown source.

In addition, there were 11 imported cases, five of them returning citizens or permanent residents.

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In Hong Kong, on the other hand, only one Covid-19 case was recorded today, involving a 25-year-old woman who just arrived from Indonesia.

A statement released by Hong Kong said  “the two governments will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situation in both places, including the effectiveness of the enhanced anti-epidemic measures introduced by the Singapore Government, which have taken effect from yesterday (May 16) and would last till June 13.”

The statement stressed that both sides remain strongly committed to pushing through with the air travel bubble.

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Travelers who have already made bookings on designated flights to and from the two destinations are advised to adjust their itineraries in the wake of the new development.

The original bubble deal between the two places was suspended on Nov 22 last year, as Hong Kong experienced the start of a fourth wave of infections.

This time, Singapore is the one that’s going through a sharp rise in unlinked infections, with 42 such cases being reported over the past week, including today's 11.

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Under the plan, travelers could travel without quarantine between both places, subject only to such restrictions as presenting a negative test result for a Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours before boarding.

On Hong Kong’s end, travelers are also required to have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, while Singapore did not impose such a restriction.

HK travelers must be fully vaccinated to qualify for the travel bubble with Singapore

The deal would be suspended for two weeks if the seven-day moving average of unlinked cases on either side exceeds five.

 

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Singapore’s weekly average of untraceable cases rose to six today, while Hong Kong’s is at 0.14.

Earlier, Hong Kong tightened quarantine and testing requirements for everyone arriving from Taiwan, which has reported a record-busting 333 new infections Monday, prompting the closure of all schools below university level in Taipei and New Taipei.

Yesterday, 206 new local cases were reported.

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Hong Kong has said that starting today, everyone flying in from Taiwan or had stayed in the place 14 days before boarding must submit a negative result for a nucleic acid test taken within 72 hours before boarding.

All fully vaccinated travelers must also present a confirmed booking for a 14-day hotel quarantine. If unvaccinated, travelers should have a confirmed booking for a 21-day hotel quarantine.

Taiwan was one of a few places Hong Kong had previously listed as a low-risk place, which would have meant the quarantine period being reduced to seven days if the traveler from there had been fully vaccinated.

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Filipina in ICU after jab talks to kin, but condition still listed as ‘serious’

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Gemalyn is reported to have spoken to family members in HK and the Phl via video call

The 31-year-old Filipina who was taken to the hospital on Thursday, May 13, after collapsing and suffering convulsions following her second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine is now fully conscious and has managed to speak to her family members.

The news was relayed by Welfare Officer Virsie Tamayao, who has kept in touch with the relatives of Gemalyn L. Gabon, who remains in Princess Margaret Hospital where she was treated for convulsions which left her in a semi-conscious state initially.

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On inquiry, the Hospital Authority said today, May 17, that Gabon’s condition has been downgraded from “critical” to “serious,” meaning she no longer needs urgent medical care, but is still closely watched.

However, one of her cousins reported to Tamayao that the patient was already taken off life support.

“Gusto ko lang ipaalam sa inyo about kay Gemalyn. Gising (na) po siya. Buhay at malakas,” said the ecstatic cousin, who visited the patient Saturday night. (I just want to inform you about Gemaly’s condition. She’s awake. Alive and strong).

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“Nakakahinga na siya ng sarili niya (ng) walang life support,” added the cousin. (She can already breathe on her own and without life support).

One of the patient’s sisters also texted from the Philippines that their family had managed to talk to Gabon via video call.

“Nagulat po kami (nang) tumawag siya. Pero masaya kami…at gumaling na siya,” said the sister. (We were surprised when she called. But we’re happy that she’s already well).

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Pictures of Gabon collapsing within minutes of her taking her second dose of the BioNTech vaccine at the Lai Chi Kok centre late on Thursday night went viral, especially after one of those who took the shots falsely reported that she had passed away shortly after being taken to hospital.

Gabon being taken away from the vaccination centre after collapsing

The HA later issued a statement saying Gabon was in critical condition at Princess Margaret where she was taken after suffering convulsions. Two others had the same symptoms post-vaccination on the same day but were discharged on the same day.

Tamayao who managed to visit the worker along with her employers on Thursday night, said the attending doctor did a CT scan that showed the patient had no brain injury. But she continued having seizures so she was given medicines that made her drowsy and put her "in a deep sleep."

But she was not comatose, Tamayao stressed.

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A background check on the patient’s medical condition showed she was treated for hypertension at Queen Elizabeth Hospital last year, and had convulsions that appeared to be epileptic seizures twice when she was very young.

But when asked if she thought the vaccination had caused Gabon’s convulsions and collapse, the doctor reportedly said she did not think there was a connection.

Gabon, a single mother of two and native of Gloria, Oriental Mindoro, had worked in Dubai, United Arab Emirates previously, but did not seem to suffer any medical problems. 

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She arrived in Hong Kong in January 2020, and moved to a new employer after a year.

Her current employer reportedly told Tamayao that the helper was very active and hardworking.

“Parang wala naman daw sakit,” (She didn't seem to be sick at all) Tamayao recalled the employer as saying. 

