Filcom leader's appeal against being sent home fails

 

"... most if not all of the applicant’s allegations are vague, bare contentions and without basis in
or support by evidence," says the appeeal court 

The Court of Appeal has dismissed a Filipino community leader’s appeal against the government’s rejection of his claim not to be sent back to the Philippines for fear of being killed, tortured or harmed.

“At the outset, most if not all of the applicant’s allegations are vague, bare contentions and without basis in or support by evidence,” Justice of Appeal Poon Siu-tung said as he outlined the 15-year non-refoulement claim of Raymundo Perez.

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Perez, founding chairman of the United Villasis Pangasinan Association and member of the Utol group, arrived as a tourist on Aug. 9, 2008 and overstayed when his two-week visa expired.

After he was arrested by police on Oct. 30, 2008, he filed his non-refoulement claim with the Immigration Department, claiming he would be harmed or killed by his boss named Antonio Villar over a monetary dispute.

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After the Director of Immigration rejected his non-refoulement claim on Feb. 2, 2017, Perez appealed to the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-Refoulement Claims Petition Office.

But the Board affirmed the director’s findings, saying there was no evidence to suggest that Antonio was behind the death threats and that Antonio had passed away in 2019, rendering any risks of harm to Perez non-existent.

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When his claim was rejected by the Board on April 4, 2019, Perez filed an application for leave to apply for judicial review at the Court of First Instance, saying the Board was procedurally unfair, that the decision was irrational, that it committed an error in law and that it was Wednesbury unreasonable -- a test of reasonableness based on a case, Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corporation (1948).

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But Deputy High Court Judge KW Lung refused his application, saying: “The role of this Court is supervisory, meaning that it ensures that the Board complied with the public law requirements in coming to its Decision on the applicant’s appeal. The Court will not usurp the fact finding power vested in the Director and the Board.”

Perez thus went to the Court of Appeal, saying he would “face hardship” if refouled, and that the Board had erroneously relied on “source of news which is not official recognised, or it is simply hearsay”.

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Justice Poon, in his decision dated April 13 after he and fellow Justice of Appeal Aarif Tyebjee Barma heared the case on March 16, said: “… it is well-established that the assessment of evidence, COI (country of origin) and risk of harm, state protection and viability of internal relocation are primarily within the province of the Board (and the Director)  as primary decision makers.  The Court will not intervene by way of judicial review unless there are errors of law or procedural unfairness or irrationality in the decision of the Board.”

Besides, “… general assertions of the applicant’s fear if refouled do not constitute proper grounds of appeal,“ he said.

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“Although he disagreed with the Leave Decision, nowhere in his Notice of Appeal or written submissions did the applicant identify with specific particulars as to how the Deputy Judge had erred in reaching the Leave Decision.  Accordingly, his submissions are plainly not proper grounds of appeal. On this basis alone, his appeal must fail,” the justice said.

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Huwag nyo kaming husgahan, pakiusap ng 2 pang biktima ng phone scam

Ng The SUN

 

A scammer called 'Teacher Austin' scolds a Filipina victim for not coughing up more money

May ilang mga Pilipina na karamihan ay mga domestic helper, ang umamin na nabiktima din sila sa phone chat ng mga di kilalang tao na sa umpisa ay nagpasagot lang sa isang survey kapalit ng pabuya, pero pagkatapos ay agad silang hinila sa isang patibong na kunyari ay crypto currency investment.

Ganito rin ang nangyari sa ibinalita dito sa The SUN noong isang araw, kung saan ang isang Pilipinang residente ay nakuhanan ng halos $700,000 ng mga scammer sa loob lang ng isang araw.

Dalawa sa naglahad ng kanilang kuwento ay parehong domestic helper. Ang isa ay nawalan ng $3,000 samantalang ang pangalawa naman ay $5,000 ang tinangay ng sindikato.

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Pera itong pinaghirapan nila, at dapat ay nagastos nila para sa kanilang pagkain o  pangangailangan ng pamilya sa Pilipinas.

