Filipina who breached social distancing rules jailed for stealing chocolates

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The accused had been fined earlier for violating the gathering restrictions

A Filipina with a pending case for breaching social distancing rules was jailed for a month today when she returned to Eastern Court for stealing chocolates.

L.S. Figueroa, 45, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Peter Law to stealing the chocolates worth $85 in a Dai Sang Groceries outlet on the ground floor of Causeway Tower on Jun 27. Law sentenced her to three weeks in jail for the offense.

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The prosecutor then said Figueroa had a pending case for breaching Regulation 599G (Prevention and Control of Disease) for gathering with more than four friends on an unspecified date.

Law told Figueroa about her pending fine of $4,300 for the 599G offense. The woman replied she would like to be jailed instead as she was penniless.

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Law gave her an additional week in jail which she should serve after the three weeks  meted her for theft.

The Filipina had her friend's HKID in her wallet

Meanwhile, a Filipina domestic helper who was arrested for keeping her friend’s Hong Kong ID card was granted bail today, also at Eastern Court.

M.K. Maing’s bail application was allowed by Magistrate Law after her private lawyer said police were making further enquiry on how she came to possess another person’s HK ID card.

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The lawyer also said the defendant should not be a flight risk as she has a pending employment contract application at Immigration. Her would-be employer was said to be still in Australia and will return to Hong Kong only in August.

The lawyer said Maing will stay at Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, whose executive director Edwina Antonio was at the hearing to support the bail application.

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Maing had earlier applied for $1,200 bail. She has been in police custody since her arrest during a police spot check on May 12.

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Katabaan ng pigura nabawasan at lalong pumuti ang balat

Lolita Tabangan, before and after

Napansin ni Lolita Tabangan na tumaba siya simula na magtrabaho dito kaya naisipan na magdiet ngunit hindi nakuntento sa resulta dahil nanunumbalik ang nawalang taba kapag titigil siyang magehersisyo. Nabasa at nakita niya sa Sun website ang before at after photos ng Pinay na nagslim dahil sa paggamit ng upgraded Dream Love 1000 5 in 1 body lotion na gawa sa England. Mabibili pala ito sa Fiesta Mart ng Worldwide plaza sa halagang HK98 lamang. Sulit ang presyo dahil sa 5 functions nito at nabasa pa na wala itong halong mercury kaya safe.

Sumunod na day off ay bumili ng 1 tube upang malaman kung epektibo sa kaniya. Pagkauwi at pagkaligo ay sinimulan niva itong gamitin at sa loob ng apat na lingo. Napansin ang pagshape-up ng katawan, kuminis at pumuti lalo ang kaniyang ang kutis. Nabawasan ng 3” inches na taba sa balakang at baywang. Mahigit 90% percent ng dark spors sa mukha ang nabawas. Nawala rin ang wrinkles at nagmukha siya batang tignan nang magkaroon ng pigura ang katawan. Ang nasabing lotion ay nirekomenda ng mga sikat na dermatologists, also certified at tested ito ng Hong Kong Testing Center. Wala itong halong mercury kaya safe na gamitin at nakakabawas ng bad cholesterol. Nalaman pa na gamit na din ito ng mga sikat na celebrities.

Para sa gandang nakaka-akit

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Ang iyong Kagandahan ay magiging tunay na kaakit-akit. Mabibili sa Hong Kong ang updated version na
Dream Love 1000 5-in-1 Body Essence Lotion
na gawa sa laboratoryo ng La Cite Parfumer S.A. Paris mula sa mga piniling sangkap galing pa sa England, Germany, Canada at France.

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Tingnan ang libu-libong mga totoong karanasan sa buhay ng mga kababayan, at kung paano nila ginamit ang
Dream Love 1000 5-in-1 Body Lotion
para maging natural na kaputian, hugis, mas batang tingnan at kumikinang na balat, sa ngayon ay lalo nang seksi sa http://www.sunwebhk.com

Malaromantikong karanasan habang nasa upper deck ng bus

Lenita Castillo

Naglalakad si Lenita Castillo, 26, kasama ang kanyang mga kaibigan sa Prince Edward, kakatapos lang nilang nagpabakuna ng Biontech vaccine. Lahat sila ay masayang naglalakada at nagtitingin sa mga binebenta na mga tanim sa Flower market. Napansin ng isa sa kanila ang isang foreigner na may blue eyes, panay ang tingin nito kay Lenita simula na malampasan nila ito. Hindi nila maiwasan na hangaan ito dahil sa kaguwapuhan at magandang pangangatawan nito.

