OneHealth Pass replaced with eArrival Card for travelers to the PHL

By The SUN

 

PCG poster announcing the new entry requirement 

All incoming travelers to the Philippines are now required to secure an electronic arrival card to enter the country, instead of the OneHealthPass.

According to the Department of Health, the eArrival card was introduced in response to travelers’ complaints about the amount of time needed to complete the OHP.

“Ngayon, to ease itong restriction sa One Health Pass, itong requirement na ito ginawa nang eArrival Card. Kakaunting datos na lang ang nakalagay diyan, wala na pong masyadong hinihinging requirements,” DoH officer- in-charge Ma Rosario Vergeire said on Tuesday.

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(In order to ease this restriction with the One Health Pass, this requirement has been replaced by the eArrival Card. Only a little information needs to be put in, there are no more additional requirements.)

Vergeire also said those who fail to upload the new website for accessing the eArrival card could do so upon arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, where dedicated lanes have been assigned for those who need help accessing the portal.

But in a separate statement, the DOH said pre-registration on the e-arrival platform will be mandatory starting Nov. 1 this year.

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All travelers, both Filipinos and foreigners, can fill out the eArrival Card within 72 hours prior to departure, and only their travel details, profile and health declarations will be asked.

"After registration, a QR code is then generated as a 'scan and go' mechanism to reduce processing time at points of entry," the DOH added.

The eArrival Card is free of charge for all travelers and may be temporarily accessed through the official website onehealthpass.com.ph pending the launch of the new platform.

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“Through the eArrival Card, we hope to reduce delays and eliminate inconvenience for our travelers. We likewise aim to support the tourism sector in the country while ensuring the health and safety of both foreign and Filipino travelers," Vergeire said.

The move, which was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the government’s pandemic response, came following a call from Senator Nancy Binay to scrap the health pass, saying it amounts to requiring inbound travelers to undergo a second screening even if they are fully vaccinated.

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Binay said the “added bureaucratic layer whose effectiveness isn’t even guaranteed” might be turning away potential tourists.

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2 Pilipinang DH pinakulong habang dinidinig ang kaso

 

Dalawang Pilipinang domestic helper ang ibinalik sa kulungan matapos ang magkahiwalay na pagdinig sa kanilang kaso.

Tinanggihan ang alok na piyansang $3,000 ni Maribel Erejer, 52 taong gulang, sa Kwun Tong Court ngayon (Oct. 20) sa kabila ng alok ng isang NGO ng matitirhan kung saan pwede siyang habulin sakaling hindi siya sumipot sa susunod na pagdinig.

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Sa halip ay inutos ni Acting Principal Magistrate Amy Chan na ibalik siya sa kulungan upang doon hintayin ang susunod na pagdinig sa Nov. 9.

Si Erejer ay nahaharap sa dalawang asunto -- ang pagnanakaw ng $1,000 sa kanyang amo sa Marina Cove sa Sai Kung, at pamemeke ng isang pirasong $1,000 sa pamamagitan ng pagkopya ng magkabilang bahagi nito.

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Ang dalawang krimen ay ginawa umano ni Erejer noong Oct. 7.

Ang alok na $3,000 ay galing sa Mission for Migrant Workers, at ang tirahan ay alok ng Bethune House, na kumukupkop sa mga domestic helper na nangangailangan ng pansamantalang matitirhan.

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Nasa korte si Edwina Antonio, executive director ng Bethune, upang patotohanan ang alok ng dalawang NGO, pero hindi siya tinawag.

Samantala, ibinalik din sa kulungan ang domestic helper na si Marilou Dequilla, 56 taong gulang, matapos siyang humarap sa sala ni Presiding Magistrate Ada Yim sa Eastern Court noong Martes (Oct. 19) sa kasong pagnanakaw ng tatlong pirasong alahas ng kanyang amo na taga South Bay Close sa Repulse Bay.

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Ayon sa kasong isinampa ng pulis noong July 12, isa-isang ninakaw ni Dequilla ang isang kuwintas na may itim na diamond, isang brilyanteng hikaw, at isang gintong singsing sa pagitan ng May 13 at July 8 ng taong ito.