However, the employer told the doctor that after Gabon had her first dose of the vaccine, she vomited and complained of a headache that lasted for around two hours. However, she did not seek medical attention.

The latest bulletin posted by the government on its vaccination program showed 11 people were taken to hospital on Sunday for various post-jab symptoms, ranging from a rash to lip and tongue numbness and vasovagal attack, or a rapid drop in heart rate and blood pressure.

At least three suffered from hypertension.

However, all were discharged after medical consultation or treatment, or “discharged against medical advice.”

So far, about 787,200 people have received two doses of any of the two Covid vaccines given in Hong Kong, representing 12.1 percent of about 6,500 residents qualified to take the shots.

But about 1,167,900 others have taken their first dose of the vaccine from either Sinovac (505,400) or BioNTech (662,500).

If all those who had taken their first dose proceed to complete their vaccination, that would push up Hong Kong’s inoculation rate to about 30% of the total qualified residents.

However, a vaccination rate of 70% is needed to give the city the herd immunity it needs to get back on its feet.

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4-month-old baby is 11th case in variant cluster outbreak

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The baby and his parents gathered with 3 other variant patients in this building

The South African variant of the coronavirus found in a cluster outbreak that began with an Indian engineer from Dubai has infected a four-month-old nephew of the man’s Filipina girlfriend, bringing to 11 the confirmed cases in that bunch. 

The baby was the only local case among today’s four new infection that include a Russian cabin crew aged 55, an Indian woman aged 29, and an Indonesian female domestic helper aged 40.

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He is said to be the youngest person in Hong Kong found to carry the variant feared to be far more contagious than the regular strain.

The baby is a son of the older brother of Victoria Marie Guadiz, the 31-year-old girlfriend of Indian engineer Syed Mohamed Rizvi, 30.

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A staff of the Information Services Department said the baby was carrying both the N501Y and E484K strains of the virus.

The Centre for Health Protection had said in earlier updates that the baby’s father (case number 11815) and mother (11816) attended a family gathering on Apr 13 with Guadiz (11672) and her boyfriend (11643) in a flat at Fung Hing House in Chai Wan.

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The occupant of the Chai Wan flat is the baby’s 67-year-old grandmother (11800), who herself was confirmed to be infected by the variant on May 7.

The 42-year-old father was confirmed positive on May 12 while the 40-year-old mother turned positive the next day, the CHP said.

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The couple subsequently hosted another gathering at 37 Fuk Wing St in Sham Shui Po on Apr 18 that was attended by three Filipina domestic helpers (11773, 11793 and 11797) who were confirmed earlier as carriers of the N501Y mutant strain.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Sophia Chan has said that the authorities are stepping up contract tracing in hopes of finding the source of infection of the 4-year-old boy who was reported to have Covid-19 yesterday, the first local case with an unknown source in a week.

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About two dozen of his classmates and teachers had to be sent to a quarantine hotel after his infection was uncovered.

Chan said mandatory testing will be imposed on places where the boy had been to and stayed at. Initial investigations showed he only went to his school in Shek Kip Mei and had a meal with family members.

One of the 3 new imported cases tested positive for the L452R variant

The ISD staff said that among today’s imported cases was the Russian air crew who arrived on May 14 via AirBridgeCargo Airlines flight RU531 from Moscow. The result of his laboratory test for variant type is still pending, the staff said.

Another case involves a woman who flew in on Apr 18 from Delhi on Vistara UK6395, and was found to carry the newly identified  L452R variant.

According to the CHP, the woman is the mother of a 9-month-old baby girl who was earlier confirmed as a Covid-19 case and went to hospital on Apr 27. The mother got herself admitted so she could take care of the baby.

After the baby was discharged on May 7, both of them went to quarantine again. The mother was tested a few times before her sample tested positive on May 15 at the quarantine camp.

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The third imported case, the Indonesian helper, arrived on Cathay Pacific CX2780 from Surabaya on May 7 and stayed at the Best Western Hotel in Causeway Bay. She tested positive for Covid-19 on her 7^th day test while in hotel quarantine.

Today’s new cases brought the caseload in Hong Kong so far to 11,825.

The Hospital Authority said 56 confirmed patients are being treated in 15 public hospitals and the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre. Two patients are in critical condition, one is serious and the remaining 53 patients are stable.

5 FDHs told to get tested after failing to comply with compulsory testing

  By The SUN

The spot checks were done as FDHs began complying with a second order to get tested 

Officers from the Labour Department have issued compulsory testing notice orders to five foreign domestic helpers who failed to comply with the government’s directive for all FDHs to get themselves tested for Covid-19 from May 1-9.

According to a statement issued by the government late on Sunday, the five violators were found after labour officers conducted spot checks on known FDH haunts across the city. Twenty other cases are being followed up.

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This came as the second round of mandatory tests on FDHs continued for the second day, amid one of the hottest days of the year. The second phase is set to last from May 15-30.

A total of 3,539 FDHs were reportedly asked to show the SMS notification of their test result for the previous round, or proof that they had two doses of a vaccine 14 days before the May 9 deadline.