Ngunit lahat sila ay nasorpresa nang bigla itong lumapit at nakipagusap kay Lenita. Nagpakilala ito bilang si James Norris na nagtatrabaho sa isang accounting firm. Bumulong it okay Lenita, sinabing nagustuhan ang gamit na pabango, saka tinanong ang kaniyang phone number. Sinabing gusto siyang makitang muli sa sunod na day off. Ibinigay niya ang numero at bago ito magpaalam ay hinawakan ang kaniyang kamay sabay halik dito. Nagulat man siya pero hinayaan na lamang dahil naalala niyang dahil sa gamit na pabango ang kakaibang kinilos nito.

Pagkalayo ng lalaki ay tinukso siya ng mga kasama hanggang sa paguwi ay naaalala pa niya ang pangyayari. Bago matulog ay nakatanggap siya ng whatsapp message na galing kay James at nagkasundo silang magkikita sa Linggo na darating.

Sumapit ang araw ng kanilang pagkikita at naging makulay ang kanilang buong maghapon. Kumain at namasyal sila sa Stanley beach. Ramdam niya ang sinserong pagkaakit nito sa kaniya dahil buong maghapon nitong hawak ang kaniyang kamay at paminsan ay sa baywang. Ang mga sumunod pa na day off niya ay naging masaya at maalab.

 

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*Naghahanap ka man ng pag-ibig, nang-aakit ka man ng lalaki, o gustong maging tapat ito sa iyo, o gusto mong ikaw ang ikasal sa halip na maging abay lang sa kasal, kung gusto mong may pagbabago ng saloobin ang iyong amo sa kabaitan, at maging kaakit-akit sa paningin ng lahat... 

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Raped, groped and assaulted: 5 FDWs talk of their pandemic ordeals

By Daisy CL Mandap

Photos of the abuse victims are displayed at the press conference

With her back turned to the camera, Putri, an Indonesian domestic worker told a news conference earlier today, Jun 29, of how she was repeatedly groped, then raped by her male Chinese employer. When she got pregnant, she said her female employer who knew about the assaults and rape, told her to get an abortion, but she refused.

Another Indonesian, Selly, spoke of how her male employer had repeatedly fondled her over the five months that she had worked in his household. She managed to flee only on June 25 with help from the Mission for Migrant Workers, after being allowed to take a rare day off.

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Herlina, also Indonesian, provided details of the repeated physical assaults she suffered at the hands of his male employer. Once, when she sustained a deep, open wound after a heavy aquarium that the employer told her to move fell on her foot, she was taken to a doctor only the next day. In the latest incident on June 24, her employer used a fishing rod to hit her on her hands and temple, before kicking her out to the front yard.

Backing up her story was Uun, who worked with Herlina in the employer's house in Tuen Mun, and fled with her at the same time. While not physically abused, Uun said she worked long hours, especially during the weekends when their employers hosted dinner parties at home. She and Herlina were not allowed to go out during their rest days.

3 of the abuse claimants (3rd, 5th and 6th from left) face the press

Rounding up the group of complainants was Eden, a Filipina worker who spoke, also online and with her back to the camera, about the torture she said she was subjected to by her female employer, a secondary school teacher who lives in Tsuen Wan. When Eden managed to escape on May 30, fellow workers were shocked to see the huge contusions on her thighs and stomach, and numerous scratches on her back and other parts of her body.

What the five workers had in common was that they were new in Hong Kong, and were mostly prohibited from going out for their weekly rest days, with their employers using the pandemic as the excuse. All lived in the New Territories, which made it doubly difficult for them to seek help from their respective consulates and support organizations that are based  mostly on Hong Kong island or Kowloon.

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The Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, which held the press conference jointly with the Mission for Migrant Workers, said the ordeal that the five women were forced to go through showed the Hong Kong government’s failure to protect the city’s 370,000 FDWs.

AMCB was particularly critical of the government’s repeated assurances that FDWs could be told to spend their rest day in the employer’s house, for as long as the worker agrees to this set-up.

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“We demand the Hong Kong government (to) take responsibility for their announcements and policies encouraging employers to keep their MDWs like prisoners inside the house,” said the AMCB in a statement read out by spokesperson Sringatin.

She said that because of this advice, workers like Eden and Ina were unable to seek safety or report the abuse they were experiencing.