Sinabi ng kanyang abogado na hindi siya humiling na mag-piyansa at handa na siyang magsabi kung siya ay nagkasala o hindi sa susunod na pagdinig sa Nov. 1.

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5 Filipinas accused in $3.5M money laundering case defer plea

By The SUN

 

Some of the bank and Octopus cards seized during the crackdown on the alleged syndicate

Five Filipinas, four of them domestic workers and one a recognizance form holder, asked for more time to get legal advice when they appeared in the District Court today, Thursday, to face charges of conspiring to deal with cash proceeds from crimes totaling $3.5 million.

The five – Charity Alonzo Marquez, 39; Jinky Tupas Salmorin, 50 (the lone torture claimant); Gigi dela Cruz Guieb, 45; Roda Bulatao Ramos, 42; and Maribet Prado Caniete, 54; were all originally set to plead guilty before Judge Ko King Sau.

But the defense lawyer who said he was representing all five defendants, asked for the case to be adourned to Dec. 8 for further legal advice. He also said no application for bail was to be made for all the defendants.

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After the prosecution raised no objection, Judge Ko allowed the application and ordered all the defendants returned to prison until the next hearing.

Marquez and Salmorin, said to be part of a money laundering syndicate, are accused of conspiring with a certain Julia and other persons unknown to withdraw “money deposited to a set of accounts under their control, knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe” that they were proceeds from a crime.

Both were among 29 people arrested during the police swoop on Jul 26 and 27, 2021, that also included two Nigerians described as the ringleaders in the alleged scam.

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No mention was made in the charge as to the amount of money the Marquez and Salmorin had withdrawn, but their alleged co-conspirators in this case are accused of dealing with a total of $3,550,700 that were deposited in their respective bank accounts.

Third defendant Guieb is accused of two counts of laundering a total of $1,177,600 in separate bank accounts she held at HSBC and Hang Seng Bank.

In the first charge, she is alleged to have conspired with a certain Jennifer Inoc Teofilo and other persons unknown to deal with a total sum of $319,200 which was deposited in her HSBC account between April 17 and July 26, 2021.

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In the second charge, she is accused of conspiring with unknown individuals in laundering a total sum of $858,400 which was deposited in her Hang Seng Bank account between Nov 28, 2020 and July 26, 2021.

Fourth defendant Bulatao faces one charge of conspiring with unknown persons to launder a total sum of $1,382,200 which was deposited in her Hang Seng Bank account, between Jan 6, 2021 and Jul 26, 2021.

Fifth defendant Caniete faces two counts of laundering a total sum of $990,900 through two bank accounts she held at HSBC and Hang Seng.

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In the first charge, she is alleged to have conspired with a certain Maria and other unknown persons in dealing with a total sum of $660,900 deposited in her Hang Seng Bank account between March 2, 2021 and July 27, 2021, knowing this to be proceeds from a crime.

In the second charge, she is accused of conspiring with the same individuals in laundering a total sum of $330,000 deposited in her account with HSBC, between Feb 1, 2021 and July 27, 2021.

The ill-gotten money that the defendants are alleged to have dealt with were said to be part of the $27 million lost in the first half of 2021 by people who fell prey to romance and telephone scams.

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Filipina in money laundering case says prosecution witness may be part of syndicate

By The SUN

A total of $1.3 million passed through the defendants' ATM accounts with HSBC

Two Filipina domestic helpers whose bank accounts were used to launder a total of more than $1.3 million more than two years ago are due to stand trial on Feb 10 next year after they rejected a charge each of "dealing with property known or believed to be proceeds of a crime."

One of the defendants, Marissa C. Mesa, 46, also denied an alternative charge of conspiring with an unnamed person to deal with a total sum of $1,075,781 which passed through her ATM account with HSBC between Apr 21 and May 25, 2020.

Her lawyer told Eastern Magistrate Ada Yim on Tuesday that Mesa intends to contest the “voluntariness and accuracy” of the translation of the video recorded interview (VRI) she had with the police following her arrest.

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Mesa’s lawyer said they intend to establish a lack of “mens rea” – or criminal intent – on the part of the Filipina defendant.

