Agency owner denies knowing 2 Filipina staffers recruited for bogus jobs

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Ebrahim denies knowing her 2 Filipina staff were offering fake jobs

An employment agency owner said she didn’t fire her two Filipina staff after discovering they were recruiting people for non-existent jobs in Hong Kong and Macau in 2019, because she wanted them to refund the applicants’ money first.

Lennis Ebrahim took the witness stand today, Dec 20, in the District Court, accused of using false trade descriptions and money laundering along with Marijane Biscocho. The trial is being held at West Kowloon Court before Judge Kathie Cheung.

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Ebrahim also denied going into hiding after the job applicants began chasing WHT Consulting in Kwun Tong in 2019, which renamed itself Remy Consulting and moved to To Kwa Wan, for the promised jobs.

She said she was not aware Biscocho and another Filipina staff, Nympha Lumatac, had recruited for those jobs because she mostly stayed at home and went to the office only on Sundays and holidays.

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Ebrahim, 55, who said she was just a consultant of WHT and Remy, said she first heard about the activities of full-time employee Lumatac and part-time staff Biscocho when the applicants became restive.

Ebrahim and Biscocho are being tried in the District Court on a charge each of accepting illegal payment for the bogus jobs and laundering some $700,000 of the collected money in Hong Kong banks.

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Biscocho faces 20 charges including violation of the Trade Description Ordinance by wrongly accepting payment for a product, and money laundering.

Her co-employee Lumatac evaded arrest by fleeing to the Philippines via Macau when the alleged victims demanded a refund of their money.

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Eleven applicants accused Biscocho and Ebrahim of charging at least $12,000 each for such jobs as gardeners, welders, drivers, printers and field workers in Hong Kong and Macau that offered $7,000 to $13,000. They applied for relatives and friends.

Only seven of them, Rosalina Agcalis, Jocelyn Domingo, Nena Castro, Maria Aurora Lagura, Jovelyn Villaflor, Mary Joy Liggayu and Preciosa Abellera testified for the prosecution.

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Ebrahim took over the witness stand from Biscocho, 44, who finished giving evidence last Friday after several days of testimony.

At the witness stand, Biscocho answered every question by her Legal Aid lawyer Phil Chau, SC, simply with “yes” or “know” and by saying she only followed orders from Ebrahim.

She used the same strategy in replying to the prosecutor, who said in frustration that as the manager of the shop she should have been familiar with the standard employment contract for domestic helpers, but used the same document for the supposedly skilled applicants.

Ebrahim hides her face as she steps out of the courtroom after her testimony

At her turn to testify, the tall and slim Ebrahim spoke Cantonese as she fielded questions by Legal Aid-provided lawyer Shaun Kelly about her role in the alleged job scam.

Under questioning by Kelly, the defendant denied it was her handwriting that was on the documents submitted by the alleged victims as evidence.

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“That’s not my handwriting. I usually put my initials next to the chop,” she replied when Kelly showed her a job application by Philippines-based Mario Liggayu.

One time, Ebrahim said she received a call from Biscocho about the visa applications of some applicants for welder and field worker jobs being rejected by Immigration.

“She gave me a couple of names and I wrote them down. I told her we need to refund these people,” she said.

Then she reportedly told Biscocho to tell the applicants to wait three to four weeks as she used her savings and borrowed money from a friend to refund $31,000.

The trial continues.

Filipino migrants join huge crowds on free-ride Sunday

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Queues were long for buses bound for Repulse Bay, Stanley and the Peak

Yesterday was unlike most Sundays in Hong Kong, as thousands of people turned out to enjoy the free rides offered by most public transportation companies, as part of the government’s  bid to encourage more people to vote in the Legislative Council election.

As Sunday happens to be the day-off of most foreign domestic workers in the city, they also joined the mad dash for the free rides on the MTR, LRT, buses and trams.

Many took the opportunity to go to far-off places they’d normally pay a huge fare to visit, such as the Tai Tong Sweet Gum Woods in Yuen Long and the Strawberry Farm in Fanling.

Many migrants took the chance to travel to the Tai Tong Sweet Gum Woods for free

One Filipino couple posted a video on Facebook showing them taking the MTR all the way to Lo Wu and back, joking in the process that they almost got into Shenzhen, which, however, remains closed to most people in Hong Kong due to Covid restrictions.

Some migrant workers opted to take shorter visits to places like the Sham Shui Po market or the products expo at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, but almost quit when they saw the huge throng of people trying to get into the subways.

