3 Filipinas convicted of money laundering jailed between 9-12 months

 

More than $1.4 M passed through the Filipinas' HSBC accounts

Three Filipina domestic helpers who were convicted after trial of money laundering after allowing unknown people to take control of their bank accounts, were sentenced to between nine and 12 months as they sobbed today at Eastern Court.

A local woman working in a restaurant was meted the longest prison sentence of 13 months as her case involved an international element. According to Magistrate Minnie Wat, first defendant Wong Siu-kuen, 53, did not deny sending her ATM card to Malaysia where the illicit transactins were made in her name.

The lightest penalty of nine months’ imprisonment was imposed on Marife A. Dionson, 43, whose account was used to launder a total of $358,300 within one day, which the magistrate said was a “relatively short period of time.” The transactions were made between July 8 and July 9, 2020.

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The two other Filipina defendants, Geraldine G. Tolentino, 38, and Ires S. Caliwanagan, 40, were both meted the standard 12 months imprisonment for money laundering defendants who are found guilty after trial.

Tolentino’s bank account was made the repository of a total of $566,438 within five days, or between July 15 and July 20, 2020, while Caliwanagan’s account held a total of $714,406 between July 10 and July 23, 2020.

In sentencing, Magistrate Wat said a custodial sentence is inevitable for those who commit money laundering, which she described as a serious offence. She disregarded pleas for a lighter sentence based on the defendants’ personal and family circumstances.

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But she said she considered the international element in Wong’s case an aggravating factor, hence, the additional one month imposed on top of the standard 12 months’ imprisonment for those convicted after trial.

In Dionson’s case, her lawyer said she suffered a mild stroke after being arrested in 2020. She was described as naïve, and although she initially rejected the charge, she was now aware of the serious consequences of her actions, and was regretful.

Tolentino, on the other hand, was described by her mother to a probation officer who contacted her as “simple-minded and hardworking” and sent a big chunk of her salary to her family back in the Philippines. She was fully supported by her employer during her trial.

Caliwanagan was described by her lawyer as a  single mother with an 11-year-old son, who has been under tremendous stress because of the case, and is anxious to continue working in Hong Kong, but now realizes this will not happen because of her conviction.

Magistrate Wat said that in sentencing, she was mindful that all the defendants had a clear record and there was no evidence to suggest that they were the ones behind the illegal transfer of funds into their bank accounts.

She also said that even if the offences were committed in 2020, they did not come to light until the first prosecution witness in the case went to the police in 2021 to complain about losing $1.85 million in a love scam. Part of the money she lost was traced to the defendants’ bank accounts.

Prosecution began only in 2022, as it took the police some time to investigate, given the number of people found to be involved in laundering the money taken from the victim.

“This is not a particularly long time for the case to be brought to court,” said the magistrate.

In the admitted facts of the case that were read out in court, the total amount of money that went in and out of the four defendants’ money was more than $2.4 million, and the transactions took no more than three months.

About 10 other Filipinos were named as recipients of the $1.85 million that the love scam victim transferred to local banks, but they apparently escaped detection by the police.

But there was at least one other Filipina who was initially charged with the four, but she pleaded guilty when she appeared in court in October last year. She was sentenced to eight months in jail.

Before their conviction, the four defendants were allowed to post bail – $2,000 for Wong and $1,000 for each of the three Filipinas. 

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Bail of DH in money laundering case halved to $50K

 

A domestic helper had her bail reduced by half, from $100,000 to $50,000, after she pleaded not guilty to money laundering at the West Kowloon Court.

 “The amount should not be this high,” Magistrate Jason Wan said in a hearing today after finding out that the bail money was advanced by the employer of defendant Marivic Millare, 48 years old.

In return for reducing the bail, which was set in a previous hearing, Magistrate Wan imposed conditions for the temporary release of Millare, who is charged with one count of dealing with property known or believed to be proceeds of indictable crime, contrary to the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

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Among the conditions imposed on Millare were that she would not leave Hong Kong until the case was finished, surrender her passport, report weekly to Hung Hom Police and stay in the address registered with the court.

The charge arose from the flow in and out of her Hang Seng Bank account, of a total of $454,918.46 between June 12 and July 9, 2019.

A police complaint accused her of dealing in property, along with a person identified only as I.C., which “represented any person’s proceeds of indictable offense.”

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Magistrate Wan set the trial for Sept. 5.

He reminded Millare to keep in constant touch with the Duty Lawyer Service so she can be defended properly.

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Filipina cleared of lying to Immigration, overstaying

The rare acquittal at Shatin court left the accused sobbing in relief 

A Filipina was acquitted today of lying to the Immigration Department and overstaying after evidence presented in a trial at Shatin Court showed that it was the employment agency that processed her papers that was to blame.

Mariza Tarray, 41, sobbed and hugged the Filipina court interpreter who was translating the court proceedings to her, after Deputy Magistrate Ivan Lee pronounced her not guilty of both charges.

 “The prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,” he concluded.

“I find the defendant an honest and reliable witness,” he added.

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Tarray’s story began after she finished a contract as a domestic helper and went to the Bandung Enterprises to find a new employer.

She was matched with an employer who lived in Wanchai.

However, when her papers were processed, she discovered that she was given an employer who lived in Tseung Kwan O, so she refused to work for her and complained against Bandung to the Labour Department and the Philippine Consulate.

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The agency staff found her another employer, but by then she had overstayed her visa without her knowledge.

It was while processing her new contract that Immigration officers discovered a letter to support her visa application, which said that her termination by the employer she refused to work for was Feb. 11, 2022 and that the previous date of Jan. 26, 2022 was not correct.

Tarray was thus charged with making a false representation in a document furnished to an Immigration officer, which violates the Immigration Ordinance.

And since Immigration had established that her real termination date was Jan. 26, 2022, she had overstayed her two-week automatic extension by the time she applied for a new visa on Feb. 17.

She was thus charged with breach of condition of stay, another violation of the Immigration Ordinance.

In his decision, Magistrate Lee cited a WhatsApp chat between Tarray and an employee of Bandung who assured her that they would take care of Immigration, and kept her ignorant of her Immigration status.

He also cited her complaints against Bandung at the Labor Department and the Philippine Consulate as indicator that she had no intention of violating Immigration laws.

Before Tarray left the court, an Immigration officer told her to go to their office to retrieve her passport.

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Filipinos overseas could shape Phl politics through online voting, says DFA official

 By Daisy CL Mandap

About 100 OFWs took part in Comelec's briefing in HK on online voting
(photo from Chair George Garcia's X account) 

Online voting has the potential to turn overseas Filipinos into political kingmakers, said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Gary Domingo during a talk before Filipino community leaders in Hong Kong yesterday. 

“If the overseas Filipino community can vote (using the internet), you can determine the outcome of Philippine elections, said Domingo, who is the Department of Foreign Affairs head of the Overseas Voting Secretariat.

He said that even if only 70% of the estimated 10 to 12 million Filipinos overseas cast their ballots in the 2025 presidential election, they would still hold sway in Philippine politics.

In the previous election in 2022, where voting was conducted face-to-face or by mail, only about 600,000 or about 40.5% of the 1.697 million who registered to vote had cast their ballots.

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With the introduction of online voting for most overseas Filipinos, the DFA and the Commission on Elections are hoping to boost both the registration and the turnout considerably, as the limitations of time and distance that voters had often complained about in the past, will be eliminated.  

With online voting, those overseas will be able to vote anywhere, anytime, as long as they have a srong internet connection, said the officials.

The Comelec commissioners with DFA Usec Gary Domingo (3rd from left),
OVS vice chair Bob Quintin, (rightmost) and Consul General Germinia Usudan 

Domingo was in Hong Kong to join four Comelec commissioners brief Filipino community leaders on the system that is being developed to allow nationals overseas to vote using the Internet, and get their reactions and suggestions.

In opening the daylong session held at Park Lane hotel in Causeway Bay, Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan told the Filcom leaders in Hong Kong that online voting marks a “monumental shift” in how Philippine elections are conducted, as it paves the way for increased political participation and a more inclusive political representation.”

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She said the aim is to make the voting process as seamless and as convenient as possible for overseas Filipinos, especially those in Hong Kong, who used to line up for hours on Sundays amid the searing heat, just to cast their ballots in the lone polling station at Bayanihan Centre in Kennedy Town.

“Rather than physically casting your votes, overseas Filipinos in Hong Kong now have the opportunity to vote online within the comfort of your own homes and at your own convenience,” she said.

Usudan noted with pride that Filipinos in Hong Kong have been very active participants in overseas voting. In the last election in 2022, she said there were 93,886 registered voters in the city, and of these, 62,252 had cast their ballot, for a relatively high turnout of 64%.

