Filipina DH joins elite swimmers in relay swim around HK

 

Lam (leftmost) and Tolentino (2nd from left) are among 30 'Make Waves' swimmers this year

A Filipina domestic helper is among five relay teams that will take up the unique challenge of swimming 45 kilometers around Hong Kong island on November 8, to raise awareness about the city’s massive “swim illiteracy.”

The 30 swimmers from the five teams in this year's “Make Waves for Hong Kong” will come from diverse backgrounds, and will include Olympians Geoff Cheah and Hannah Wilson, prominent jeweller, Jada Lam, and Filipina migrant domestic worker, Josephine Tolentino.

Tolentino is one of the first graduates of Splash Foundation, a charity dedicated to providing free swimming lessons to disadvantaged children and adults in Hong Kong, and is the beneficiary of the swim fest. 

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 Since learning to swim in 2016, Tolentino has competed in many local swim races, and won awards. “Swimming became the best solution I had to the stress and homesickness that comes with being a migrant worker,” she said.

Cheah, who was part of the Hong Kong team that took part in the Rio Olympics and is currently working on start-ups at Wheelock and Company, says he was shocked to learn that 47% of Hong Kong secondary school students do not know how to swim, and may never have had the opportunity to do so.

“Swimming has opened so many doors for me personally. All my best friends are those who I grew up competing and training with. I’m doing this challenge so we can improve swimming lessons for kids and adults in Hong Kong.”

Altogether, the swimmers in this year's swim fest hope to raise $3.5 million to help Splash Foundation with its advocacy.

The 45-km swim relay will start at Sandy Bay and run clockwise around HK island

Splash says that only about half of Hong Kong people can swim, despite the city having the world’s longest coastline and an abundance of swimming pools. The other half who can’t swim are mostly women and children from low-income families.

Realizing this, Splash has dedicated itself to improving access to swimming for disadvantaged children and adults by providing them with free lessons. Around 90% of the learners have learned how to swim at the end of20 hours of instruction.

Reflecting on her own experience with Splash, Tolentino  said: “I took the first step to learn to swim and found there was so much I could achieve. I want everyone to have the opportunity I had.”

Lam, who turned 50 this year, is joining the swimming relay to mark her life’s milestone.

“Swimming is an incredible exercise that teaches you that nothing is impossible,” she said. “ When I started swimming again in my 40s, I couldn’t even manage two laps of the pool! But I’ve found this incredible sense of fulfilment and camaraderie with other swimmers as I’ve progressed.”

Supporting the event are Simpson Marine, Henderson Land Group, Shanghai Commercial Bank and Kiri Capital  

 

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3 Filipinas in court on separate drug trafficking charges

 

The 3 kilos of herbal cannabis linked to Vanessa Poblacion' case (File)

Three Filipinas, one of them a domestic helper and two asylum seekers, appeared in separate courts today, in the continuation of their drug trafficking cases.

Melene Mogol, 38 years old, appeared with co-accused Sumeet Dadwal at Kowloon City Court, charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug, or violation of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.

The drug seized from them when they were arrested last Jan. 7 at a room in Tang Fat House on Bedford Road in Mong Kok, was not specified and quantified as it was still being analyzed in government laboratories. 

However, earlier reports said more than half a kilo of methamphetamine or "ice" worth $220,000 was involved.

Pending the results of the government analysis, Acting Principal Magistrate Ko Wai-hung adjourned the case to Dec. 12.

Mogol, a domestic helper, was allowed bail of $10,000 while Dadwal was remanded in jail custody. 

The Indian suspect faces a separate robbery charge for allegedly entering with three others, the Alpha Watch and Jewelry on Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and making off with 24 watches worth $39.2 million.

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Sherlita Guia, 37 years old and holder of a recognizance form used as her identity document, appeared at Eastern Court on two counts of drug trafficking filed by Anti-Triad Police last May 16.

Police said she was arrested on July 14, 2023 in one of the rooms inside the Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion on Nathan Road, and was slapped with the first charge of allegedly trafficking 53.37 grams of a crystalline solid containing 52.17 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (or “ice”) and 416 grams of a solid containing 339.72 grams of cocaine.

Her second charge arose after police also found 33.85 grams of a solid substance containing 26.4 grams of cocaine and 16.11 grams of a solid containing 12.3 grams of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine in her possession on the same date and place.

Magistrate Jeffrey Sze adjourned the case to Nov. 25 and returned her to jail custody.

Another recognizance form holder, Vanessa Poblacion, 33 years old, also appeared before Magistrate Sze along with her three Indian co-accused – Karnesh Bawa, Aftab Alam and Kalimuddin Mohammed.

Only the Indians were named in the first charge of trafficking in 3,050 grams of cannabis in herbal form (or marijuana leaves) when they were arrested on May 30, 2023 on the highway near the Cheung Tsing Bridge in Tsing Yi, New Territories.

Poblacion was named along with the Indians in the second charge, after they were arrested in one of the rooms of Rambler Oasis Hotel on 1 Tsing Yi Road in the New Territories also on May 30, 2023, trafficking in the following:

• 694.64 grams of cannabis in herbal form.
• 1,718.7 grams of cannabis resin.
• 603 grams of a solid containing cannabis resin.
• 39.6 grams of s crystalline solid containing 39.6 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
• 11.9 gams of a solid containing 9.9 grams of ketamine.
• 15.6 grams of a solid containing 8.7 grams of cocaine.
• 15.4 grams of a solid containing 13.5 grams of N,N-dimethylpentylone.
• 2,861 grams of a solid containing 1.71 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol.
• 25.1 grams of a liquid containing 18.11 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol.
• 21.7 grams of a solid containing 16.1 grams of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
• 339 tablets and one tablet fragment containing 21.97 grams of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
• 0.06 grams of  solid containing lysergide.

Magistrate Sze adjourned the case to Dec. 9.

Bawa was allowed bail of of $60,00 plus surety of $30,000, while Alam was allowed bail of $100,000. Poblacion and Mohammed were returned to jail custody.

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Call issued for high-risk people to get flu jabs asap

 

The elderly are among those who should get jabbed ahead of the onset of flu season (File)

An infectious disease expert has called on high-risk individuals, especially seniors, children who never had influenza and those with underlying illnesses to get flu vaccines as soon as possible.

Ivan Hung, a professor in infectious diseases at Hong Kong University, said in a radio interview Sunday that the influenza season may surge in December, and may even peak twice.

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Hung said the first surge will likely be driven by influenza A subtype H3 and the second, by H1.

He said that it takes about two to three weeks after vaccination for the immune response to develop, so it is important for high-risk individuals to get it done now to avoid getting caught in the expected peak in December.

Hung said parents of children who are afraid of injections may opt to use nasal spray vaccines which are equally effective, but are not recommended for pregnant women or those with immune deficiencies.

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Asked about the possibility of the coronavirus peaking at the same time, Hung said that while it remains highly contagious, it is no longer as destructive as it used to be. But he sees it peaking slightly during the winter.

Hung also urged caution amid a spike in the number of dengue cases in Hong Kong lately, which he said could be due to climate change.

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As there is no dengue fever vaccine available in Hong Kong nor are there specific treatments, he said it is important for the public to take preventive measures like avoiding areas with dense vegetation, and dumping stagnant water.

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High Court shoots down asylum seeker's try to use new issue in appeal

 

The High Court, where the Court of First Instance holds it proceedings 

Hong Kong’s High Court has rebuffed a Filipina asylum-seeker’s attempt to raise a new issue in her appeal against earlier decisions that rejected her non-refoulement claim.

M. . Reyes, 51 years old, had applied to the Court of First Instance for leave to apply for judicial review against the decisions of the director of Immigration and the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-Refoulement Claims Petition Office that rejected her Form 86 application.

In that application, Reyes said she was seeking protection from being sent back home because of fear she would be killed by her former husband in the Philippines and his girlfriend’s brother, because she witnessed the latter killing a man.

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It was only when she went to the CFI, after her application was rejected because her reason was not among those accepted under the Unified Screening Mechanism (the “USM”) -- torture risk, Bill of Rights (BOR) 3 or ill-treatment risk, persecution risk ; and BOR 2 risk (to life) -- that she invoked her children’s problems and their rights.