They also plan to challenge the testimony of the main prosecution witness, said to have been the victim of a love scam, who transferred the questioned amounts into Mesa’s account. The defense lawyer said the civilian witness is “likely part of the money laundering” scheme herself.

The other defendant, Hazel V. Gepulgani, 33, was accused of using her HSBC account to deal with a total sum of $281,400, between Jun 13 and Jun 18, 2020, “knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe” that the money represented proceeds of a crime.

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Her lawyer said the defendant does not want to question records showing the transactions made in her account, but only wishes to challenge the accuracy of the interpretation of her VRI.

Following their submissions, Magistrate Yim set down the date for their trial and extended their bail on the same terms - $2,000 for Mesa and $1,600 for Gepulgani.

The charge laid against each of the two defendants, more popularly known as “money laundering,” is said to be contrary to sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

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The two accused last appeared in court on Jul 22, along with three other Filipinas who all admitted a count each of dealing with property known to be proceeds of a crime, and were jailed for between two to eight months.

Two of the three, who have since been released after serving their sentences, were back in court Tuesday to listen to the pre-trial review of the cases against their co-accused.

The money that passed through the accounts of the five defendants, totalling nearly $2 million, was said to have been obtained in part from a local woman who fell prey to a love scam. 

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They each admitted passing on their ATM cards, along with the passwords, for between $1,000 to $3,000 to unknown people who used them to launder huge sums of money obtained from illicit means.

Read the previous story here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2022/07/people-who-sell-their-atms-to-money.html.

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Murder na ang kaso laban sa Pinoy na nakapatay diumano sa ka-live in

 

Babalik sa Eastern Magistracy ang Pilipino sa susunod na pagdinig sa Nov. 28.

Pormal nang ginawang murder, mula sa pananakit na may intensyon, ang kasong isinampa sa Eastern Magistracy laban sa isang Pilipinong driver na nambugbog sa kanyang ka-live in na kalaunan ay namatay.

Ibinalik sa kulungan si Bernie Valencia, 42 taong gulang, kahapon (Oct. 18) matapos basahin sa kanya ng interpreter ang binagong kaso niya, upang doon hintayin ang susunod na pagdinig na itinakda ni Principal Magistrate Ada Yim sa Nov. 28.

Pero dahil ang pinakamabigat na parusa sa kaso ay habambuhay na pagkabilanggo ay ililipat pa rin sa pinakamataas na hukuman ang kaso.

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Sa asunto na binago noong Oct. 11, inakusahan si Valencia sa pagkamatay noong Jan. 2 ng kanyang ka live-in na si Ivy Quiabang, 37 taong gulang.

Ayon sa unang report ng pulis, binugbog niya si Quiabang sa tinitirhan nila sa 82 Nullah Lane sa Wanchai noong Dec. 22, 2021, pero kinabukasan pa itinawag sa emergency number 999 ang nangyari sa kanya.

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Nakita ng mga pulis na rumesponde na wala nang malay si Quiabang at may mga sugat sa mukha. Siya ay dinala sa Ruttonjee Hospital para sa paunang lunas, pero inilipat sa Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital para sa operasyon sa pagdurugo sa utak.

Doon na siya namatay.

Ayon sa record ng Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, si Quiabang ay isang single mother na may dalawang anak sa Isabela.

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12 people may gather in public from tomorrow

By The SUN

 

Theme park visitors may now eat in outdoor areas as before

From tomorrow, Thursday, the maximum number of people who may gather in public has been increased from the current four to 12.

A statement issued by the government late on Tuesday said the decision by the Executive Council to “suitably relax” the gathering restrictions was based on data showing that the coronavirus situation in Hong Kong has been stable since the peak in early September.

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“Although the number of new cases did not decline further but hovers around some 5 000 per day with a slight increase recently due to the emergence of new mutant strains of potentially higher transmissibility, the overall figures of hospitalised patients, severe cases and deaths remain at a stable level,” said the statement.

It said the public healthcare system could maintain most of its services while looking after Covid patients admitted for treatment.