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“The vast majority had complied with the compulsory testing notice,” said the statement, “but there were 20 FDHs whose testing/vaccination records required further verification.”

The Labour Department will follow up on those cases accordingly, said the statement.

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No mention was made of any fixed penalty ticket being issued to any of the five FDHs, who were reportedly told to undergo testing within a specified period.

Under the anti-epidemic restrictions, a fixed penalty ticket costing $5,000 may be issued outright to anyone who fails to follow a compulsory testing order.

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At the same time, the person is issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time, or face a further fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.

The government statement said labour officers roamed Central, Tamar Park in Admiralty, Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, Lai Chi Kok Park, Tsuen Wan Park, and a footbridge near Fa Yuen Street in Mong Kok for the past two days to check on FDHs’ compliance.

Workers register their phone numbers where their test result will be sent via SMS

For the second round, all FDHs, except those who had their second vaccine jab at least two weeks before the May 30 deadline (or on or before May 16), must take the coronavirus test all over again.

The second testing order, which comes just six days after the previous round ended, was met with widespread indignation by FDHs who called it an act of discrimination and stigmatization.

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A number showed their displeasure today by wearing red, in response to a call by some migrant leaders.

But when some police officers approached a red-clad group that gathered on Chater Road in Central, the workers denied staging a protest in violation of anti-gathering restrictions. 

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Many workers, however, complied with the order. Those who arrived early in Central said they lined up at the mobile testing center at Chater Garden even before the medics who conducted the test took up their stations.

Some workers turned up in red in a silent protest at the compulsory orders

“Kaninang umaga mahaba ang pila. Inagahan ko para makaiwas sa sobrang init kapag mataas na ang araw,” said a worker who waited for her three friends who decided to line up after lunch. (This morning the queue was long. I lined up early to avoid the excessive heat when the sun is already high.)

At 1:50pm, it was 32 degrees Celsius in Central and most parts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, making the heat almost unbearable. By then, there were only about 20 people lining up under the tents set up by the testing staff inside Chater Garden.  

Another Filipina who just had her swab test was complaining that the male medic who took samples from her nostril and throat had a heavy hand.

“Ang sakit naman niyang mag-swab. Ang bigat ng kamay niyang sumundot sa aking ilong,” the woman said.  (I hurt a lot when he swabbed me. His hand was heavy.)

Workers arrived individually, in pairs or threes, so there was room for the marshals to space out the distance between those on the queue.

Those who had booked tests online walked straight to the registration officers to confirm their bookings and were directed to the next available testing booth.

By 4pm, only a handful of workers could be seen registering for the walk-in swab in Chater Garden, where those who got tested were mostly Filipinos. 

But over at Victoria Park, which is a favorite hub of Indonesian workers, the queue was still quite long.

In the past exercise, a total of 340,000 FDHs complied with the order, said the government. A further 40,000 were exempted because they were fully vaccinated.

Three positive results came out from that initial round. Two were linked to a variant spread that started with an Indian returnee who appeared to have gotten infected in his quarantine hotel. The third had just ended her quarantine, and was also believed to have acquired the virus from her hotel.

Alim Prima agency loses license for not drawing up agreement with FDHs

By The SUN

 

The agency violated the Code of Practice by not drawing up service agreements

An employment agency in Mong Kok lost its bid to stop the Labour Department from revoking its license for failing to draw up a service agreement with its foreign domestic helper clients and not giving them detailed receipts.

The order canceling Alim Prima Employment’s license became final after the Administrative Appeals Board dismissed its appeal against the Labour Department’s decision on Thursday, May 13.

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A government press release issued Friday, May 15, said the agency lost its license after it failed to meet the requirements as set out in the Code of Practice for Employment Agencies, or CoP.

Alim Prima was the second agency to be stripped of its license by the Labour Department  this month for failing to meet the CoP requirements.

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On May 3, the Department also cancelled the license of Hong Kong Maid Agency in Taipo for non-compliance with the code. It was the first agency to lose its license this year.

In the latest case, the Department said Alim Prima failed to draw up service agreements with foreign domestic helpers, failed to include all required items in the agreements signed with the helpers and employers, and failed to include all required items in the payment receipts issued to them.

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All operators of employment agencies are reminded to conduct their business in compliance with the law and the requirements of the CoP at all times.       

Under section 53 of the Employment Ordinance, the Commissioner for Labour may revoke the license of an agency if he is satisfied that the licensee concerned has not complied with the CoP.

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“The CoP sets out the salient legal requirements that EA operators must observe in operating their business, as well as the standards which the Commissioner expects from agencies,” the statement said.

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Under the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, the Commissioner is given the power to refuse to issue or renew a license, or revoke one if he decides on reasonable grounds that the licensee has contravened the law, such as overcharging job seekers or operating an EA without a license, or has not complied with the CoP.

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The LD has revoked the licenses of five employment agencies, including Alim Prima, from 2020 to the end of April this year.    

For enquiries about matters related to employment agencies or complaints about alleged malpractices, call the Employment Agencies Administration at 2115 3667, or visit its office at Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon.