Prominent lawyer charged with sexual assault, intimidation of Indonesian DH

 

Lam is expected to enter a plea after the case was elevated to the District Court

A prominent human rights lawyer in Hong Kong appeared in Kowloon City court earlier today, Monday, charged with sexual assault and intimidation of an Indonesian domestic worker.

Kenneth Lam, 57, was not asked to enter a plea and was released on bail of $5,000 until the next hearing of the case, which has been elevated to the District Court.

Lam faces three counts of indecent assault and one count of criminal intimidation. The alleged offences took place at a flat in Tak Shing Terrace, Jordan, between July 2 and 9 this year.

Lam is an outspoken personal injury lawyer who became prominent for urging the Law Society to take a more proactive stance on issues seen to affect Hong Kong’s rule of law, including Beijing’s passing of the national security law in 2020.

 

Pinay gets 3 months in jail for 6-year overstay

Eastern Court

 A Filipina who overstayed for six years after arriving in Hong Kong as a tourist in 2018, was jailed today for three months after pleading guilty at Eastern Court.

Marlyn Dagondon, 41 years old, was convicted by Magistrate Ko Wai-hung after admitting that she remained in Hong Kong without a valid visa from Nov. 8, 2018 until her arrest on August 13, 2024, in violation of section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance.

Visitors are allowed to remain in Hong Kong for 14 days, after which they are liable for breach of condition of stay unless they secure an extension of their visa. 

DETAILS HERE

According to the complaint filed by police on Sept. 11, 2024, Dagondon was found to have overstayed her visa while being investigated at the Western Police Station on Des Voeux Road west on Aug 13,

Meanwhile, in another case at Eastern Court, Filipina domestic helper Aileen Apigo, 46 years old, was left to answer three charges of selling unsafe consumer products while her Pakistani co-defendant was cleared of four charges as part of a bind-over agreement.

Apio and Shah Syed Saheer Mehmood, 46 years old, were arrested after they were found to be selling  at Shah’s store 96 pieces of Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, Avocado & Aloevera; 157 pieces of Goree Day and Night Beauty Cream Oil Free and 99 pieces of Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream.

Basahin ang detalye!

Shah agreed to be bound over for 24 months and was charged $500 for court costs. In turn, the Customs and Excise Department agreed to withdraw charges against him of supplying unsafe consumer goods, supplying goods that did not comply with the requirement that they have bilingual warning, possessing for sale unsafe consumer goods, and possessing for sale consumer goods that did not comply with bilingual warning and caution requirement.

Apigo pleaded not guilty to two charges of selling the unsafe products, and an additional charge of breach of condition of stay for allegedly working as a sales lady in Shah’s store, which is prohibited for one who holds a domestic worker’s visa.

Magistrate Ko released her on bail of $5,000 until the next hearing on Dec. 12, but reserved a trial date of Jan. 14-15 next year.

Super Typhoon Uwan slams into Aurora

 

A massive storm surge in flood-stricken Catanduanes ahead of Uwan's landfall

Super Typhoon Fung-wong (Uwan in the Philippines) slammed into the town of Dinalungan in the northeastern Philippine province of Aurora Sunday night, after unleashing torrential rain in many parts of the country.

At least two people have died in the initial onslaught of Uwan, which picked up sustained winds of up to 185 kilometers per hour (115 mph) after it entered the country Saturday night. More than a million people had to evacuated form flood- and landslide-prone areas.

DETAILS HERE

Officials said a villager drowned in flash floods in the eastern province of Catanduanes while another was killed by debris in the neighboring Samar province.

Over in Hong Kong, a group of Philippine government officials including Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac and House Representatives Bryan Revilla and Johanne Bautista, have been left stranded because of cancelled flights into Manila.

Reps Revilla and Bautista flank Secretary Cacdac at a Filcom meeting in HK on Sunday

All said they have rebooked their flights to early Tuesday, when Uwan’s fierce onslaught is expected to have subsided.

The biggest typhoon to threaten the Philippines in years is estimated to cover two-thirds of the country as it came with a 1,118-mile-wide rain and wind band. Early reports showed provinces in the north like Bulacan and in far south like Lanao del Sur have been hit by flooding from heavy rains brought by Uwan.

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The super typhoon entered the country just days after Typhoon Kalmaegi (Tino in the Philippines) left at least 224 people dead in central provinces, particularly in Cebu, before heading out to Vietnam where at least five were  killed.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has declared a state of emergency throughout the country due to the devastation wrought by Tino and the expected calamity from Uwan.