Shortly after, the government reported a total of 5,124 neww infections, including 390 imported cases. Twelve more Covid patients have died. 

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Also part of the relaxation rules are the following:

1)      Resumption of live performances in catering premises, including bars and pubs, but performers must undergo PCR tests twice a week and rapid antigen tests before each performance or rehearsal. They must also wear masks as much as practicable and maintain a distance from the audience.

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2)      Allow eating and drinking in outdoor areas of theme parks.

3)      Bars may remain open from 5am to 1:59am the following day, with the maximum number of patrons per table increased to six from the current four. 

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All other rules relating to catering premises remain unchanged, including use of the LeaveHomeSafe app; and for people going to banquets, bars and clubs to present negative RAT result obtained within 24 hours or PCR test within 48 hours.

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Pilipina, kinasuhan ng $5.74 million na pagnanakaw

 

Didinggin ang kaso sa District Court ang kaso dahil sa laki ng halagang sangkot

Iniakyat ngayon ang kaso ng isang Pilipinang manager mula sa Eastern Magistracy matapos basahan siya ng sakdal na pagnanakaw ng $5.74 million mula sa pera sa bangko ng dalawang kumpanya.

Nakalayang pansamantala si Kristine Annette Avelino, 34 taong gulang, hanggang sa simula ng pagdinig ng kanyang kaso sa District Court sa Nov. 11, sa bisa ng pyansang $60,000 na itinakda ni Principal Magistrate Ada Yim.

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Sa unang sakdal, inakusahan si Avelino ng pagnanakaw ng $5.4 million mula sa mga deposito ng Cosman Health Group Ltd. sa Chong Hing Bank.

Ang pagnanakaw ay ginawa umano sa loob ng limang taon, mula noong May 2, 2012 hanggang April 24, 2017.

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Sa ikalawang sakdal, inakusahan si Avelino ng pagnanakaw ng $344,044 mula sa account ng isa pang kumpanya, ang Work Life Balance Limited, sa Dah Sing Bank, sa loob ng apat na buwan mula Nov. 10, 2017 hanggang Feb. 27, 2018.

Sa ilalim ng Section 9 ng Theft Ordinance, ang sinumang mapatunayang nagnakaw ay paparusahan ng hanggang 10 taon na pagkakakulong. 

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Pilipino kinasuhan ng paggawa ng kalaswaan sa bata

 

Humarap si Tiquia sa Eastern Court para harapin ang mga sakdal

Isang Pilipinong 50 taong gulang ang kinasuhan sa Eastern Court lahapon (Oct. 17) ng apat na beses na paggawa ng kalaswaan sa isang menor de edad na babae sa loob ng apat na taon.

Si Joel Tiquia, isang IT manager na nakatira sa Tung Chung, Lantau, ay inakusahang gumawa ng kalaswaan sa batang tinawag lang na “X” sa isang flat sa Carribean Coast sa Tung Chung.

Ayon sa reklamo ng pulis, ang unang insidente ay nangyari noong Abril 2017 noong ang bata ay pitong taong gulang pa lamang.

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Ang ikalawang kaso ay nangyari noong Mayo 2018 nang ang bata ay walong taong gulang.

Ang ikatlo ay nangyari noong May 10, 2020 noong ang bata ay 10 taong gulang.

Ang ikaapat ay noong Oct. 6, 2021 nang ang bata ay 11 taong gulang.

Ayon sa Crimes Ordinance ng Hong Kong, ang paggawa ng kahalayan ay isang krimen na may parusa na hanggang 10 taong pagkakakulong.

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Ayon din sa batas na ito, ang ganitong gawain ay itinuturing na krimen kapag ginawa sa mga batang hanggang 16 taon gulang, dahil wala silang legal na kakayahang pumayag.

Unang isinampa ng pulis ang kaso laban kay Tiquia sa Shatin Magistracy noong Oct. 14, pero inilipat ito sa Eastern Court nitong Lunes, at dininig ni Magistrate Jason Wan. 

Pansamantalang nakakalaya si Tiquia sa piyansang $50,000 at surety (o garantiya) na $50,000.

Itutuloy ang pagdinig ng kaso sa Jan. 3.

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