5-year-old girl with Covid in critical condition as caseload tops 5,300

By The SUN

 

Doctors are calling on parents to get their children aged 6 months and older, to get vaccinated

Health authorities are calling for more children to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as they reported the case of an unvaccinated five-year-old girl who is fighting for her life in a hospital after coming down with the coronavirus.

The call was made as the Centre for Health Protection reported an additional 5,308 cases on Saturday, the highest daily tally since the first week of April.

Of the 220 patients admitted to hospital yesterday, 19 were children below the age of three.

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Dr Gladys Kwan, a chief manager of the Hospital Authority, said the sick girl had a fever, and tested positive on Friday. Her condition deteriorated quickly and she was rushed to Tuen Mun Hospital where she is now in the children’s intensive care unit.

Kwan said they have yet to confirm the Covid sub-variant the girl was infected with, and are still investigating her case.

But because an unvaccinated 22-month-old girl who was taken to hospital recently in poor condition was found to have cerebral encephalitis, they are not ruling out this possibility in the five-year-old patient.

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"Whether [her Covid infection] is causing encephalitis or other conditions, we are still doing the investigation. So at this point it is quite difficult for us to draw a conclusion," she said.

But she said there is a chance that this could have also happened in the second case because children who get the virus have been found to be more susceptible to developing inflammation of the central nervous system or encephalitis.

Kwan urged parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible, saying it is proven to be most effective way to prevent serious illness, or death, due to the coronavirus.

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Earlier in the day, Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau made the same call, saying he was concerned with the low vaccination rate of children below three years old.

The government recently approved the vaccination of children between six months and three years old, although the Sinovac jab is the only one available for them at this time.

Lo said the government is still in the process of acquiring BioNTech vaccine for toddlers as the formulation is different from that for adults.

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Meanwhile, of the day's total infections, 160 were imported cases - 26 were identified at the airport, 95 in quarantine hotels, and 39 after the patients had ended quarantine. 

There are now a total of 1,604 Covid patients receiving treatment in public hospitals. They include 32 who are in critical condition, 25 in serious condition, while 11 of those listed as critical are in intensive care units.

Three more related deaths were recorded, involving three elderly women aged between 85 and 91.

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The oldest fatality who had received four jabs against Covid, fainted at home on Friday and was already dead when taken to hospital. She was just released from hospital after testing positive for Covid in July.

Kwan said her case has been referred to the Coroner for investigation.

She again called on elderly people stricken with Covid to seek medical attention as soon as possible even if they only had mild symptoms, as these could lead to a rapid deterioration in their condition.

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Hindi pwedeng magkaso kung pumayag sa ilegal na trabaho, ayon sa Labour Tribunal

 

Hindi umusad ang kaso ng isang Pilipina sa Labour Tribunal pero may natutunan naman siyang paraan kung paano matagumpay na magreklamo laban sa amo.

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Dumulog sa Labour Tribunal ang isang Pilipina upang ireklamo na niloko siya ng kanyang mga amo at singilin ang mga dapat bayaran sa kanya. Hindi pinayagang umusad ang kanyang kaso, pero ang mga dahilan dito ay pwedeng magsilbing aral para sa lahat.

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Kakaiba ang kasong inihain ni RSV, isang Pilipinang domestic helper, sa Labour Tribunal.

Sa mga kaso na dinudulog sa Tribunal, laging ang nakapirmang amo o kumpanya lang ang inirereklamo ng isa o mahigit pang manggagawa. Pero sa reklamong isinampa ni RSV ay tatlong employer ang kanyang kinasuhan,  na tatawagin nating Defendant 1 (D1), Defendant 2 (D2) at Defendant 3 (D3).

Sinabi ni RSV na sa unang kontrata niya, ang pumirma ay si D1. Sa ikalawang kontrata naman ay pumirma si D2.

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Tinanong siya ng presiding officer na si W. H. Pun kung bakit kasama si D3 sa kaso kung hindi naman siya pumirma sa kontrata.

Ang paliwanag ni RSV,  na pinagtrabaho siya kay D3 ng dalawang pumirma ng kontrata, at si D3 din ang nagbayad ng kanyang suweldo,  ay naka-alarma kay Pun.

“Ang sinasabi mo sa akin ay pagkukumpisal ng isang kriminal na gawain,” ika niya. “Ang ginawa mo ay malamang na maging problema para sa iyo.”

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Ang pagtatrabaho sa taong hindi pumirma ng kontrata ng isang dayuhang DH ay paglabag sa mga kondisyon nang binigyan siya ng visa, paliwanag ni Pun.