Mabuti na lang at ang pangalawa na umaasa pang maibalik ang kanyang $5,000 pagkatapos niyang kumpletuhin ang ipinangakong huling "task" niya kapalit ng pagpapadala niya muli ng $12,000 sa sindikato, ay nabasa ang istorya ng The SUN, kaya natigilan.

“3,000 HKD ang nawala sa akin. Sa tagal ko na dito sa Hong Kong ay very aware ako sa mga ganitong scheme pero nung nangyari ito sa akin in two days lang para akong na hipnotismo,” sabi ni Lita (hindi tunay na pangalan) na nabiktima noong nakaraang buwan.

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Pero bukod sa gusto nilang ilabas ang kanilang sama ng loob ay mas gusto ding iparating ang dalawa. Sana naman daw ay tigilan na ang paninisi at pangungutya sa kanila dahil sila ay mga biktima, hindi kriminal.

Ayon kay Lita nagdesisyon siyang sarilinin na lang ang problema dahil ayaw nyang madagdagan pa ang kanyang sama ng loob.

“Kaya ako nanahimik nung nangyari sa akin yun kasi ayaw kong mahusgahan ang pagkatao ko. Pag nasa sitwasyo ka na di mo na kilala pati sarili mo, magigising ka na lang kapag wala ka nang ma transfer na pera,” ani Lita.

“Mahirap husgahan ang mga biktima tulad ko kasi parang na hypnotize ako talaga noong dalawang araw na iyon.”

Malinaw kung sino ang tumanggap ng huling inilipat na pera ni Lita sa sindikato 

Naeengganyo daw siyang sagutin ang isang survey tungkol sa mga paboritong lugar panturismo ng mga taga Hong Kong dahil sa pangakong pabuya na dalawang libreng ticket sa Disneyland.

Pero hindi naibigay sa kanya ang premyo dahil inalok naman siyang mag “like” sa ilang page sa social media na ang bawat isa ay may kapalit na puntos, na maaaring papalitan ng cash kapag natapos na niya lahat ng mga pinapagawa sa kanyang utos.

Pagkatapos ay nakumbinsi na siyang pumasok sa crypto currency investment naman daw kung saan ang una niyang ipinasok na $200 ay agad tumubo ng $300, base sa pinalalabas nilang halaga sa website kung saan siya inutusang pumasok.

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Noong sumunod ay pinalipatan siya ng $800, tapos ay $500, isa pang $500 at ang huli ay $1,000. Ang lahat ng mga ito ay inutos sa kanyang ilipat sa account ng isang Chau Kwok Chung sa CMB Wing Lung Bank sa loob ng dalawang araw, mula March 3 hanggang 5.

Tuwing pinapaglipat siya ng pera ay sinasabihan siyang may mali kasi siyang ginawa, mula sa dapat ay combination ang dalawang hulog nya o hindi nya agad nagawa ang inutos sa kanya.

Sinabihan sya na ang hinulog nyang $3,000 ay maibabalik sa kanya ng doble, pero gayon na lang ang gulat niya nang sabihan siyang may ka miyembro daw siya sa grupo na gumamit ng “black money” kaya kailangang maglipat siyang muli ng $1,500 para ma unfreeze yung pera niya.

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Doon na siya nagising sa katotohanan na na-scam sya, at hindi na kailanman babalik ang pera niya.

Sa panahon daw na naging sunud-sunuran sya sa utos ng scammer na maglipat ng pera ay parang sila na lang daw ang natitira sa mundo, na parang wala siyang matatakbuhan para humingi ng tulong.

Mas malala ang naramdaman niya nang makapag-isip isip muli dahil nalaman niyang nagawa ng mga manloloko na pasukin ang isip niya para maging sunud-sunuran na lang siya.

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“Tatlong araw akong lutang sa stress. Hindi naman ako bata at newbie dito sa Hong Kong para maloko nang ganito pero nangyari sa akin,” dagdag ni Lita.

Naisip niya daw na ibahagi ang kanyang kuwento para maging listo ang mga kapwa niya domestic worker sa mga ganitong panloloko, lalo at perang pinaghirapan nila nang husto ang bigla na lang natatangay sa kanila.

Ayaw na rin daw niyang isumbong pa sa pulis ang nangyari kahit naitago din niya ang mga litrato ng paglilipat niya ng pera sa bangko at pati screenshot ng usapan nila sa Telegram app.

“Lesson learned na lang talaga,” sabi pa niya.

Iba naman ang survey na pinasagot kay Kate

Ang pangalawa naman ay naniwala hanggang kahapon na totoong kumikita ang perang pinapasok sa kanya ng sindikato sa account ng isang Pilipina sa Mox online bank na ang pangalan ay Carmelita Tangalin Villaraza.

Mabuti na lang at pagkatapos niyang makapaglipat ng $7,000 sa loob ng tatlong araw noong nakaraang linggo lang ay wala na talagang mapagkukunan ng pera si Kate (di tunay na pangalan).

Tiyempo din na nabasa niya sa The SUN ang tungkol sa Pilipinang residente na na-scam ng $700,000 kaya napatigil siya at nakapag-isip isip.

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Gusto kasi ni “Teacher Austin” na siyang nagtuturo kunyari sa kanya kung paano mag-invest na magpasok siya ulit ng $12,000 para daw makuha na niya ang pera niya na nagkakahalaga na noon ng $25,000.

Kahit anong pakiusap ni Kate na babaaan ang pinapahulog na namang pera sa kanya dahil wala na siyang mailabas ay nanatiling matigas ang kanyang “teacher.”

“You can find a solution for the fund problem yourself, and you can withdraw the money after this is completed,” ang mariing sabi nito sa kanya sa chat.

Bandang huli ay nagsabi ito na pwedeng babaan sa $7,000 ang kailangang maipasok ni Kate. At nang makiusap ang huli na payagan siyang bawiin kahit ang kalahati ng perang naipasok na niya ay tinawanan pa siya.

“You didn’t finish it and you want to withdraw money, isn’t it a joke,” ang sabi ng di kilalang tao.

Mabuti na lang at hindi tumulad si Kate sa iba pang nabiktima na nangutang sa financing company at kung saan-saan sa kagustuhan na hindi mapagalitan ng mga tao sa sindikato, at maibalik ang kanilang pera, kasama ang pinangakong malaking interes.

Sa account ng isang Carmela Villaraza pinalipat ang $5k ni Kate

Ayon kay Kate, iniisip na lang niya ngayon na may kinalagyang mabuti ang perang tinangay sa kanya. Gusto din daw niya na mailahad ang kanyang sariling karanasan para maiwasan ng iba pang Pilipina ang mahulog sa ganitong klase ng patibong.

Pero masakit pa din na ang isang buwang suweldo niya ay naipatalo niya sa transaksyon na ang buong akala niya ay tunay.

“Hay, kaya ako ngayon hindi makatulog. Daming bayarin, tapos na scam pa,” sabi niya.

Ayon kay Kate, ang survey na pinasagot naman sa kanya kunyari ay para naman daw matulungan ang industriya ng pelikula sa Hong Kong.  Ang mensahe ay galing sa isang numero na may area code ng United States.

Matapos niyang sagutin ang survey ay sinabihan siyang may premyo siyang $126 na maari niyang kunin online mula sa kanilang “receptionist.”

Dito na siya nakumbinsi na pumasok sa isang grupo na kunyari ay nag iinvest sa bitcoin, pero ang totoo ay gusto lang nilang pigain ang lahat ng mga taong papasok sa kanilang bitag.

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2 Pinay na DH, pinaratangan na nagnakaw ng mga gamit ng amo

 

Pinakawalan pansamantala ng korte ang dalawang Pilipina

Itinanggi ng isang Pilipina sa korte kanina ang paratang na nagnakaw siya ng mga damit at iba pang gamit ng kanyang amo. Aniya, binigay ng amo sa kanya ang lahat ng mga ito.