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“Muntik ko nang hindi kinaya ang siksikan sa MTR,” said Cherry Anne, who went to Sham Shui Po from Central after lunch. (I almost quit seeing the packed trains of the MTR).

She said her friend had tried to take a video of the crowds inside the station, but was unable to do so amid the jostling and the pushing.

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Due to the number of people who took the MTR, the most expensive but quickest mode of transportation, passengers were told they need not tap their Octopus cards or buy tickets when entering.

This caused a bit of confusion as some buses had signs saying passengers had to tap their Octopus cards before getting in, even if no amount was debited from their accounts.

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To cope with the expected deluge, the MTR management deployed 600 additional staff to help with crowd control. Some stations had passageways reserved only for people who were getting out, but not for those getting in.

MTR trains were this packed during peak hours for the free rides

Among the favorite destinations of the free riders was Repulse Bay and Stanley, or the Peak. Hundreds of people lined up at the bus stop beside United Centre in Admiralty to get to either destination, but were quickly given relief when buses were sent out every few minutes to pick them up.

There was a longer wait, however, for the regular buses that did not pass by popular sites, such as Bus No 10 that goes from Kennedy Town to North Point pier. The bus that normally involved a waiting time of only 10 to 15 minutes took as long as 30 minutes as some of the buses on the fleet were apparently deployed to other routes.

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Long queues were also reported at bus stops by the Hung Hom cross-harbor tunnel, where passengers could get on most routes provided by KMB, Citybus and New World First Bus.

Also providing free service for the day were Long Win Bus and New Lantao Bus, as well as the tram.

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Many opted to go to Disneyland from Central, where the adult fare could set you back $29.50 each way. Even if they didn’t get into the park itself, many migrant workers said it was worth the visit as the big crowds contributed to the festive spirit.

But the unprecedented treat did not sit well with some, especially those who live in the outlying islands as boat trips, including those on the Star Ferry, were not free.

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The government said it didn’t spend a cent on the free rides, which were all shouldered by participating transport companies.

7 new Covid-19 and 5 Omicron cases reported

By The SUN 

Omicron is now the dominant variant seen among arriving passengers in Hong Kong

Hong Kong health authorities have reported seven new confirmed cases of Covid-19, five of whom tested positive for the N501Y mutant strain commonly linked to the highly infectious Omicron variant.

The Centre for Health Protection also announced today, Dec 20, that after complete genome sequencing, five new Omicron cases were detected among travelers who arrived here on Dec 17 and 18. Hong Kong now has a total of 14 Omicron cases.

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One of the newly confirmed patients, a 33-year-old man who had flown from the United Kingdom, had insufficient viral load to test for the strain while a 78-year-old man who came from the United States had the L452R strain linked to the Delta variant.

Of the seven new cases, three had booster shots in the US between Nov 17 and Dec 15. The four others each had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

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CHP also said that as three passengers who arrived aboard flight CX845 from New York on Dec 19 tested positive on at Hong Kong Airport, the flight has been suspended for two weeks, from Dec 20 to Jan 2.

A spokesman for the CHP said one of the three passengers was confirmed as positive in the US, so was not added to Hong Kong’s list of confirmed cases anymore.

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The two others who took the CX 845 flight were an 18-year-old female who carried the N501Y strain and a 78-year-old man who had the L452R strain.

The other patients who tested positive for the N501Y variant are a 28-year-old woman who came from the United Kingdom on Dec 18 aboard VS206, a 22-year-old male who also came from the UK on the same day but aboard CX216, another 22-year-old male who traveled from Poland, Germany and Qatar and took QR818 on Dec 18; and a 68-year-old man who flew in from the United States and Japan on Dec 17 and was quarantined at Penny’s Bay.

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They took Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally to 12,533 confirmed cases and one probable case.

Meanwhile, of the five newly reported Omicron cases, three were confirmed to have the N501Y mutant strain when they arrived on Dec 17. The other two were among five patients who arrived on Dec 18, and all had the N501Y strain as well.

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Three of the patients had arrived from the UK, one from Nigeria and another from Italy.

Among today’s cases, the man who came from Poland and German and took QR818 had lived in Hong Kong during the 21-day incubation period prescribed by local experts. Thus, Block 1 of Rambler Crest in Tsing Yi where he had stayed and other places he visited, will be put under compulsory testing notice.

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The patient left Hong Kong on Dec 7 and returned on Dec 18 where his specimen taken at the airport proved positive for coronavirus with the N501Y mutant strain.

Filipinos pick up pieces as Odette exits, leaving 140 people dead

 By The SUN 

The country's surfing capital, Siargao, bore the full impact of Odette's fury (photo from OVP)

People in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao have begun to salvage whatever was left of their belongings after Super Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) claimed more than 140 lives as it cut a path of death and destruction across the region on Thursday and Friday.