Sumagot si RSV na dumulog nga siya sa Tribunal dahil gusto niyang pa-imbestigahan ang ipinagawa sa kanya.

“Pero wala kaming kapangyarihang mag-imbestiga,” ani Pun.

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Nang tanungin naman niya si RSV kung nagreklamo na si RSV sa Immigration tungkol dito, sumagot ito ng hindi dahil hindi niya alam ang gagawin.

“Kapag ipinilit mo ang ganitong takbo sa iyong reklamo at nakarating ang kaso sa husgado, kahit manalo ka pa, posibleng magkaroon ng resultang hindi mo magugustuhan. Posibleng idemanda ka ng Immigration Department, at kanselahin ang iyong visa.”

Pinayuhan niya sa RSV na kumusulta sa abogado kung gusto niyang ipilit ang ganitong linya ng reklamo.

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Tinanong naman ni Pun kung saan nakatira ang tatlong inireklamo ni RSV.

Nang sabihin ni RSV na magkakahiwalay sila ng bahay, tinanong siya kung bakit iisa ang address na ginamit niya para padalhan ng kopya ng kanyang reklamo ang tatlo.

Kailangan ng korte ang tamang address ng mga inirereklamo, paliwanag ni Pun, dahil kung hindi nila natanggap ang reklamo, hindi pwedeng umusad ang kaso laban sa kanila.

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Nang sabihin ni RSV na umalis na sa Hong Kong si D3, na siyang tunay na may atraso sa kanya, sinabi ni Pun na ang korte ay may kapangyarihan lamang sa mga taong nasa loob ng Hong Kong.

Ang huling tinalakay ni Pun ay ang hinahabol ni RSV na hindi pa nabayarang suweldo, taunang bakasyon at mga statutory holiday.

Pinansin niya na walang paliwanag si RSV kung bakit nagkautang ng ganito ang mga inireklamo niya.

“Kailangan mong ipaliwanag at magbigay ka ng ebidensiya kung bakit dapat kang bayaran para sa mga ito,” ika ni Pun.

Sa huli ay binigyan ni Pun si RSV ng panahong pag-isipang mabuti kung paano niya ipiprisinta ang kanyang kaso. “Ayaw kong pagsisihan mo ang iyong napiling direksyon.” dagdag niya.

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Filipina tells court how she sought police help after alleged rape by employer

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Female employer Lai is fully covered in black as she leaves the High Court after the trial

A 34-year-old Filipina domestic worker told the High Court Friday how she sought help from the police the morning after her former male employer had raped her with help from his wife.

The Filipina who is shielded from the public while giving testimony in court, said she took the chance to go to the police station in Yuen Long after taking her eight-year-old ward to her school bus in the morning of Jan. 22, 2018.

“X” brought with her the clothes she had worn during the alleged rape, as well as a tissue paper which the female employer had used to wipe her husband’s semen.

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A medical check-up requested by police later showed the employer’s DNA was found in the helper’s body.

X said she didn’t dare leave her employers’ house after the assault the previous night or called the police to the house because she was scared of what the couple might to do to her.

But she did send a series of text messages to a friend she called “Ate Rose”, about how she was “used” (ginamit) by the couple and how they “debased” (binaboy) her. It was this friend who urged her to go to the police the next day.

The Filipina faced intense cross-examination by the defence counsel on day 5 of the trial of the couple she had served for only three months, from November 2017 to January 2018.

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Court of First Instance Judge Alex Lee is presiding over the trial before a seven-man jury.

Male employer Chan Chim-tak, 48, faces one count of rape and another of attempted rape, while his wife, Lai Chi-san, 36, is charged with aiding and abetting the rape, and of indecent assault.

The offences allegedly happened on the night of Jan. 21, 2018, at the couple’s home in Hung Fuk Estate, Hung Shui Kiu in Yuen Long.

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Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges and are out on bail.

Barrister Priscilla Lam, acting for Chan, tried to challenge X’s credibility by asking why the helper used the word “ginamit” instead of “hinalay” which was the more precise word for “rape” in the message she sent to her friend.

The rape allegedly happened in the couple's flat in Hung Fuk Estate, Yuen Long

However, X said she had used the words interchangeably in her court testimony and in the statement she gave to police.

The defence lawyer showed X and the jurors a set of video clips taken on the morning of Jan 22 while the helper and her ward “Kiki” were leaving their residential block.

