Filipina among 5 people arrested over slashing of man in Kwun Tong

 

The brutal attack happened in broad daylight outside the Kwun Tong court building

Five people, including a Filipina, were arrested Tuesday over the bloody knife attack of a local man right outside the Kwun Tong court building on Jan. 19, police say.

Reports said the five, who also included three locals and a Pakistani man and aged from 23 to 28 , were arrested across Hong Kong.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

They were reportedly arrested along with the 32-year-old victim by customs officers in relation to a drug trafficking case in Lam Tin in June last year.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Police say three of the suspects slashed the victim on his legs and back, while one drove the getaway car and the other acted as a lookout. All these happened at about 10am in broad daylight, with many people walking past.

The attack was so brutal that the victim bled profusely and was listed in critical condition after he was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. One of his legs had to be amputated eventually to save his life.

According to police, the mastermind of the gruesome crime appears to have fled Hong Kong and is now on the wanted list.

BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAILS

East  Kowloon Chief inspector Yau Chong-tai said officers successfully identified the attackers through intelligence analysis and in-depth investigations.

They now believe the case involves members of a drug trafficking ring.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The suspects are being held in custody and some are likely to be prosecuted, said the police.

Anyone who may have witnessed the attack or have relevant information are urged to contact the East Kowloon anti-triad unit through telephone number 3661 0111. 

PADALA NA!

Call us!

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US!

HK crime rate surges by 8.7%, largely due to online scams

 

While internet fraud worsened, the number of violent crimes dropped to lowest levels

There was a jump of 8.7% in Hong Kong’s overall crime rate, police said at a meeting of the Legislative Council’s security panel Tuesday.

Of the more than 70,000 crimes recorded last year, 28,000 or 40%, were related to scams involving online shopping, employment and investments, as well as phone fraud.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Victims lost about 1.8 billion in all, mostly to scammers they met only online.

Fake investment schemes took a big chunk of the illicit money, while fraudsters who offered fake jobs also raked it in.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu said the increase in fraud cases was significant, but it could be due largely to people having more time to trawl the internet as they spent longer time indoors due to the pandemic.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

He also admitted the low arrest rate in deception cases was behind the drop in the force’s ability to solve crimes, which fell by 3.3 percent to 35.2 percent.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

But a lack of complete awareness on how to detect a scam could also be a factor. Siu said police had stepped up its campaign to inform the public about how scammers operate, but many victims admitted to not paying enough attention to the message.

BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAILS

While internet-related crimes had worsened during the pandemic, other serious crimes such as robbery and wounding dropped to their lowest levels ever.

There were 77 reported cases of robbery last year, and 886 of burglary, the lowest since record-taking started in the late 60s..

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Siu said the police is talking with telecommunication companies on the possibility of setting up a verification system for text messages to ensure the source is trustworthy, as a way to cut down on internet fraud..

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US!

Hong Kong wakes up again to cold morning

Hong Kong's skyline tonight

Hong Kong wakes up to a cold morning tomorrow, with the temperature falling to 12 degrees Celsius at 6 to 8am as cold winds from the north descend on Guangdong’s coastal areas.

According to the Hong Kong Kong Observatory, the cold mornings will continue until weekend, when the temperature rises to 17 degrees on Saturday, and up to 18 degrees on Sunday and Monday as the clouds give way to the sun.

The forecast has prompted the Home Affairs Department to open 18 temporary shelters in various districts today (February 14) for people in need of the service. The temporary shelters will remain open when the Cold Weather Warning is in force.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

 “To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first,” it said. “Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.”

For its part, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) reminded the public, particularly the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health in view of the cold weather.

Pindutin para sa detalye

CHP said cold weather can easily trigger or worsen diseases, especially among the elderly and persons suffering from heart disease, respiratory illness or other chronic illnesses.

It reminded the public to adopt the following preventive measures:

• Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks accordingly;

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

• Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake;

• Perform regular physical activity to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;

• Stay in a warm environment and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;

• Use heaters with care, and maintain adequate indoor ventilation; and

• Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In addition, the public should avoid drinking alcohol because it cannot keep them warm. “Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead," the CHP said.

Parents and those taking care of babies and children should observe the following safety measures when putting them to bed:

• Keep the room well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature;

• Always place babies on their back to sleep. Leave their head, face and arms uncovered during sleep;

BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAILS

• Babies do not need pillows. Place babies on a firm and well-fitted mattress to sleep. Avoid soft objects, pillows and loose bedding;

• Let babies sleep in a cot placed in the parents' room and near their bed; and

• Maintain a smoke-free environment.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In addition, CHP warned against seasonal influenza and recommended vaccination is for all persons aged 6 months or above except those with known contraindications.

Details of the vaccination schemes can be found in the CHP's website

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US!

Filipinas decribe how their ATM cards got linked to money laundering

 

The trial at Eastern Court resumes on March 14

The trial of two Filipinas charged with money laundering at Eastern Court described today how their ATM (automated teller machine) cards ended up being used to deposit “dirty” money derived from a scam, and from which “clean” money was then withdrawn.

Marissa Mesa, 46, testified that a long-time friend whom she recommended to her employer’s brother to work as domestic helper, Elsa Razon, convinced her to open an account with the HSBC.

Asked why she did it, Mesa said said, “because I treated Elsa as family and I trusted her.”

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

This was the first time she ever opened a bank account, she said.