As of the evening of Sunday, Dec 19, reports reaching Manila said at least 72 people died in Bohol alone in the wake of the typhoon.

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The National Disaster Coordinating Council reported 31 other casualties after Odette blew its way out into the South China Sea.

But Negros Occidental’s provincial government said the death toll in the province rose to 34 today, with the latest fatalities recorded in Sipalay and Kabankalan, among the hardest-hit cities in the province.

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At least 15 other people died in Siargao Island, said Surigao del Norte Governor Francisco Matugas on Sunday, who added that the death toll could climb.

The local government of Dinagat Islands in the province reported 10 more deaths, mostly due to fallen trees and drowning, as the typhoon flattened the province.

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Odette, which at one point was a Category 5 storm, made nine destructive landfalls in the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Leyte and Surigao del Norte, where the popular surfing destination, Siargao, being the first to bear to brunt of its 270km-per-hour wind.

Bohol Governor Arthur Yap appealed for donations of hundreds of generators to help the province deal with a critical shortage in drinking water.

The super typhoon also left a trail of destruction in Bohol province

Yap also asked the Philippine Ports Authority to open its facilities to help local government units get access to power and communications.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development said 74,680 families or 279,623 persons are staying in 2,060 evacuation centers after the onslaught of Odette.

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Meanwhile, 7,427 families or 28,982 persons were also displaced, but are staying outside evacuation centers.

The DSWD added that as of 6am on Sunday, Php3.57 million worth of assistance from the agency, local government units, and nongovernmental organizations has been provided to affected residents.

Photos shared on social media showed wrecked homes and toppled power and communication lines. The widespread destruction has made it difficult for authorities to provide a clear picture of the extent of damage.

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Relief operations were ramped up on Sunday after Odette, the strongest tropical storm to hit the Philippines this year, pummeled the region as it made nine landfalls and displaced more than 400,000 people in seven provinces.

The national government has committed P2 billion to aid the Visayas and Mindanao residents displaced by Odette, acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said Sunday.

He said the Department of Social Welfare and Development already has Php1 billion worth of pre-positioned goods in affected areas while the Department of Public Works and Highways is clearing roads to speed up relief transportation,.

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Vice President Leni Robredo has conducted her own relief effort by visiting Bohol and Siargao and Dinagat islands in Surigao where she distributed food and supply packages mainly sourced from private donations.

She also met with local officials to help with the coordination of relief and rebuilding efforts.

Residents of Dumaguete City line up to get drinking water after their supply lines were cut

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, or PAGASA, said Odette had exited the country’s territory and was already about 430 km northwest of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, at 11am.

The typhoon maintained its strength as it plodded towards Hainan. At 2pm Sunday, Severe Typhoon Rai was within 200 kilometres of the coast of southern Vietnam from where it’s expected to turn north and northeast towards Hainan and the coast of Guangdong.

The Hong Kong Observatory has said it may issue a tropical cyclone warning signal on Monday as Rai moves towards the city.

However, based on its current track the typhoon is not expected to come within 800 kilometers of Hong Kong as it turns in a more easterly direction. Forecasters also expect Rai to weaken, though it will still bring rain to Hong Kong in the next couple of days.

Govt holds risk reduction talks with Cathay as 8 new Covid-19 cases found

By The SUN

 

There's concern that cargo crew's quarantine exemption may lead to Omicron spread  

Hong Kong health officials are discussing with Cathay Pacific ways to reduce the risks posed by the airline crew’s exemption from quarantine after a cargo pilot was confirmed positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan disclosed the risk reduction talks on local radio today, Dec 19, as the Centre for Health Protection reported eight new Covid-19 patients, six of them possibly carrying the Omicron variant. They were all imported.

“The authorities have taken various measures to detect and prevent community cases. Once relevant cases are found, the area will be locked down for testing,” Chan said.

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The health official cited researches showing that Omicron may bypass immunity from past infections or vaccination. She urged the elderly and high-risk groups to receive booster jabs as soon as possible to minimize the risk of catching the variant.

Chinese University professor Dr David Hui said there were concerns that flight crew on home quarantine may spread the coronavirus whenever they left home for Covid tests or bought food during the two-hour window that they are allowed.

Hui said authorities could consider sending staff to collect samples for the crewmen so that they won’t need to leave their homes to undergo tests.

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The first Omicron case to enter the community was the 36-year-old Cathay cargo pilot who arrived in Hong Kong from Anchorage, Alaska on Dec 13.

