Filipina in drug trafficking case detained to await next court date

 

Place where Yap was arrested

A Filipina has been returned to jail custody after a drug trafficking case against her was adjourned for Sept. 29 at the Eastern Court.

Ma. Divina Yap, 49 years old, appeared at Eastern Court on Friday (Aug. 9) before Principal Magistrate Don So but the prosecution asked for an adjournment to wait for laboratory test results to identify and quantify the dangerous drug seized from her.

A complaint filed by anti-triad police on Aug. 3 did not specify the dangerous drug she supposedly trafficked.

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The complaint just stated that she “unlawfully trafficked in a dangerous drug” when she was arrested last Aug. 1 at the basement of a building on High Street in Sai Ying Pun.

In a separate case at West Kowloon Court, Gian Edward Aldea, 35 years old, was freed on a $2,000 bail after he was charged with drug possession and overstaying his visa.

The drug possession case arose after police allegedly found a plastic bag containing 0.85 gram of methamphetamine hydrochloride (otherwise known as ice or shabu) in his possession when he was stopped last April 11 at Lo Tak Court in Tsuen Wan.

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During an investigation at the police station, it was also discovered that Aldea was a visitor whose visa had expired on April 1 but he did not leave Hong Kong until he was arrested on April 11.

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13 persons arrested in latest anti-illegal work sweep

 

One of the arrested workers is  led to a waiting van

Nine suspected illegal workers and four employers were arrested in the latest territory-wide operations by agents of the Immigration Department conducted over four days, from August 5 to 8.

According to a statement issued by Immigration, 58 target locations were raided, including an industrial building, undergoing renovation, and restaurants.

The suspected illegal workers comprised three men and six women, aged 25 to 64. Among them were two women holding recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment.

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In addition, two men and three women were found to be in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card, respectively.

Two men and two women, aged 38 to 56, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested.

Immigration warned that anyone who violates the condition of stay in Hong Kong is guilty of an offence and will be liable for prosecution and penalty. The punishment gets more severe if the culprit is subject of a removal or deportation order, an overstayer or was refused permission to land.

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Visitors are also advised that they should not take up any job, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment.

Employers of illegal workers face the harshest sentence of 10 years in jail, and $500,000 in fine.

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Jobless Pinoy detained on burglary charge

 

West Kowloon Courthouse

A jobless Filipino is now in jail awaiting his next court date after appearing at West Kowloon Court for burglary on Thursday (Aug. 8).

Salvador Bermejo, 30 years old, is accused of entering the Morris Sofa store in Olympian City 2 in Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon, and stealing a laptop computer worth $8,400.

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Prosecutors asked for adjournment to allow for more investigation and legal advice.

Magistrate Li Chi-ho set the next hearing for Sept. 25.

Under the Theft Ordinance, burglary is punishable by up to 14 years in jail.

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The complaint filed by police cites a section in the ordinance that defines burglary as entering any building as a trespasser and steals or attempts to steal anything or attempts to inflict on any person any grievous bodily harm. 

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Filipina told to pay $44K for running unlicensed job agency

 

The accused was sentenced at Kwun Tong Court

A Filipina was ordered to pay $44,400 in fines, penalties and compensation after she pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Court of helping run an unlicensed employment agency.

Gilda Flores Li, 64, was ordered by Deputy Magistrate Tobias Cheng in a hearing Thursday (Aug. 8) to pay $12,000 in fines and penalties and $32,400 in restitution to a victim who complained against her to the Labour Department.

After an investigation, the department charged her in court last May 14 with violation of sections 51(1) and 50(6) of the Employment Ordinance for assisting in the management of an employment agency from Aug. 1, 2021 to Nov. 3, 2023.

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This ordinance prohibits any person from operating, managing or assisting in the management of an employment agency unless he or she holds a license or certificate of exemption, or is an associate of the licensee.

Violators can face a fine of up to $350,000 and imprisonment of up to three years.

Li is not new to such prosecution.

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On Jan. 5, 2018, Li was convicted after a trial also at Kwun Tong Court of overcharging a client, and ordered to pay $22,000 --$12,000 in compensation and $10,000 in fine -- within three months, or face a jail term.