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She also disclosed that the day before, 40 representatives from various foreign service posts also joined the Comelec in a whole-day training on online voting and counting.

She reminded the leaders that the deadline for registration for next year’s election is the 30th of September this year, and that both the Consulate on the 14th floor and the Migrant Workers Office on the 29th floor of United Centre building in Admiralty have desks where qualified voters may sign up.

She also urged everyone who has registered as voters to check with the Consulate website if their biometric data is complete, or approach staff at MWO for help.

Casquejo tells Filcom leaders online voting is the way to go 

Leading the briefing was Commissoner Marlon Casquejo, who is in charge of overseas voting for the Comelec. He said it’s all systems go for the new mode of voting, which will be adopted in most overseas posts, except for those in countries with internet restrictions like China and Russia.

Casquejo said it is not likely that those who had expressed reservations about online voting, including some senators, would take the extreme measure of applying for a temporary restraining order against them with the Supreme Court.

“Sa tingin ko hindi mangyayari kasi marami ang ma disenfranchise,” he said (I think that will not happen because a lot of voters will be disenfranchised).

“Will the Supreme Court issue a TRO? There is a very, very slight chance (of  that happening).”

Going for internet voting has long been eyed by the Comelec as it should be easier to implement and far less costly, but it has been plagued by doubts on whether it can do this on its own, or wait for legislative approval.

But after veteran lawyer George Garcia took over as Comelec chairman, the poll body has taken the view that since the Overseas Voting Act of 2013 allows it to implement other means of voting overseas, Congress approval is no longer necessary.

Casquejo, along with Comelec officials tasked with providing information about online voting, took the audience through the process of first, enrolling as a registered voter; then accessing the voting portal where they will be asked to first present their credentials before being allowed to vote..

To ensure that the person casting the ballot is the named voter, there will be a pre-enrolment period 60 days before the start of voting period, which is from Apr 13, 2025 to May 12, 2025. The pre-enrolment will then take place from Feb. 12 to Apr 12, 2025.

To enroll for the election, the voter will have to upload the required documents and provide an email address, then wait for verification from the Consulate (or other overseas posts).

During verification, the Consulate will check against the National Registry of Overseas Voters whether the applicant is a registered voter. If confirmed, a link to the election portal will be sent to the voter. Once done, the voter will receive a digital print of the cast ballot.

According to Casquejo, Comelec will issue digital voter’s IDs that can used as an alternative government-issued valid ID if a Philippine passport is unavailable. However, the voter won’t be allowed to download this digital ID.

Those who need help with pre-enrolment and online voting may go to kiosks to be provided by the Consulate and all overseas posts.

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HK forms 8 care teams for ethnic minorities

 

CS Eric Chan (middle) leads other govt officials in the launch of the EM care teams

Eight ethnic minority care teams were set up today, Sunday, and Chief Secretary Eric Chan said  two more will be added by the end of the year.

The care teams will enhance the services provided by the government-funded support centers for ethnic minorities, each with an operating annual budget of $11 million.

Chan said the care teams will provide personal visits, outreach and information services to ethnic minority members, and refer them to relevant government departments or organizations as needed.

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One of their primary tasks is to relay information to parents as to where they can send their children  to school in the district where they live.

“Most of the members of the team are also from the ethnic minority community, so they speak the same language as those they serve and can understand and respond to their needs more easily,” he said.

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Chan noted that Hong Kong has over 300,000 ethnic minority residents at present, and the government aims to help them become a more integral part of the city.

“They need to integrate into society to realise their full potential,” Chan said at the launch ceremony.

“Not only have they enriched our city's cultural diversity, but they have also contributed to its development in many ways.”  

The launch fulfils the promise made by Chief Executive John Lee  in his policy address last year of expanding support for ethnic minorities by setting up care teams across the city’s 18 districts, as well as additional support service centers for them.

The new centers that will start operating by year’s end, along with two more care teams, will be set up in Kowloon Central and in New Territories East.I

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The eight that are already operating can be found here: https://hkcscheer.net/social-welfare-services/services-for-ethnic-minorities-2/support-services-centres-for-ethnic-minorities

Among the services provided by the centers are orientation programs, language and after-school tutorials, community integration workshops, youth activities, counselling services and skills training.

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OFW group launches fund drive for Marikina flood victims

 

Some of the relief goods distributed earlier

An OFW group has launched a fund-raising drive to enable two of its members to distribute relief goods to neighbors whose homes in Barngay Tumana, Marikina City, were flooded last week by monsoon rains brought by Typhoon Carina.