Pero ayon sa amo, nalaman lang niyang ninakawan siya nang makita niya ang kanyang kasambahay sa Facebook na suot-suot ang mga gamit niya.

Si S. Bagasina, 35 taong gulang, ay isa sa dalawang Pilipinang domestic helper na humarap ngayon sa Kwun Tong Courts sa magkahiwalay na kaso ng pagnanakaw ng ari-arian ng kanilang amo.

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Ayon sa sakdal laban kay Bagasina, ang mga ninakaw umano niya sa bahay ng amo sa Lohas Park ay anim na pangtaas, isang pants, isang “trousers”, isang sombrero, isang antipara, isang bra at tatlong bestida.

Ayon sa kanyang salaysay sa kanyang abogado, pinaratangan siya ng pagnanakaw matapos makita ng amo sa Facebook page niya na suot niya ang mga gamit na ito.

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Sinabi ng kanyang abogado sa korte na isang saksi ang ipatatawag upang magpatunay sa kanyang sinabi.

Dahil sa pagtanggi ni Bagasina at sa paghingi ng abogado niya ng anim na linggong palugit upang ipatawag ang isang testigo, itinakda ni Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong ang paglilitis ng kaso sa May 3. 

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Pinakawalan siya kapalit ng $500 na piyansa.

Sa ikalawang kaso, si W. Pautan, 25 taong gulang, ay pinaratangan ng amo na nagnakaw ng isang pares ng itim na medyas, isang asul na recycle bag, isang itim na payong, isang pakete ng ruler, isang tayuan ng mobile phone, isang puting adaptor, isang electronic blood pressure monitor at isang tela.

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Ipinagpaliban ni Magistrate Cheang ang kaso sa May 8 sa hiling ng taga-usig ng dagdag na oras upang pag-aralan ang kaso. 

Pinagpiyansa rin niya si Pautan ng $1,000.

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Filipino merchant charged with stealing more than 200 gold items, diamond necklace

By The SUN

 

The alleged thefts which happened 7 years ago, were heard in court only last month

An elderly Filipino businessman appeared in Eastern Court today, Apr 13, charged with stealing about 200 gold items plus a diamond necklace, all belonging to two persons, some seven years ago.

No plea was taken from 72-year-old Celso E. Alejo, Jr., and his bail of $40,000 was extended until his next court appearance on June 8.

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Alejo faces two counts of theft, with the first one having allegedly taken place sometime in late 2016 until early October 2017, at room B, 9/F, On Hing Building in Central. His LinkedIn profile shows he holds office there as the managing director of PTC Systems.

He is accused of stealing a large number of gold items, all belonging to M.K. Seen kay Kay and Mak Seen Wah, Sylvia.

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These were itemized as: 82 gold pendants, 75 gold coins, 16 gold bracelets, 8 gold rings, 7 gold disks, 6 gold ingots, 5 gold bangles, 5 gold figurines, 4 gold peaches, 3 gold ring bands, 2 gold peanuts, 2 gold balls, 2 gold chains, 1 gold Chinese zodiac wheel, 1 wedge shape gold piece, 1 gold earring, 1 gold clip, 1 gold frame, 1 gold bar and 1 platinum ring.

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In the second charge, he is accused of stealing a diamond necklace belonging to the same alleged victims on Jan 17, 2017, from the Tak Wing Pawnshop on Des Voeux Road, Central.

No other details of the alleged offences were disclosed, but court records show an earlier civil case between the accused and Sylvia Mak was litigated in 2018, which appeared to have arisen from a commercial dispute.

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Alejo was arrested and investigated on the two charges only last March 9.

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Filipina loses $700k in a day to phone scammers

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

Four of the recipients of the money lost in the scam appear to be Filipinos

It all started with a seemingly innocent request sent through WhatsApp to a Filipina resident: Could she answer a simple questionnaire on how Hong Kong people regard local tourist spots, for which she would be paid a small fee?

Chit (not her real name) who is a director in a media company, did not see anything unusual with the request as she had often taken part in surveys in her line of work. The fact that the person who texted her knew her by name helped put her at ease.