Distressed workers and supporters show what need to be done to prevent abuse  

Johannie Tong, Mission’s case officer, said the surge in abuse cases amid the pandemic was alarming. She cited the Mission 2020 report which showed that sexual abuse cases tripled during the year, compared with 2019. Reports of physical abuse also rose by two percent year-on-year.

In addition, the survey reportedly showed that the overall working conditions of migrant workers have worsened during the pandemic, with around 98% being made to work long hours. Seven out of 10 worked for around 11 hours, while the rest worked for more than 16 hours. A few worked as long as 18 to 19 hours a day, Tong said.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

Both AMCB and the Mission called on the government to review its policies that they said allow the abuses to happen, particularly the live-in requirement and the 14-day rule for those whose contracts are prematurely terminated.

They also urged the Philippine and Indonesian consulates to provide financial support to their migrant workers in distress, as they are unable to send money home while pursuing their cases.

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Amount DH allegedly stole from boss’ bank account cut to $530k

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Garaza is now accused of stealing $530k from her employer by using the ATM card entrusted to her

Prosecutors have reduced to $530,000 the amount that a Filipina domestic helper has allegedly stolen from her French employer’s bank account over a 14-month period.  Originally, she was accused of stealing a total of $768,000.

This was disclosed at the hearing of the theft case against June Jennie B. Garaza, 33, who appeared in Eastern Court today, Jun 29.

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Magistrate Peter Law was slated to take a plea from Garaza, but at the request of the defense, adjourned the case until Jul 27, and ordered the defendant returned to custody.

Garaza has been detained since her arrest on Jan 22.

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She is accused of stealing cash from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp account of her male employer, Stephen Peepels, between Nov 26, 2019 and Jan 21 this year. She allegedly managed to do this since her employer allowed her to use his ATM card to withdraw money for household expenses.

The $238,000 reduction in the amount she was originally accused of skimming from Peepels’ account followed completion of the police scrutiny of more than 200 ATM withdrawals from the account during the 14-month period.

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Only a few details of the case have emerged since Garaza first appeared in court on Jan 25.

But during an interview on the popular Manila television show “Raffy Tulfo in Action, “ her husband, Kevin Luga, claimed the charge was baseless.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

Luga, who also used to work for Peepels, lived with Garaza in a separate rented flat.   

Luga said it all began when a nephew of Peepels who lives with the employer saw the $17,850 hotel bill that the helper and his son incurred for quarantine after they arrived from Manila on Jan 18.

Magistrate Law adjourned the hearing until Jul 27 and ordered Garaza remanded in custody.

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Heavy rains shut many offices, but not the Consulate & Immigration

By Vir B. Lumicao

Visibility was low amid the heavy downpour so many vehicles stayed off the roads

Torrential rains disrupted Hong Kong courts, schools and businesses this morning as the HK Observatory raised the black rainstorm warning, but it was business as usual at the Consulate and the Immigration Department.

The Observatory issued the highest alert level at 8:20am after heavy rains pelted Lantau, Lamma, western Hong Kong Island, East Kowloon and Saikung. Flooding and mudslides were reported as more than 200 millimeters of rain had fallen by noon.

Traffic was light most of the morning, with only a few vehicles on the road as office workers stayed at home in response to the first black rainstorm warning this year. But the MTR continued to run, with light rush-hour passenger volume.

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Edwina Antonio, executive director of Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, was in Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho by 9:30am when she was told by staff at the courthouse that the scheduled hearings were suspended while the black warning was in force.

“I didn’t have breakfast because we were already running late. We took a taxi to get here on time but found out the courtrooms were closed,” Antonio said, while eating her sandwich.

She and an OFW were escorting a defendant in a case that was set for hearing this morning.

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The cases due to be heard at the magistracy included one involving a Filipina domestic helper who was accused of using her employer’s credit card to steal close to $800,000 and another female worker who was caught keeping a friend’s Hong Kong ID card.

By 11am, court staff announced that all sessions for the day had been cancelled and interested parties should return tomorrow.

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At the Consulate, staff said they remained open despite the black storm warning so a lean crowd of Filipino workers who were there for passport appointments and other purposes did not have to queue up before the transaction windows.

The heavy rains did not stop people queuing up for services at the Consulate

In the assistance to nationals section, only one female staff was in to handle phone calls as all her colleagues were at the Hong Kong airport to see off a group of stranded Filipino workers who were returning home on a special flight arranged by the Consulate.

 

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There were more workers with business to transact the PCG’s attached offices, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration on the 29^th floor of United Centre Building.