Li, who jointly owned Quality Consultants Agency with her husband, was penalized for overcharging a Filipina domestic helper who applied at her company to work as maid in Russia.

In the trial, she maintained that her company’s service was securing an invitation from Russia, which is required by the Russian Consulate to grant a commercial visa to domestic helpers so they can can go to Russia.

But Magistrate Andrew Mok Tze-chung concluded: “I don’t find the defendant a credible and reliable witness. I do not accept that QCA, of which she is a partner, is not an employment agency.”

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Goree whitening cream again causes mercury poisoning to user

 

One of the Goree products found to contain dangerous mercury levels

Hong Kong Customs has again warned the public to stop using three types of Goree whitening cream, one of which reportedly caused a woman to be hospitalized for mercury poisoning.

This time around, employers were specifically put on notice to check if their foreign domestic helpers have been using the tainted products, and to stop them if they do.

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In previous warnings about the products between November last year and February this year, a number of those who had to be taken to hospital for mercury poisoning after using Goree day and night cream were all Filipina domestic helpers.

Customs said in a statement issued Thursday that laboratory tests showed the three Goree products contained between 23,000  to 24,000 times the allowed level of mercury.

This product was found to have 24,000 times more than the prescribed mercury level

In a press release issued Thursday, Customs identified the products as Goree Lycopene (avocado and aloe vera), Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream and Goree Gold Beauty Cream.

The 43-year-old patient whose nationality was not disclosed, was diagnosed with proteinuria (or excessive levels of protein in the urine) after using two skin-whitening cream products for a few weeks. Test on her urine and blood samples showed the presence of mercury levels far exceeding the allowed range.

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She remained hospitalized as of this writing  but was reported to be in stable condition.

Customs said the level of mercury in the product the patient had used was 23,000 parts per million, or 23,000 times more than the allowed limit. Later, Customs discovered that the levels of mercury in two other types of whitening cream products of the same brand reached 24,000 ppm or 24,000 times the maximum permitted limit.

All the products were also found to bear warnings or cautions only in English, without Chinese translations, which is said to be in contravention of the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation (CGSR), a subsidiary legislation of the CGSO.

Following this finding, Customs conducted a raid on a shop in Central where the patient had bought the mercury-laden product, and seized a total of 352 boxes of the three types of whitening creams. The retailer was also served with a prohibition notice, forbidding it from further selling the products.

A 40-year-old man managing the shop and a 45-year-old saleswoman were arrested in connection with the case, but were subsequently released on police bail pending further investigation.

The press statement said further arrests have not been ruled out.

However, a follow-up operation in other districts failed to yield any of the prohibited products.

The third Goree product that could lead to kidney failure after prolonged use

The government advisory said chronic exposure to mercury can cause damage to the nervous system and kidneys, potentially causing renal failure. Symptoms may include tremors, irritability, insomnia, memory deterioration, concentration difficulty, impaired hearing and vision, and change in the taste function.

When buying beauty products, the public is advised to stay away from dubious sources and only patronize reputable shops. If they start to feel unwell after using beauty products they must stop using the said products and seek medical attention immediately.

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DH fined, threatened with jail if she shoplifts again

 

Store where Filipina was caught stealing chocolate

A domestic helper who admitted stealing two packs of chocolates was not only fined $300 today when she pleaded guilty to theft at the Eastern Court, but was also warned that she will be jailed for 11 weeks if she reoffends.

Helen Fagaragan, 53 years old, pleaded guity after a charge of violating section 9 of the Theft Ordinance was read to her.

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After she admitted stealing the chocolates on Sept. 29 at a Bestmart 360 store on Lee Garden Road in Causeway Bay, Principal Magistrate Don So imposed on her a $300 fine and 11 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.

She need not serve her jail sentence, as long as she does not commit another crime within the period.  If she does, the penalty for the new offense will be added to her jail sentence.

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2 Pinay boxers win bronze medals at Paris Olympics

 

Petecio (in red) loses to her Polish opponent in a split decision (AFP photo)

Two Filipina boxers fell short of a shot at the gold medal when they both lost their bouts against their respective opponents at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Still, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, will each bring home a bronze medal, which takes the Philippines’ total haul in the Games to 4, after the two golds won by Carlos Yulo in the men’s floor and vault finals.