Little did she know that by acceding to that request, which was sent to her at 10:12pm on March 13, she would end up losing $698,000 to scammers - all in just over 24 hours.

On March 14, having set her up for the sting by sending her small amounts of money through FPS (Faster Payment Service) for seemingly innocuous tasks as survey form-filling or following certain Instagram accounts, the scammers made a move on Chit.

The fake survey form sent to Chit in exchange for a token fee

They asked her if she wanted to earn more money through crypto currency trading and she said yes.

That led her being dragged quickly into the scammers’ net, with five people using the Telegram app all trying to put her under their control and crowding her mind with suggestions, criticisms and rebuke so she could not think clearly, and was forced to keep sending money to atone for her “mistakes.”

Chit, who holds a master’s degree in communication, was also taught to be subservient and to follow the “teachers” in the group so she would learn how to open a trading account and earn money quickly by making investments through a crypto website, ramaraxholdgopro.com.

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At 5:26pm that same day, Chit made her first big “investment” of $1,500 by transferring money through FPS to one Chu Wing Cheong.

The amounts she was told to send to people then began growing bigger by the minute, with the “teachers” in the group always telling her off for supposedly making mistakes, failing to complete a task on time, or that a teammate had chosen a chore that would result in a bigger yield.

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The biggest transfers of money amounting to a total of $340,000 were both made to one named Leung Chui-fan or Liang Cui-fen, who had an account at China CITIC Bank and Standard Chartered. 

The first $170,000 was sent at 9:51pm on March 14, the next $20,000 at 12:12am on March 15,and the last $150,000 at 5:04pm on the same day.

Scammers often use job offers to rope in victims

On hindsight, there were clues that should have set off alarm bells in Chit’s mind. First, the one who contacted her initially and introduced herself as “Alice” had used a number with an area code for Indonesia, while purportedly doing a survey on Hong Kong people.

Second, she was asked to send money to private individuals using several bank accounts, when she was supposed to be dealing with officers of the crypto company, “Ramarax”. (The website she had logged on to, www.ramaraxholdgopro.com is no longer accessible).

“I was manipulated and controlled somehow into a behavior so not me,” said Chit, after she reported the swindling to her bank and the police.

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At the police’s suggestion, she also informed the Consulate through Consul Paul Saret, head of the assistance to nationals section, “as there may be Filipinos involved in the scam.”

Among those she sent money to had Filipino sounding names, including a certain Arlene Tumamao Aguinaldo, whose accounts at Standard Chartered Bank and online bank Mox, were used to receive a total of $246,500 from Chit in four separate transactions.

The money that went into Aguinaldo's accounts were all sent between 5:45pm and 7:17pm on March 14.

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Another account at Mox in the name of one Michelle Besa Batayan was used to receive a single transfer of $110,000 from Chit. This was the last she managed to send, at 6:45pm on March 15, as she had run out of money.

Just before Chit sought police assistance, she was given another name, that of Angelie Colgado Garcia, whose Mox account was given so she could transfer an additional $150,000.

But by this time, Chit’s bank account was already depleted, and she was deeply in debt to two friends who did not hesitate sending her money, as soon as she asked them for a loan.

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“I have to pay back two people I borrowed money from so I have to borrow again and liquidate some investments,” a distraught Chit told The SUN.

Luckily, her family in the Philippines did not hesitate to help, making Chit even more angry at herself for having missed the signs of a scam.

Despite this, she remained alert enough to have screen-captured several of her exchanges with the scammers on the Telegram app, even though they had set them to disappear shortly after they were sent.

She also managed to take down the names of the recipients, the time and date of each money transfer, the account numbers she sent money to, as well as the names of the account holders – all of which goes to show that getting snared in a scam could happen, even to the most astute among us.

With the detailed and substantial information she had turned over to the police, apart from her timely reporting of the incident, Chit is hopeful that some, if not all, of the money fleeced from her could be recovered.

At the very least, she hopes that by sharing her story, even in anonymity, she can help warn others not to engage unknown people on social media, and avoid falling into the same trap.

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