“We hope we could get support from our fellow OFWs in helping flood victims in our own small way,” said Marivic Tabarnero, founder and president of Smart (Simple, Measurable, Achievable and Reliabe Team) HK.

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“We intend to send money to our members there, who will then buy the things their neighborhood actually needs,” she said.

The group distributed relief goods last week just after flood waters receded, but these were limited in quantity because this was all the group could afford, she added.

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Tabarnero

Tabarnero started the ball rolling for the second relief distribution today by approaching Filipino community leaders who attended a seminar on online voting conducted by the Commission on Elections at the Park Lane Hotel in Causeway Bay, with the help of the Consulate.

They are aiming to raise enough for a feeding program for children, as well as food and other necessities for 100 flood victims.

A substantial amount has been raised, but she declined to give details as it included pledges.

She said the group will continue the fund-raising on Sunday, fielding members to go around Hong Kong to solicit donations and also man their gathering place at the top of the outdoor escalator beside the Cheung Kong Bldg. in Central to receive donations.

She said the donations can also be sent online through this QR Code:

Tabarnero said a full accounting of the contributions and expenditures wil be made once the project is completed.

The project follows the distribution of school supples and food at McDonald’s in Silay City last July 19, organized by SMART HK member Marlie Parino, with funding from Hong Kong.

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“Thank you for your generosity and charitable contributions,” McDonad’s Silay said in a Facebook post, referring to Smart HK. “Your trust means the world to us, and we’re overjoyed to have provided such a delightful experience.”

The grroup celebrates  its 16^th anniversary this year.

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MAPAPA-WOW KA SA BAGONG SIM NG OFWS NG HONG KONG!

 

May bali-balitang malapit ng lumabas ang pinakabonggang SIM ng mga Pinoys sa Hong Kong! Ang sabi meron daw itong 3 hanggang 4 months na data plan. At ang presyo daw kada buwan ay $40 na lang?

Aba ang mura nito! Pang OFW talaga!

Unli at mabilis din daw ito kaya naman malaking tulong ito sa buhay ng ating mga domestic helpers sa Hong Kong. Kaya tutok lang sa Barkadahan sa SmarTone Facebook page para malaman ano ba itong bagong SIM na mapapa-WOW ka talaga. Para sa iba pang services ng SmarTone, tap here

https://www.barkadahansasmartone.com/service-site/BSS/view/english/AL.html.

Para updated lagi sa lahat ng offers, i-follow ang Barkadahan Sa SmarTone Facebook Page:

 https://www.facebook.com/barkadahansasmartone.

Kung may tanong, mag WhatsApp lang sa

https://www.smartone.com/hk/BSSWhatsAppCS.

Mas bongga talaga sa Barkadahan, pramis!

Barkadahan sa SmarTone 

For the OFW, with the OFW!

18 people arrested for alleged illegal streaming of karaoke songs

 

A party room in Causeway Bay was one of the premises raided

Customs officers announced Friday that they arrested 18 people in connection with the alleged unlicensed streaming of karaoke songs to party rooms and restaurants, in breach of copyright laws.

The arrests were made in a series of raids on venues between July 2 and 25, during which 39 karaoke song players and four gaming devices, as well as a number of audio and video equipment were seized. The items were valued at around $1.1 million.

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Those arrested included seven people manning the venues, six company directors, and five shop proprietors. Two of them were charged with violating the Copyright Ordinance while the rest were released on police bail.

According to the police it was the first time customs had cracked down on people suspected of providing karaoke songs via online streaming without the requisite permit.

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Traditionally, he said karaoke players used in party rooms or other venues were preloaded with songs that infringe copyright laws.

In this case, the infringing karaoke songs were stored in a data centre, which sent them on to party rooms through online streaming.

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Those raided were 31 party venues and one restaurant located in various districts, including Causeway Bay, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan and Mong Kok.

Customs said one of the party room owners was found to have falsely claimed that the venue was licensed to screen movies and television programs for customers. 

The owner was charged with engaging in false trade descriptions in the course of its business activities, in violation of the  Trade Descriptions Ordinance.

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Pinoy gets $1 fine and hospital stay for 2 offenses

 

An Eastern magistrate imposed the sentences on the Filipino offender

A Filipino resident notched his 7^th and 8^th criminal convictions yesterday (Friday) when he pleaded guilty in two separate criminal cases at Eastern Court, but managed to get off lightly.