Reyes was referring to her three children from a live-in relationship with a Hong Kong permanent resident. She had six children from previous relationships in the Philippines --five fathered by her ex-husband and one by a former boyfriend.

 “The Applicant did not advance any grounds for judicial review in the Form 86.  In her supporting affidavit, she stated that she did not agree with the Board’s Decision because of her children’s problems and their rights,” the court said in a decision ordered by Deputy High Court Judge To and signed by Seline Sze for the registrar of the High Court.

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But "… insofar as her reliance on her children’s problems and their rights are concerned, this basis of claim had never been raised before the Director or the Board.  It is not open to her to seek to review the Decision on this ground as the Board had made no decision in relation to her children’s problems and their rights,” it said. 

Reyes did not question the process she underwent at the Immigration Department and the Board,  but the CFI still weighed her case on merit, noting that she failed to prove her fears and risks, and the earlier decision to reject her claim “is utterly without fault.”

 “Having rigorously examined the Decision, the papers and the evidence with anxious scrutiny, the Court is satisfied that the Board had correctly set out the law and key legal principles applicable to non-refoulement protection under the USM,” it concluded.

“The Court could detect no error of law or procedural unfairness in the Decision,” it stressed. 

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The court also noted that Reyes did not appear before it, even if she requested an oral hearing of her leave application.

Reyes last entered Hong Kong on July 30, 2012 to work as a domestic helper. 

She overstayed in Hong Kong from Dec. 17, 2013 after her employment was prematurely terminated.  She surrendered to the Immigration Department a day later and made a non-refoulement claim on Feb. 17, 2016.

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Warning as in-flight thefts surge

 

The thefts on board airplanes traveling from HK has surged by 164%

The police in Hong Kong have again warned the public to be always on guard when they travel because of a surge in in-flight thefts.

Recent police figures showed that a total of 132 thefts have been recorded on flights headed to Hong Kong in the first eight months of the year alone, marking a  164% increase in the same period last year.

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The most serious incident happened on a flight from Switzerland on Aug. 30, in which a passenger reported losing a luxury watch valued at $4.16 million.

According to a police spokesman, the male passenger had stored his backpack containing the high-end watch in the overhead compartment above his seat. He found the expensive watch missing on his arrival in Hong Kong.

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In another incident that happened only last month,  a Filipino couple who flew aboard a  Philippine airlines flight to Manila from Hong Kong lost three credit cards, which thieves immediately used to purchase luxury items in Malaysia that amounted to 70,800 RM (Malaysian Ringgit) (HK$ 127,500 or Php 913,000) in total.

The cards were inside a wallet that the husband had put in the bottom part of his backpack which he then stored in the overhead compartment above his seat. The couple discovered the credit cards missing when they were already in the Philippines.

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In an update, the couple said they are still trying to get the banks which issued the cards to write off the amounts incurred by the air thieves.

Police said the surge in the number of on-board thefts, which has now already exceeded the aggregate figure for last year, highlights the importance of safeguarding personal belongings during air travel. 

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Road closures this weekend for cycling, triathlon events

The annual Cyclothon this Sunday will lead to major road closures and traffic diversions (File)

A number of  road closures have been announced for parts of Hong Kong island, Kowloon and  the New Territories for two major sporting events happening during the long weekend holiday.

The areas that will be affected are parts of Central and Wanchai on both Saturday and Sunday (Oct 12 and 13) for a triathlon event.

Major road closures and diversions will also be undertaken in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon West and New Territories South  on Sunday for Hong Kong’s biggest cycling event, the Cyclothon,

The road closures will start at 10am today, Saturday, when a section of Expo  Drive between Legislative Council Road and Expo Drive Central will be temporarily closed to traffic until  6pm for the triathlon event in Central and Wan Chai districts.

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On Sunday, a number of road closures and diversions will be implemented from 1am to about 6pm, also for the triathlon event, in the vicinities of the Central Harbourfront and Wan Chai North (including Yiu Sing Street, Lung Wo Road, Lung Hop Street, Lung Tat Path, etc).