Uwan brings heavy rain again to flood-prone Bulacan (MDRRMO photo)

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned the public to be on alert for possible floods, landslides and storm surges.

But despite repeated warnings, local officials say residents in flood-prone areas refused to evacuate on Saturday. Reports came in of 14 people being trapped on the roof of a submerged house in Catanduanes, and a family of five being rescued from a house whose roof had been ripped off by strong winds.

PINDUTIN DITO

The Office of Civil Defense has warned that more than 30 million people across the country could be exposed to dangers posed by the super typhoon.

Typhoon signals have been raised across many parts of the country including the National Capital Region, which resulted in many schools and most government offices being shut on Monday and Tuesday, when Uwan is expected to linger.

Floods also hit Tanaka in Lanao del Sur

Authorities warned that storm surges of more than 3 meters or about 10 feet, could occur along the coasts of more than 20 provinces and regions, including Metro Manila.

Basahin ang detalye!

At least 325 domestic and 61 international flights, both inbound and outbound, have been cancelled over the weekend and Monday.

OFWs urged to plan a business for when they go home for good

 

Participants in the consultation pose with Secretary Cacdac 

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac today urged OFWs to plan on putting up a business while still working abroad to take advantage of various programs offered by the government to improve their chances of success.

Encouraging OFWs to go into business is among various efforts of the Department of Migrant Workers’  Reintegration program to provide OFWs a smooth transition when they return to the Philippines. 

“We will all go back to our country,” he said during a consultation with Filipino community leaders in Hong Kong at the Island Shangri-la Hotel.

DETAILS HERE

Entrepreneurship is one of the reintegration strategies adopted by DMW to enable OFWs to easily transition to life in the Philippines when they go home for good.

The Department of Trade and Industry, for example, has been connecting small businesses to SM malls where they are offered small booths to sell their products through product fairs.

The Department of Agriculture, on the other hand, welcomes small businesses under its Kadiwa Store program, which buys farmers’ produce directly to bring down the cost of food to consumers, either as suppliers or as operators of Kadiwa stores in their communities.

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The Department of Tourism also has a program that can help owners of properties in potential tourist areas by helping them turn these into tourist-grade accommodations, to be sold worldwide through the AirB&B platform, he said.

In addition, he said, the Pag-IBIG Fund has a special housing program, the Expanded 4PH Program, offering lower-cost houses and a more affordable repayment scheme for housing loans it extends to OFWs.

PINDUTIN DITO

To inspire OFWs to seriously think of going into business, DMW has launched the Reintegration One-Stop Shop, a website that features the programs that OFWs can take advantage of as well as OFWs who have since turned into entrepreneurs (click here to go to the page: https://dmw.gov.ph/reintegration).

A highlight of this campaign is the LIKHA series of business plan competitions to women (LIKHAng Kababaihan), seafarers (LIKHAng Marino) and land-based OFWs around the world ((LIKHAng Global) which all offer a prize of P500,000 to the winner as seed capital.

Basahin ang detalye!

These competitions encourage OFWs to generate business ideas, examine their feasibility and study ways to make them profitable. This way, even if they do not win in the competitions, they get insights that inspire them to aspire for business.

“What is important is they have plans,” Cacdac said.

No more OEC and in-person contract verification, says DMW Sec Cacdac

 

Red carpet, not red tape for OFWs, vows DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac

In line with the Philippine government’s thrust of providing “red-carpet” treatment to overseas Filipino workers, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac announced on Saturday a series of measures meant to ease their burden in dealing with government agencies.

“Hindi red tape kundi red carpet ang dapat ibigay sa mga OFWs,” Cacdac said at the formal launching of the Alagang OWWA Serbisyo Caravan” in Hong Kong.

DETAILS HERE

In line with his thrust, he said the overseas employment certificate (OEC), the exit pass needed by all OFWs departing the Philippines, has already been integrated into the eTravel pass, which is required of all Filipinos leaving the country.

All that an OFW needs to do to secure the OFW Travel Pass is to log on to the eGovPH app and look for the Department of Migrant Workers page (under NGAs) and provide full personal and employment details.

“Kailangan pa rin ninyong magpalista sa DMW kasi kailangan pa rin naming malaman kung nasaan na kayo, kung ano ang kasalukuyang trabaho ninyo, sweldo, posisyon, etc. Pati location ninyo, kailangan din naming malaman,” he said.

(You still need to enlist with DMW because we need to know where you are, what your present job is, salary, position, etc. We also need to know your present location).

After enrolment with DMW and providing flight details, the OFW will be able to secure the OFW Pass.

A good number of OFWs attended the Saturday event

Cacdac also said that starting January next year, all contract verifications with the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong will be conducted online, eliminating the current practice of presenting the contract personally, and sometimes lining up for hours to get it verified.

He said online verification was pilot-tested recently in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the result was some Php22 million saved by OFWs there so far. This was based on an estimate of about Php2,000 spent on travel, food and other expenses by each OFW who submits a contract in person at the MWO.

PINDUTIN DITO

“Starting in January next year, ia-appl na ito sa Hong Kong and we expect foot traffic to be cut by 60%,” Cacdac said.

That will mean that the MWO could be used more for providing entertainment, training and other services for OFWs, he added.

Cacdac also said that the government is also bent on improving the welfare and protection of OFWs by providing them with legal, medical and financial assistance, whatever their visa status is.

Basahin ang detalye!

“Documented or undocumented, basta OFW tutulungan namin (as long as they are OFWs we will help them),” he promised.

Such medical help is extended even to their immediate family members who can avail of free treatment at the OFW Hospital in Pampanga and medical services at the OWWA clinic in Pasay City.

“Basta sabihin ninyo kung kailangan ninyo ng medical help.” (Just tell us if you need medical help).

Cacdac also spoke of upskilling programs for OFWs, like the plan by Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) to continue providing them with free online technical and vocational training, and by Ched (Commission on Higher Education) to give credit to their work experience towards earning a college degree.

Cacdac is in Hong Kong for two days, during which he is scheduled to meet with Labor Secretary Chris Sun and leaders of the Filipino community.

Rep Bryan Revilla is introduced by OWWA Admin PY Caunan

Also present at the launch to give support to DMW and OWWA were Consul General Romulo Israel, Jr., Administrator PY Caunan, and Agimat Rep. Bryan Revilla (eldest son of former Senator Bong Revilla and head of the House Committee on Migrant Workers) and Rep. Johanne Bautista.

 

 

Gov’t agencies offer services in OWWA Caravan in HK

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac and OWWA Administrator PY Caunan
lead balloon-popping to launch the 'Alagang OWWA' service caravan

The Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration today launched its “Alagang OWWA Serbisyong may Puso Wellness and Membership Caravan” in Hong Kong with a balloon-popping opening ceremony at its OFW Global Center at Admiralty.

At the heart of the activity is the effort of the Department of Migrant Workers to offer under one roof, the services of various Philippine government agencies.

“It is important for DMW that we bring to you not red tape but red carpet,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said at the opening ceremonies.

DETAILS HERE

Hong Kong is the 12th place where the Caravan was held. And although it was officially launched here today, it was the actually the second time for it to be held in the city. The first was in June, when the OFW Global Centre was officially opened.

OWWA administrator P.Y. Cuanan said the services include the OWWA E-card enrollment, whose staff will continue to be augmented so that they could issue E-cards to 800 OWWA members daily until the end of the year.

PINDUTIN DITO

The E-cards entitle OWWA members to discounts from 30 partner estblishments such as airlines, clinics, drug stores, cafes, remittance centers, and door-to-door companies.

In addition, health checkups will be held, and a discounted products and services will be displayed by E-card partner establishments.

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“All these services are for you,” Caunan said.

Among the other agencies providing their services in the caravan are:

Department of Migrant Workers for contract verification and other services

Department of Foregn Affairs for passport renewal and other consular services.

Social Security System for membership services.

Pag-IBIG Fund for membership services.

Basahin ang detalye!

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation for membership services.

Department of Social Welfare and Development for OFWs’ concerns over their families back home.

Professional Regulation Commission, to licensing of teachers and other professionals.

Public Attorney’s Office, for legal assistance.

OFBank (Overseas Filipino Bank) for opening of accounts in the Philippines' first digital-only, branchless government bank.

Philippine Statistics Authority for birth certificate and other documents.

Land Transportation Office for driving license renewal.

The Caravan will continue until tomorrow, Sunday, though the eCard enrollment will last until the end of the month.

Pag-IBIG Fund Member Services Officer Raymond Ramos and managers Albert Falgui
and Carina Ramirez personally attend to Pag-IBIG members  

Pinay DH cleared of assault

 

Joson expresses joy from acquittal 

A Filipina domestic helper accused of assault on a local she had a dispute with at a school bus stop near a Tseung Kwan O development where they lived, was acquitted today after trial at Kwun Tong Court.

Maylene Joson, 45 years old, smiled broadly to her employer and duty lawyer after Magistrate Lau Suk-han cleared her of violating Common Law, which is punishable under section 40 of the Offenses against the Person Ordinance.