R.Raqueno, 35 years old, was fined a mere $1 but was ordered to pay $99 restitution for shoplifting, and was ordered confined in a hospital for three months for wielding a chopper in a public place.

After Principal Magistrate Don So gave his judgment, the defendant was seen clapping softly and swaying as he was led back to confinement by police officers,

In the first case,  a police complaint said Raqueno was seen holding a chopper in front of a laundry shop on King’s Road in North Point last July 11.

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He was waving the “offensive weapon… with intent to use the same for unlawful purpose”, the complaint added.

Although he admitted that he was waving the knife in the air, Raqueno objected to the phrase, saying he did not use it for any unlawful purpose.

After his guilty plea, Magistrate So sentenced him to a three-month hospital confinement.

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In the second case, the Filipino was found to have taken four tea cups worth $99 from another shop on King’s Road, also last July 11.

For this, Magistrate So imposed a fine of $1 and told him to pay $99 to the shop, MegaMaxx, over the next six months.

Previous reporting by The SUN indicated that he was jailed on Oct. 18, 2023 for four weeks after he admitted stealing food items worth $350 from a North Point store .

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The prosecutor told the court that he had five previous criminal convictions, mostly shoplifting.

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21 persons arrested in latest crackdown on illegal work

 

19 of those arrested are suspected of doing illegal work

Law enforcers from the Immigration Department and the police rounded up a total of 21 persons in two separate anti-illegal work operations carried out over four consecutive days until yesterday, July 25.

Those arrested comprised 19 suspected illegal worker, one employer and overstayer.

In the first series of raids, 40 locations were targeted, including premises under renovation, residential buildings, restaurants and a retail shop.

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Eleven suspected illegal workers were arrested, comprising nine men and two women, aged 19 to to 45.

Five men were found to hold recognizance forms, which prohibit them from taking up any employment. Another man held a forged Hong Kong ID card.

In separate raids in Eastern and Western districts, eight suspected illegal workers, comprising four men and four women, aged 20 to 52, were arrested. 

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One man, aged 29, was also detained on suspicion of hiring the illegal workers, as well as a female overstayer aged 43.

Doing illegal work is an offence punishable with a maximum jail term of two years and $50,000 fine.     

If the offender is an illegal immigrant, an overstayer, or is subject to a removal or deportation order, the maximum sentence is three years in jail and $50,000 fine.

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Using a forged or someone else’s HK identity card could land one in jail for up to 10 years.

The same maximum prison term is imposed on someone found to have hired the illegal workers, apart from a fine of up to $500,000.

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Kwun Tong Line to suspend train service at 4 MTR stations on Sunday for asset upgrade

 

MTR Corp hopes full services will resume the next day, Monday

MTR's Kwun Tong Line train service at four stations will be suspended on Sunday, July 28, for the company's large-scale infrastructure asset renewal in the tunnels.

The MTR Corporation said that Kwun Tong Line service will suspend at Prince Edward, Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei and Ho Man Tin stations on 28 July but should resume normal operation the following day, Monday.

Those likely to be affected by the service adjustment, including foreign domestic helpers on their day-off, can make use of alternative railway routes which they can search on the company’s app MTR Mobile or the MTR website. They can also approach station staff as 1,000 MTR staff and contractor personnel will be deployed to assist passengers throughout the day.

 

1,000 staff will be deployed to assist commuters on Sunday

The Kwun Tong line will continue to operate between Tiu Keng Leng and Prince Edward, as well as between Ho Man Tin and Whampoa on Sunday.

Passengers can still get to Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei stations with the Tsuen Wan Line, while Ho Man Tin station is accessible with the Tuen Ma Line.

This means that Prince Edward Station will be the only interchange station between the Kwun Tong Line and Tsuen Wan Line, so it is expected that the station will be very busy and crowd control measures will be implemented.

During the service adjustment, MTR will provide free bus service in collaboration with KMB in Yau Ma Tei, Ho Man Tin, and Whampoa areas.

Bus No.8 will be available for free to passengers for the whole journey, while passengers taking route No.30X will not need to pay if they board at designated bus stops.

Frequencies of both routes will be increased to every 10 minutes.

The rail operator suggests passengers plan their journeys ahead and make use of alternative railway routes.

The service adjustment is part of the railway company’s asset renewal plan which will cost HK$65 billion over a five-year period to ensure safe and reliable railway service is always provided.