But the assistant labor attaches and the OWWA welfare officer’s offices were closed as they were also at the airport assisting the departing workers. One female staff said the offices opened at 8am to entertain workers who were there for transactions.

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A thin crowd of Filipino and Indonesian workers also gathered at the Foreign Domestic Helpers Section of the Immigration Department to process new contracts or apply for visa renewals and extensions.

Many FDHs were at Immigration because of urgent concerns

Many of the Filipinas who braved the bad weather said they didn’t have to wait long to complete their transactions. But at least two, Ellise and Rose, said they had been there since 8am and were among the first to submit visa extension forms. At 12 noon, they were still waiting to be called.

Both were anxious to get their visas extended as they had already overstayed by five months without even realizing it. They said they noticed only recently that the validity of the visa stamped on their passports was different from the expiration of their contracts.

News reports said anti-Covid vaccinations were suspended but resumed after lunch, while the city’s stock market resumed trading at 12:30pm.  

The nonstop rain triggered a landslide at 8am on Lantau Island that blocked two lanes of traffic, according to police.

Vehicles were shown on a video stuck as muddy water spilled from a hillside on South Lantau Road near Upper Cheung Sha Beach, making the highway impassable for a while.

The Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel Road on the Tuen Mun side was also obstructed by landslides, but had been fully cleared by past 11:30am.

PADALA NA!

 

HK bans passenger flights from UK, retains it for Phl & 6 other places

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Passenger flights from the UK will again stop on Jul 1

Hong Kong has re-imposed a ban on all passenger flights from the United Kingdom, in line with existing boarding and quarantine regulations. The flight suspension will take effect from Jul 1, Thursday.

At the same time, a government statement issued today, Jun 28, said the current ban on other places designated as “extremely high risk” which includes the Philippines, will be retained.

“Considering that the epidemic situation is still unstable in existing extremely high-risk places, i.e. Brazil, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Africa, the existing restrictions on the aforementioned places under Cap. 599H will continue,” said the statement.

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The announcement came as three imported cases of Covid-19 were reported today, involving a foreign domestic helper from Indonesia and two returnees, one from the UK and another from Namibia. All three have the L452R strain of the Delta variant.

In the past week, a total of 12 arrivals from the UK were found to carry the Delta variant, either on arrival or during quarantine. Two were detected on Jun 21, four on Jun 24, two on Jun 25, one on Jun 26, two yesterday, and 1 today.

Under Hong Kong’s anti-Covid regulation, if five or more passengers from a certain country test positive for a coronavirus variant on arrival test at Hong Kong airport within a seven-day period,  that place is automatically designated as “extremely high  risk.”

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This classification is also triggered when at least 10 people arriving from a place are found to carry a variant, by any test (including during quarantine), within one week.

“As the number of the relevant imported cases has reached the threshold mentioned above, the government will on July 1 invoke the place-specific flight suspension for the UK, and specify the UK as a Group A1 specified place,” said the statement.

12 variant carriers from the UK were detected on arrival in HK in the past week

In addition, the decision to move the UK back to category A1 for “extremely high-risk places was said to have been prompted by the rebound of Covid-19 cases, as well as the widespread detection of the Delta variant in the country.

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The flight ban on the UK comes just four days after the country was reclassified as a Group A2 place, which allowed travelers from there to board a flight for Hong Kong, but must spend 21 days in hotel quarantine, whether or not they were vaccinated. They must also show a negative result for a swab test done no later than 72 hours before departure.

A flight ban is not new to the UK, though, as it was first stopped from flying passengers to Hong Kong in December last year amid record rises in the number of people getting infected with Covid-19.

This was gradually relaxed in April when residents were allowed to return via designated flights after a marked drop in Covid-19 cases in the country, as well as large-scale vaccinations

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On May 7 Hong Kong re-classified the country as a “very-high risk” place, which meant that travelers from there could fly in via regular flights, but should strictly observe a 21-day hotel quarantine and submit a negative test result for Covid-19 before boarding.

From Jun 4, the UK was further downgraded to “high risk” Group B category, which allowed travelers from there to quarantine for only 14 days and skip the Covid-19 test prior to boarding. Twenty days later, the country was moved back to the “very high risk” category, which required stricter boarding and quarantine requirements.

"The Government will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situation of various places, the prevalence of new virus variants, vaccination progress, and changes in the volume of cross-boundary passenger traffic, and will adjust the boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from relevant places as the situation warrants," the statement said. 

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

PADALA NA!