After she got her ATM card from HSBC, in which she deposited $100, Mesa gave it to Elsa when they met at Statue Square in Central. Later, Mesa said, Elsa told her to come with her to a beauty parlor. When she balked because she had no money, Elsa lent her $1,000.

In the days that followed, deposits of various amounts totalling $1,073,781 entered the account and almost all was withdrawn the same day the deposits were made.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Asked where Elsa is now, Mesa said she had no idea.

Her co-accused, Hazel Gepulani, testified that she left her employer’s house earlier than usual to shop at the Wanchai Public Market, so she could open an account with a nearby branch of HSBC.

After two hours, she got the ATM Card, a piece of paper containing the password and some other bank documents. She rolled the documents together with the ATM card, put them in her sling bag and went about buying food for her employer’s household.

Gepulgani said she noticed that the ATM card was missing the next day, and suspected that it must have fallen from her bag while she was busy in the market.

She said she did not notice the loss immediately because she was loaded with a bag of rice in one hand and other food items in the other.

She did not report the loss because she thought it was not needed since there was no money in the account anyway, and she did not report to the police for the same reason.

The ATM account saw deposits and withdrawals amounting to $282,400.

BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAILS

The prosecutor told Gepulgani that she did not actually lose the ATM card, that she had control over it, and she did the transactions herself. She said she did not agree.

The testimonies came after Mesa’s lawyer asked Magistrate Vivian Ho to strike out the video recorded interview of Mesa.

The lawyer explained that before the interview, the officer who interrogated her induced her to say that she did not know Elsa, when in fact they were friends since Mesa was 25 years old.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

She was also arrested at 10 am at her employer’s house and the interview only started only at 1:30pm. During that period, she had no lunch, he asserted, “and we say this was oppressive to Mesa.”

Magistrate Ho declared  a 15-minute break; when she returned, she ruled that the video recording will remain as evidence.

She adjourned the trial to March 14.

Mesa is out on bail of $20,000 while Gepulgani posted a $1,600 bail.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US!

Pilipino, umamin sa pagdadala ng marijuana, pero hindi ng panloloob

 

Nangyari ang diumanong panloloob sa isang gusali sa Peel Street sa Central

Isang 28 taong gulang na Pilipinong residente ang humarap sa District Court kanina sa sakdal na panloloob sa isang gusali sa Central, at pagdadala ng cannabis o marijuana, mahigit apat na taon na ang nakakaraan.

Inamin ni Melvin Adrian F. Zuniga sa harap ni Judge Daniel Tang ang pangalawang sakdal, na noong ika-27 ng Setyembre, 2018, ay nakitaan siya ng 7.88 gramo ng damo ng cannabis at 0.83 gramo ng cannabis resin, nang patigilin siya ng pulis sa may Arbuthnot Road sa Central.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Pero itinanggi niya ang unang paratang, na nilooban niya ang isang gusali sa ground floor ng no 53 Peel Street sa Central noong ika-24 ng Setyembre ng parehong taon, at tinangay ang may $3,000 cash.

Ang burglary o sapilitang panloloob ay may kaparusahang pagkakakulong ng hanggang 14 taon sa ilalim ng Theft Ordinance ng Hong Kong. Ang possession o pagdadala naman ng droga ay maaring parusahan ng hanggang pitong taong pagkakakulong at multa ng hanggang $1 million.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Ayon sa kanyang abugado, napilitan lang daw aminin ni Zuniga sa isang video interview sa istasyon ng pulisya ang paratang na nanloob siya dahil natakot siya sa mga pulis at wala siya sa sarili niya noong panahon na iyon. Sinabihan din siya na papayagan siyang magpiyansa kapag inamin niya ang paratang sa kanya.

Dahil sa pagtanggi niya sa akusasyon ay inutos ni Judge Tang na litisin siya ayon sa sakdal.

Unang tinawag na testigo ng tagausig ang pulis na humuli kay Zuniga sa may Arbuthnot Road Sabi ni Police Constable Wong, pinatigil niya sa daan ang akusado dahil sa kahina-hinala nitong galaw.

Ayon daw sa akusado ay sa Hong Kong ito ipinanganak kaya English ang gamit nitong salita.

Sinabi din nito na nagtatrabaho siya sa isang bar na ang pangalan ay dragon –i, pero isang buwan pa lang daw siya doon. Dati daw itong nagtatrabaho sa Chi Chi Cham, isang restaurant sa Peel Street, at alam nitong hindi nila-lock ang pintuan sa likod nito.

BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAILS

Noong nagdaang Linggo ay pinuntahan daw niya ang restaurant at pumasok siya mula sa bukas na pinto sa likod at kumuha ng $3,000 sa lagayan ng pera, at lumabas sa parehong lagusan.

Dagdag pa ni PC Wong, sinabi daw na akusado na gumamit siya ng napkin na pantakip sa mukha para hindi siya makilala.

Noon na daw sinabi ng pulis na inaaresto niya si Zuniga, bago dinala niya ito sa istasyon

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Sabi ni PC Wong, bago nila kinuhanan ng pahayag ang akusado sa pamamagitan ng video recording ay pinayuhan muna ito tungkol sa kanyang karapatan na manatiling tahimik dahil anuman ang sasabihin niya ay maaaring gamitin laban sa kanya.

Isinulat din daw niya ang lahat ng mga pangyayari sa isang notebook, na naging tampulan ng pagtatalo sa magkabilang panig kung dapat ba itong tanggapin na ebidensya sa kaso.

Nakatakdang magpatuloy ang paglilitis hanggang sa Miyerkules.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

CALL US!