As a result, cross-harbour bus route No H2 to Star Ferry in Central will be temporarily diverted to Connaught Road Central from 12:30pm on Sunday until the closed road is reopened to traffic at about 6pm.

Photo from the Summer Triathlon earlier this year 

Meanwhile, the Transport Department has announced a number of road closure in New Territories South, Kowloon West and Tsim Sha Tsui starting at 1am on Sunday, due to the holding of Hong Kong’s Cyclothon.

The city’s biggest cycling event which will see some 6,000 riders taking part, will also affect more than 150 bus routes, with some major roads and tunnel closed from early morning until mid-afternoon.

Expected to take part in the annual Cyclothon are Olympic bronze medallist Sarah Lee Wai-sze, three-time Asian Games gold medal winner Wong Kam-po and four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome.

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Both the 50km and 32km rides will start in the morning of Sunday at Salisbury Road near the Empire Centre, and will take the route via West Kowloon and New Territories South before finishing at the Jordan Road flyover.

Other races will also be held at East Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom area.

The TD said that depending on the number of people who will turn out for the events, the police may implement crowd control measures in the vicinity of the racecourse and other crowded areas in Tsim Sha Tsui.

The day’s events, which will be held from 5.15am to 2pm on Sunday, are also expected to attract 30,000 people to the Cyclothon Carnival in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

From Tsim Sha Tsui East, riders in the 50km race will be routed via Kowloon Park Drive, Austin Road West, Nga Cheung Road elevated road, the West Kowloon Highway, the Cheung Tsing Tunnel, the Tsing Ma Bridge and the Ting Kau Bridge.

The race will turn back and be routed via the Nam Wan Tunnel, the Stonecutters Bridge, the Eagle's Nest Tunnel and the Sha Tin Heights Tunnel, then turn back again and be routed via the West Kowloon Highway and Nga Cheung Road before heading for the finishing point.

Those taking part in the 32 km race will also start off in Tsim Sha Tsui East but will be routed via the Tsing Ma Bridge, the Eagle's Nest Tunnel and the Sha Tin Heights Tunnel.

Subject to the race arrangements and progress, the above road sections along the race routes in New Territories South and Kowloon West will be temporarily closed until around 11am on that day.

Events and races related to the Cyclothon will be held on the roads in the vicinity of Tsim Sha Tsui East, including Salisbury Road, Mody Lane, Hung Hom Bypass and Hung Hom Road, which will also be temporarily closed until around 3.30pm on that day.

A Cyclothon Carnival in West Kowloon could add to the traffic buildup

During the road closure period, 155 bus routes (including 64 KMB routes, 33 Citybus routes, 31 cross harbour bus routes, 26 Long Win Bus routes and one New Lantao Bus route) and 15 green minibus routes will be affected and subject to diversions, shortened trips, suspensions or relocations of stops in phases until the reopening of roads.

Likewise, the Star Ferry Pier Public Transport Interchange and the China Hong Kong City Public Transport Interchange will be suspended from 2.30am until around 10.30am; and the Tsim Sha Tsui East (Mody Road) Bus Terminus will be suspended from 10.30am until around 3.30pm on Sunday.

Roadside parking spaces within the closed roads will also be suspended.

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The TD advises the public to plan their journeys early to avoid delays and use public transport as far as possible, and pay attention to the temporary route diversions and relocations of stops.

Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas, and in case of traffic congestion, they should exercise patience, drive with care and follow the instructions of traffic police.

For more detailed information on the special traffic and transport information, the public may browse the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk) or mobile application "HKeMobility", or relevant public transport operators' websites or mobile applications.

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Dog in suspected abuse case dies from injuries

 

The dog was taken to the vet after being found with a bloodied back

A Doberman Pinscher suspected to have been doused with hot water or corrosive substance by a Filipina domestic helper died last night from sepsis and organ failure due to bacterial infection, according to its owner.

The 14-year-old family pet nicknamed “Ah Pei” was found with matted fur and bloody sores on its back on Saturday night.

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The dog was taken to an animal hospital the next day, and after a check-up,  the veterinarian reportedly said the animal had been exposed to scalding water or a corrosive chemical.