An Olympic gold in boxing remains elusive for the Philippines as all of its five boxers who made it to Paris have already bowed out. Three failed to win any medal, but the two did.

Petecio, a silver medallist in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, lost in a split decision to Poland’s Julia Szeremeta in their women’s 57kg boxing semifinal bout early this morning (Manila time).

Four judges scored it 29-28 in favor of Szeremeta, while one had it 29-28 for Petecio.

The 32-year-old Filipina took the first round with crisp punches and patient attacks, but her 20-year-old opponent landed solid punches in the final minute of the match, securing her victory.

“Akala ko akin to this time, sobrang grabe yung tiwala ko sa sarili ko na makukuha ko siya. But yun nga, medyo hindi tayo [pinalad] ngayong gabi,” (I thought it was already mine as I was very confident about it. But, I was a bit unlucky tonight).Petecio said in an interview after the match.

But she said she remained thankful to the Lord because of her good showing in the match.

Szeremeta will face Chinese Taipei’s Yu-ting Lin in the final. Lin defeated Turkiye’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman in the semifinal via unanimous decision, her third straight victory in the tourney.

Villegas takes bronze in her first Olympic outing (Reuters photo)

Villegas, meanwhile, earned bronze in the boxing women’s 50kg in her Olympic debut. Her bid for the gold was halted by second-seed Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Türkiye, who progressed to the final by a unanimous decision.

Villegas faced an uphill battle in the first round but stunned everyone when she knocked down Cakiroglu in the second. The Filipina followed that up with some strong punches but failed to take that round, or the third and last one.

Cakiroglu, who won silver at Tokyo 2020, will get a crack at the gold when she faces Wu Yu of the People’s Republic of China tomorrow, Friday.

Both Filipinas will receive P2 million each from the Philippine government for their third-place win in line with Republic Act 10699.

Under the same law, gold medalists are given an incentive of P10 million while silver winners get P5 million.

The Philippines’ medal quest does not end here, as it has four more athletes in the wings – weightlifters Vanessa Sarno and Elreen Ando, and golfers Dottie Ardina and Bianca Pagdanganan.

$13 biscuit costs Pinoy $300

 

A $13 pack of Nutella biscuits that a Filipino construction worker shoplifted has cost him $300, not to mention hours off work, at the end of his theft case today at West Kowloon Court.

Prosecutors withdrew a charge of theft against J. Salcedo, 37 years old, after he agreed to a bind-over, or a promise not to commit the same offense for 12 months, or he will be fined $1,000.

Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui set the conditions for the bound-over and released Salcedo with a clean record.

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However, she deducted $300 from his cash bail to pay for court costs.

Salcedo found himself charged with violating the Theft Ordinance after police filed a complaint accusing him of picking up the cookies last June 17 at a Seven-11 store at level 5 of the airport Terminal 1 in Chek Lap Kok, Lantau and leaving without paying for it.

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Health Dept warns against using Z FIT slimming product

 

This slimming product was found to contain banned drug ingredients

The Department of Health urged the public Tuesday not to buy or consume a slimming product labelled as "Z FIT” (100% natural) after tests showed it contained undeclared controlled and banned drug ingredients.  

Acting on a tip-off the DH obtained samples of the product through a social media platform and upon testing at the Government Laboratory, they were found to contain sibutramine and frusemide, which are Part 1 poisons under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138).          

Sibutramine was once used as an appetite suppressant but since November 2010, pharmaceutical products containing the ingredient have been banned in Hong Kong because of an increased cardiovascular risk.

Frusemide on the other hand is a diuretic used in the treatment of high blood pressure, heart failure and oedema. Common adverse effects include feeling thirsty, dizziness, headaches and fast or irregular heartbeat.       

According to the Ordinance, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in the market.

The illegal sale or possession of unregistered Part 1 poisons is  criminal offence for which the maximum penalty for each offense is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.

The DH called on those who have purchased the slimming product to stop consuming it immediately. If they feel after consumption they should consult healthcare professionals immediately.