In today’s Covid-19 update, the CHP said six of the eight confirmed patients carried the N501Y mutant strain, which is now linked more to Omicron than the Alpha variant.

Two of them were female passengers from the UK, one aged 26 who flew in via VS206 on Dec 17 and tested positive at the airport, and another who arrived on CX252 on Dec 13 and was found positive while in hotel quarantine.

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Among the four men with the N501Y strain was a 46-year-old crew of Alis Cargo Airline flight CP134 that arrived from Italy on Dec 17 and a 22-year-old resident who flew in from Spain via Qatar on QR818 on Dec 15. They tested positive at the airport.

The two others are a 42-year-old foreign domestic helper who arrived on Dec 13 from India via the United Arab Emirates on EK384, and a 31-year-old man from Kenya who flew in on Dec 15 via Qatar on QR818.

The CHP said a genomic sequencing test on a 62-year-old woman who arrived Dec 15 from Switzerland on flight AY101 via Finland was inconclusive.

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Only one patient carried the L452R strain, which is linked to the Delta variant. He was a man aged 59 who arrived Dec 17 from France via Finland on flight AY101 and tested positive for Covid-19 at the Hong Kong International Airport.

All of today’s confirmed patients had received at least two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

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A total of 66 cases have been reported in the past 14 days ending Dec 18, and all of them are imported.

Meanwhile, the CHP reminded persons who resided or worked in Cheung Hing Building at 44-48 Pitt St, Yau Ma Tei, to go for compulsory testing again on Monday, Dec 20. They will also be required to undergo self-monitoring until the 21st day.

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The building is where the Cathay pilot with Omicron lived for two days before testing positive for Omicron.

For case details and contact tracing information, please check the Covid thematic website, www.coronavirus.gov.hk.

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Migrants’ Day marked with demand for higher pay, less work

By Daisy CL Mandap 

A token protest to mark International Migrants Day is held outside the Central Government Offices

A minimum wage of no less than $6,014, working hours that do not exceed 11 hours a day and guaranteed long service pay after five years of uninterrupted service were among the key demands migrant organizations raised in a letter addressed to Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday, Dec 18.

The letter was handed out by representatives of the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body and the International Migrants Alliance during pocket protests they staged at various government offices as well as the Philippine and Indonesian consulates to mark International Migrants Day.

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In their letter, the two groups said the foreign domestic workers’ current minimum wage of $4,630 a month amounts to only $31.15 per hour, which is just 56% of the $54.70 hourly rate for a “living wage” prescribed by a study conducted by Oxfam.

Despite this, a study by the Mission for Migrant Workers found that 98% of the workers worked long hours. Over 70% were found to work between 11 to 16 hours a day while almost 30% work more than 16 hours daily.

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The Covid-19 pandemic made the 380,000 migrant domestic workers even more vulnerable to abuse, said the letter.

In an online survey conducted by the Mission in March, nearly half (40%) of the respondent workers said they had not been allowed to go out of the house for a month, 25% slept less compared to the previous month, and 50% reported working longer hours.

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And yet migrant workers had been left out of the financial support the government had extended to most sectors of the society to ease the hardships wrought by the pandemic, said the migrants.

“Based on our computation and studies of a standard living wage, the minimum wage of MDWs in Hong Kong should be no less than $6,014 per month and a food allowance of $2,600…” said the letter.

Protest outside Immigration, which is accused of unfairly labeling migrants 'job hoppers'

On top of this, the migrants demanded that the standard employment contract for foreign domestic helpers be amended to provide “for a continuous 11-hour rest periods between two consecutive work days plus meal breaks for live-in domestic workers.”

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A notable addition to their demands is the provision of long service payment to all domestic workers who work continuously for at least five years with the same employer.

“We demand the Hong Kong government, regardless of who decides not to renew their contract, to guarantee payment of long service after five years of service of work for one employer,” said the letter.

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Currently, no long service pay is due a domestic helper if he or she is the one who decides not to renew a contract or pre-terminates it, no matter how long the worker had served the employer.

Protest outside the Philippine Consulate focused more on corruption

Another new demand is that Immigration Department stop labeling domestic workers who do not complete their work contracts as “job hoppers.”

“We reiterate that migrants are actually forced to stay in abusive working conditions (rather) than resign for fear of being judged as 'job-hoppers', and then forced to go home,” said the letter.

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Providing domestic workers with a living wage and reforming policies that put them in a vulnerable position would enable the Hong Kong government to show its recognition of their valuable contribution to society, the migrant groups said.

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