After the police were called in, the 35-year-old Filipina helper was arrested at her employer’s house in Chai Wan early on Monday on suspicion of animal cruelty. She has since been granted bail while the police continue their investigation.

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The employers said today that the helper has been dismissed and is no longer at their house.

According to the employers, the helper must have felt frustrated after they denied her request to go on leave.

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The dog’s owner took the chance to extend thanks to his friends for their support and donations, and to warn against “malicious individuals” in society, saying their time will come.

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Filipino’s detention for having 63 turtles in luggage extended

 

The turtles were all taped up before being packed into the luggage

A Filipino held in jail custody for illegal importation of 63 live critically endangered turtles in March has indicated at the District Court that he would be ready for plea, but his case was adjourned to March 18 next year.

The new court date for Dexter V. Tabora, 37 years old, set by Judge W.K. Kwok, would bring his period of detention to eight months, having been on remand since July 11, after three amended charges were read to him at West Kowloon Magistracy.

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Tabora was arrested at Hong Kong International Airport on March 31, after the endangered turtles valued at $819,000, were allegedly found in his possession, according to the Customs and Excise Department, which filed the complaint against him.

Tabora arrived in Hong Kong from Malaysia and was in transit to the Philippines when he was arrested.

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The first charge against him is for importing 49 live radiated tortoise, which are classified as Appendix 1 species, in violation of section 5(1) and (3) of Cap 586, otherwise known as the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance. The species is native to Madagascar where its meat is highly prized. It is also highly valued in illegal pet markets abroad.

The second charge against Tabora is over the alleged discovery of 14 live painted batagur or terrapin in his baggage, classified as an Appendix II species, which is a violation of Section 11(1) of Cap. 586.

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Both charges carry a maximum penalty of $10 million in fines and a prison term of up to 10 years.

The third is a charge of cruelty to animals, contrary to section 3(1) (g) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, Cap. 169. The turtles were all taped up before being packed into the luggage “in a way which might cause them needless or avoidable suffering,” the complaint said.

This offence is punishable with up to $200,000 in  fines and three years in prison.

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New anti-illegal worker operations net 19

 

ImmD photo shows suspected illegal workers arrested during an operation

Another 19 persons were arrested during anti-illegal worker operations mounted by the Immigration Department and Hong Kong Police on October 7 to 9.

Those arrested in the operations consisted of 15 suspected illegal workers, two suspected employers and two overstayers.

Immigration Task Force officers raided 12 target locations including premises under renovation and residential buildings, arresting six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer. 

One woman was the holder of recognizance form, which prohibits her from taking any employment. One man, aged 42, was suspected of employing the illegal workers and was also arrested.

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The joint operations with Police raided 40 target locations in the New Territories North region, resulting in the arrest of nine suspected illegal workers, one suspected employer and two overstayers who held recognizance forms. 

Two women, aged 34 and 56, were in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards.

One man, aged 41, was arrested for employing illegal workers.      

In a press statement, Immigration said it is illegal for visitors and those with a condition of stay that to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration.

“Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties,” it added.

 Immigration also said “an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business.

“Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment,” it said.

“Under the prevailing laws, it is an offense to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment," Immigration said.

 The penalties are higher for those who employ people who are not lawfully employable.

“Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences,” ImmD said.

“The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence,” it added. 

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Drunken assault brings Filipino 2-month jail term

 

Place where alleged offense happened

A drunken assault on a newspaper vendor in Central has brought an unemployed Filipino a two-month jail sentence.

Principal Magistrate Don So handed down the sentence today on J. Dagohoy, 37 years old, at Eastern Court as a result of his guilty plea last Sept. 20.

Dagohoy was originally charged with common assault, to which he pleaded not guilty.

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But he reversed his plea and averted what was scheduled as a pre-trial review scheduled for that day after the charge was changed to “inflicting grievous bodily harm.”

The charge arose from an altercation last March 9 between Dagohoy, who was drunk at the time and causing a commotion, and a local man named Cheung Chun Yu, who operated a newspaper stand in front of the Bangkok Bank building on Des Voeux Road Central.

The fight left Cheung, who allegedly pushed Dagohoy away from his store and was punched in return, with a minor cut on the face.

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