The public may submit the products to the Drug Office of the DH at Room 1804-1806, 18/F, Wing On Kowloon Centre, 345 Nathan Road, Kowloon, during office hours for disposal.

The DH advised everyone not to buy products of unknown or doubtful composition, or consume products from unknown sources.

People who want to lose weight should maintain a balanced diet and exercise regularly. They should consult a doctor before taking any medication for weight control.

For more information, they may visit the website of the Drug Office of the DH for "Health message on overweight problem and slimming products" and "Slimming products with undeclared Western drug ingredients.”

 

DH gets 10 months’ jail for conspiring to launder $1.2M

 

The hearing was held at Eastern Court

Another Filipina domestic helper was sent to jail today for money laundering after she admitted at Eastern Court that $1.2 million in crime proceeds passed through her bank account.

Marcela Awingan, 38 years old, was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment  by Principal Magistrate Don So for violation of the Organuzed and Serious Crimes Ordinance. 

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A police complaint dated June 14 accused Awingan of dealing with property that came from crime.

The charge was based on the flow of $1,231,539.07 into and out of her Standard Chartered Bank account between March 12 and April 13, 2023.

She did the offense “togther with persons unknown,” the complaint added.

It asserted that she dealt with the property which “… in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, represented any person’s proceeds of an indictable offense.”

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Jobless Pinoy charged for possessing fake $100 bills

 

West Kowloon Courts

A jobless Filipino was returned to custody after appearing Tuesday at Kowloon City Court to answer a case of possession of five fake $100 bills.

Ray Onate Jr., 35 years old and has no fixed address, is accused of violating section 100(2) of the Crimes Ordinance, which punishes the “custody of counterfeit notes or coins” with up to three years in prison.

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The charge arose arose after police officers on patrol accosted Onate while he was on Woo Sung St in Yau Ma Tei last July 10 and found the fake dollar bills in his possession.

Seized from him were three fake $100 HSBC notes  and two $100 Bank of China notes, which he had in his custody “without lawful authority,” the police complaint said.

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Stealing 6 letters, key gets DH 2 months’ jail

 

Taikoo Shing building where the offense was committed

A domestic helper who pleaded guilty last July at Eastern Court to stealing six letters and one key from her employer at Tai Koo Shing, was sentenced today to two months’ imprisonment.

Marijoe Baril, 27, received the sentence from Principal Magistrate Don So 20 days after he put off the sentencing to conduct a background check to determine why she stole the letters, using the key to open her employer’s mail box.

Police had charged Baril with theft for stealing the six letters and one key between last May and June at her employer’s house in Taikoo Shing.

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Her duty lawyer told the court after her plea that Baril underestimated the severity of the offense.

Since she has been detained since last month and deducting holidays from her jail term plus discount for good behavior, Baril should be free anytime soon.

Her criminal conviction, however, would likely result in her being deported back to the Philippines after here release, and prevent her from working again in Hong Kong. 

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Appeal Court rejects bid of Filipino who lied about threats from ex-girlfriend

 

The Court of Appeals hearings are held at the High Court

A Filipino tourist who claimed to have fled to Hong Kong to escape his girlfriend and her family who wanted to kill him, has failed to get the Court of Appeal to overturn a decision to reject his application for asylum.

Benedicto Pimentel Jr. had claimed that “he would be harmed or killed by his former girlfriend and her family due to the former girlfriend’s affairs with some other men,” the Court of Appeal noted in its decision dated July 31, 2024.

Pimentel arrived in Hong Kong as a visitor on June 26, 2015, and overstayed after his two-week limit of stay.

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He was arrested by police on Aug. 10, 2015. He applied two days later at the Immigration Department for non-refoulement or protection from forcible return to his country of origin.

Three years later, on Nov. 16, 2018, the Director of Immigration dismissed his claim on all applicable grounds, among them the risk of torture, death, and persecution.

Pimentel appealed the to the Torture Claims Appeal Board, which confirmed the Director’s decision on May 9, 2019.

Not only did it rule that his claim did not meet the requirements for giving asylum, it also noted that “his claim (is) nothing more than a fabrication” and described his “evidence (as) unreliable and at times, even absurd.”

On May 21, 2019, Pimentel went up to the High Court to apply for leave to apply for judicial review.