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Lam tried to suggest that X looked relaxed in the video, and did not even hold the child’s hand on the way out. X said she had kept the girl in sight and was in fact worried for her safety that she took her to the school bus first before going to the police station.

X was repeatedly asked why she did not scream while the alleged assault was taking place, or called the police immediately after.

She repeated that she had cried out for help from Lai but she and her husband just laughed at her.

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During the assault, X said Lai had stroked her breast, then helped her husband get an erection so he could penetrate the helper. The rape then happened with Lai lying on the bed beside X, also naked.

After the rape, Chan gave $150 to the helper and told her not to tell anyone. He also allegedly told X he was going to help her wash up, but she shut him out.

X then went to the room she shared with Kiki and sent a series of text messages to her friend Rose.

But before this, Lai sent her a message saying, “You don’t tell other people about things with gentleman” and X replied with “Ok, madam.”

Then Lai reminded X to wake up early the next day to take Kiki to school and she replied with a “thumbs up” emoticon.

When Lam asked X why she kept replying to Lai, the helper said that was when she realized she could use the opportunity to go to the police the next day after taking the child to her school bus.

Lam also asked X about a civil claim for damages that she filed on July 6, 2021 against her former employers, and suggested she was just after their money.

“You wanted to be paid damages,” said the lawyer, to which X said, “I disagree.”

Lam then went on to present the couple’s version of what happened on the night of Jan 21, 2018.

Chan’s story started with him teaching X how to cook pig intestines, then offering her a bite of the dish, to which the helper readily agreed.

Chan then went to the master bedroom and used Lai’s phone to send the message, “Do you like it, sir? I like you.” (X’s version was that Lai had sent her the message, “Do you like sir? Sir likes you.”)

X then allegedly entered the master bedroom and was given a $100 bill by Chan which she put on top of a drawer, then took off her clothes. Chan followed suit and they had sex.

At this time, Lai was said to be in bathroom taking a shower. She came out just in time to see X leaving the master bedroom, naked. Lai scolded both the helper and her husband after realizing what happened.

Chan said he added $50 to the $100 he had offered to X, then gave her all the money for her services.

At different parts of the narration X was asked if she agreed to what was said and she repeatedly answered with “disagree.”

X was told that her cross examination by Lam had ended but she could also be asked questions by Lai’s defense counsel when the trial resumes on Monday.

At today's trial hearing, Consul Paul Saret was in court along with two of his staff at the assistance to nationals section to lend support to X.

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9 persons picked up in latest anti-illegal work operations

By The SUN 

Among those arrested were 5 suspected illegal workers

Nine people were arrested over a three-day operation conducted by the Immigration Department to combat illegal work, a government statement said Friday.

The suspects in the latest anti-illegal worker campaign held on Aug 8, 9 and 11, comprise five suspected illegal workers, three employers and one illegal immigrant.

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Targeted during the operations codenamed Lightshadow and Twilight were 50 locations including food and beverage areas, a garage, industrial buildings, premises under renovation, recycling yards, restaurants, a vegetable stall and a warehouse.

Four suspected illegal workers and two suspected employers comprising one man and three women, aged 36 to 51, were arrested in these operations.

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One of the women held a recognisance form, which prohibits her from taking any employment. Two other women were suspected of using and being in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards.

Furthermore, one man and one woman, aged 33 and 51, were suspected of employing the illegal workers.

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Separately, during an operation called "Champion", 116 target locations in Eastern District were raided, including garbage collection depots, residential buildings, restaurants and vegetable stalls. 

One suspected illegal worker, one employer and one illegal immigrant aged 39, 51 and 36, respectively, were arrested.

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The suspected illegal worker held a recognisance form and was arrested, along with his male employer. Their case is being handled by Immigration officers.

The statement reminded the public not to violate their visa conditions, or take up employment without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Violators will be subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment.

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Those who land jobs or set up or join any business while being an illegal immigrant also violate the law. Offenders  face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment.

Possessing or using a forged Hong Kong ID card of one belonging to another person is also an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment.

Meanwhile, those who employ people not allowed to work in Hong Kong face even more severe penalty. If convicted they could be fined up to $500,000 and jailed for up to 10 years. This applies to any director, manager, secretary or any officer of the company concerned.

In a long line of cases, courts have said that employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. This includes making enquiries about the job applicant and asking to inspect the person’s HK ID card or valid travel document.

Failure by employers to exercise due diligence could lead to prosecution and upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for one year. Immediate custodial sentence is also prescribed.

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2 DH na kumuha ng bagong ID na iba ang pangalan, ligtas sa kulong

 

Labag sa batas ang kumuha ng labis sa isang HK ID card

Dalawang Pilipino na nakakuha ng mahigit sa isang Hong Kong Identification Card (HKIC) gamit ang ibang pangalan at pagkakakilanlan, ang pinatawan ng suspendidong parusa matapos umamin sa pagkakasala sa magkahiwalay na pagdinig sa Shatin Magistracy noong Aug 10.

Sina Arnolfo Solita at Maligaya San Juan, na parehong domestic helper, ay kinasuhan ng tig-dalawang paglabag sa batas. Una, ang pagsisinungaling sa isang Immigration officer dahil sa pagpapalit ng pangalan, na labag sa Immigration Ordinance; at pangalawa, ang pagkuha ng labis sa isang HK ID card.

Inatras ang unang akusasyon sa parehong nasasakdal nang umamin sila sa ikalawa, na mas magaang na pagkakasala.

Hindi malinaw ang dahilan kung bakit hindi na itinuloy ang pagsampa ng kasong pagsisinungaling laban sa kanila gayong pareho silang gumamit ng tig-dalawang pangalan.

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Dumating si Soleta sa Hong Kong bilang domestic helper noong July 1996 at nakakuha ng una nyang HKIC. Kumuha siya ng ikalawang ID sa parehong pangalan bago matapos ang taon nang mawala niya ang unang card.

Noong October 2007 ay kumuha naman sya ng bagong ID na gamit ang pangalang Ronald Abache, at iba ang araw ng kapanganakan.

Nahuli si Soleta sa ikaapat niyang pagkuha ng bagong HKID, dahil nawala na naman daw ang nasa pangalan ni Ronald Abache. Dito na napansin ng Immigration officer na iisa ang fingerprint na ginamit sa pinakahuling HKIC na hiniling niya, at sa nauna nang ibinigay sa kanya pero iba ang pangalan.

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Humingi ang abogado ni Soleta kay Deputy Magistrate Tsang Chung-yiu ng kaluwagan sa pagpaparusa dahil nagawa daw nito ang pagkakasala bunga ng kamangmangan. Pero hindi nito ipinaliwanag kung bakit nagawa ng Pilipino na  makapagpalit ng pangalan sa HKIC.

Ayon pa sa abogado, kumikita si Soleta ng $17,000 buwan-buwan at sinusuportahan ng kanyang asawa ay dalawang anak sa Pilipinas.

Sinimulan ni Magistrate Tsang ang parusa sa 4.5 na buwang pagkakakulong, na binawasan niya ng 1/3 dahil sa pag-amin ni Soleta, kaya naging tatlong buwan. At sinuspinde ni Tsang ang sentensiya nang dalawang taon, kaya hindi makukulong si Soleta kung hindi siya magkakasalang muli sa loob ng panahong ito.

Pero kung lumabag ulit siya sa batas, pagsisilbihan niya ang tatlong buwang kulong  at pagbabayarin pa siya ng multang $1,000.

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Si Maligaya San Juan naman ay dumating sa Hong Kong bilang dmestic helper noong November 2003 at nabigyan ng HKIC dahil dito. Pero naterminate siya kalaunan at umuwi sa Pilipinas.

Bumalik siya noong July 18, 2006 bilang DH ulit pero iba na ang pangalan, Johnlyn Soriano, at nakakuha siya ng bagong HKIC.

Dahil inobliga ng gobyerno na kumuha ng bagong ID ang lahat ng naninirahan sa Hong Kong, nakipila rin  si San Juan.

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Nahuli siya dahil ang fingerprint niya sa pagkuha ng bagong ID ay kagaya sa ID na naibigay na noon pang November 2003 sa ibang pangalan.

Sinisi ng kanyang abogado ang kamangmangan ni San Juan kaya niya nagawa ang kasalanan.

Humingi siya ng kaluwagan sa pagpaparusa, dahil malinis ang record ni San Juan sa Hong Kong. Katunayan, 12 taon na siyang nagtatrabaho bilang DH sa kasalukuyan niyang amo.

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Pinarusahan siya ni Magistrate Tsang ng tatlong buwang pagkakakulong, na binawasan ng 1/3 kaya naging dalawang buwan, at suspendido nang dalawang taon.

“Remember, do not commit any offense (Tandaan, huwag gagawa ng kahit anong kasalanan),” ang pabaong payo ni Tsang sa Pilipina.

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