Deputy High Court Judge K W Lung refused on April 3, 2024 to grant such leave, saying there is no valid “ground to challenge the Board’s Decision.”

After he raised his case to the Court of Appeal last April 8, Justices of Appeal Thomas Au and Anderson Chow ruled: “The Applicant’s appeal has no merits, and is dismissed.”

“(Pimentel) has failed to identify or show any error in the Judge’s decision of 3 April 2024, or raise any viable ground of appeal against the Order,” the decision explained. 

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Diwa’t Kabayan to teach baking, meat processing

 

The poster for the baking lesson on Aug 11

Fancy baking your own bread, and partnering it with sardines in oil you made yourself? 

If you relish the idea, you may want to join either or both of the two livelihood seminars that will be held on two upcoming Sundays by one of the longest-serving migrant organizations in Hong Kong, the Diwa’t Kabayan Benlife Society.

The first whole-day seminar scheduled on August 11, 9am to 6pm,  will focus on bread making, with pandesal, pizza, ensaymada and biscuits among the end-products.

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A fee of $520 to be collected from each participant will be used to buy lunch for all participants, ingredients and kitchen tools that will be used for the tutorial, and for renting the venue in Taipo. All items baked by the participants can be taken home.

A non-refundable reservation fee of $100 will be collected from each participant to secure their place in the training seminar.

Meat processing is one of Diwa't Kabayan banner projects

On the next Sunday, Aug. 18, 10 am to 6pm, another seminar will be held  by the group to teach food and meat processing. The food items to be produced will include different kind of longanisa, tocino, sardines in oil, and tinapa.

A reservation fee of $100 will be collected from each participant, with the total amount of contribution for the other expenses to be determined on the day itself.

All participants who signed up will be fetched at the Taipo Market MTR station.

Earlier, the all-OFW group also provided training on how to create wedding accessories out of mesh stockings. The half-day seminar was held on July 28 at the Metrobank conference room. Admission was on a first come, first served basis.

Diwa’t Kabayan which has all along been headed by its founder, Naty Manalo, has been teaching OFWs various livelihood skills for the past 25 years.

For additional information on their livelihood seminars, please visit the Facebook page, "Diwa't Kabayan Benlife Society."

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Beware of money lenders asking for bank accounts as collateral

 

This text exchange shows the money lender wants control over borrower's bank accout

A Filipina domestic helper has reached out to warn others about a group that purports to extend a loan to those who are about to go back to the Philippines after their employment contracts were terminated prematurely, and then get them involved in money laundering without their knowledge.

Baby (not her real name),  said she commented “How po” to a post she found in a Facebook page about the loan offer. Almost immediately, someone got back to her and said her group could extend a loan of up to $2,000, but in exchange, the helper needed to submit control over her bank account.

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Baby showed a series of text messages between her and another Filipina who said this was her boss’ requirement prior to extending the loan. The Filipina specified an account in either HSBC or Hang Seng Bank.

When Baby said she did not have an account in either bank, the other Filipina suggested she could set up an appointment for the helper to open one, but she must be able to leave her employer’s house on a weekday to do this.

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“Mag open ka na lang po, tapos kuhanin namin sa yo,” said the Filipina in a chat message.“Book kita ng appointment, gusto mo?” (I will book an appointment for you, if you want).

When Baby balked some more, saying she does not get to go out even during Sundays as she is looking after a sick elderly employer, the person she was chatting with said, “Ay sayang, ano po ba ang off mo? Di ka ba pwedeng mag off ng Sabado? (Pity! When is your day off? Can’t you take a Saturday off?)

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The overly friendly staff caused Baby to feel uneasy that she immediately consulted a migrant support group on whether the deal sounded like it involved money laundering, and she was immediately told yes, and that  she should immediately cut off contacts with the person she was chatting with.

In a long list of cases involving FDHs who lent or surrender control over their bank accounts which were then made funnels for criminal proceeds, the account holder is the one that is normally arrested, and without fail, jailed.

Magistrates routinely impose a jail term of nine months if the accused admits guilt, 12 months or more if they opt to go to trial, and are convicted.

However, the prescribed maximum jail term is 14 years, and a fine of up to $5 million.

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