The ruling capped Joson’s 10-month legal battle which began last Jan. 3 when Tseung Kwan O police filed the common assault charge against her, to which she pleaded not guilty. 

It ended with her walking free from court after recovering her $1,000 cash bail.

DETAILS HERE

Magistrate Lau noted that the testimony of the supposed victim, Tsoi Chun-lai, was in conflict with the CCTV footage of the incident, which took place on Nov. 21 last year at a school bus stop near where they both lived -- Corinthia by the Sea in Tseung Kwan O.

For example, she noted that the video did not show Joson hitting Tsoi as the latter alleged. Instead, the video showed Tsoi stepping forward first, then pointing a finger at Joson and saying, “You are just a domestic helper. You should know your position.”

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The video gave credence to Joson’s testimony that she was pointing back at Tsoi, shouting at her to shut up, when the latter suddenly turned and her fingertip touched Lau’s face accidentally. Joson had testified that it was an accident, that she had no intent to hurt Tsoi and was willing to apologize.

Magistrate Lau also noted inconsistencies in Tsoi’s testimony, such as when she claimed she arrived at the school bus stop ahead of Joson, when the video showed Joson already in line, chatting with a friend, when she arrived with her child.

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She noted that Tsoi claimed her picture was taken a day later, to explain why it did not show bruises on her face. In fact, the photo was taken on the day of the incident.

“I would not rule out that PW1 tailored her testimony to convict the defendant,” Magistrate Lau concluded.

Basahin ang detalye!

The dispute began in the morning of Nov. 20, or the day before, when Joson put the schoolbag of her three-year-old ward on the stairs of the school bus so it would not drive off as her employer, who was carrying her daughter down from their flat, was running late.

Joson’s employer testified that she heard Tsoi scolding Joson for this, but advised the Filipina to just come back home with her to end the dispute. She later received text messages from Tsoi, to whom she apologized.

The next morning, when Joson brought her ward and Tsoi took her child to the school bus stop, they met again and the dispute that led to the criminal charges erupted. The employer said she was not present during the incident.

Developing ‘super typhoon’ on track to hit Luzon

 

Graph shows  Uwan's reach, prompting forecasters to call it a 'monster storm' 

Strong Wind Signal No 1 has been raised in several provinces across the Philippines  as Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung Wong) strengthened slightly, ahead of its expected entry into the Philippine area of responsibility tonight, Nov. 7 or early tomorrow.

Latest forecasts from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed Uwan was now packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometres pero hour near the center and gusts of up to 135 kmh.

DETAILS HERE

Uwan is expected to strengthen and develop into a super typhoon when it makes landfall around Isabela-Aurora area in the early hours of Monday, Nov 10.

But weather conditions will start to deteriorate by mid-Sunday in the northern and central part of Luzon, with heavy rainfall and gusty winds expected by Monday, and extending to Tuesday, Nov. 11.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Due to its large circulation of more than 1,000 kilometers, Uwan’s outer rainbands are forecast to also to affect the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas as early as Sunday.

Wind signal No 5 could be raised for the areas that will be directly affected by the storm, with more than 200 milliliters or torrential amount of rainfall expected to affect many parts of Luzon.

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Forecasters warn that catastrophic flash floods, landslides and storm surges are likely in hazard-prone areas, given Uwan’s strength.

Everyone is advised to continue monitoring official updates and bulletins from the national weather station DOST-PAGASA.

The highly feared typhoon comes just days after killer floods from Typhoon Tino swept through many parts of Cebu and neighboring provinces of Leyte, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, and Palawan.

Basahin ang detalye!

As of As of Friday morning, the death toll from Tino is at 185, with 135 individuals still missing.

Top of Form

The areas covered by Typhoon Signal No 1 are:

Luzon: southeastern portion of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate.

Visayas: Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, northern and central Cebu, northeastern portion of Bohol, northern portion of Negros Occidental,  northeastern portion of Capiz, and northeastern portion of Iloilo

Mindanao: Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte

MWO to again extend Saturday service on Nov. 8

 

This coming Saturday, Nov. 8, the Migrant Workers Office on the 29th floor of United Centre buildihng in Admiralty will again provide services to overseas Filipino workers, from 9am to 4pm.

The services that will rendered are the following: 

- Individual (not agency) Employment Contract Verification 

- OEC Issuance for Balik-Manggagawa (or returning workers)

- Assistance or Advise for OFWs who wish to relay their complaints or concerns

- OWWA membership renewal

This is a walk-in-only service, on a first-come, first-served basis. For information on the required documents, please scan the QR code in the above poster.

The monthly Saturday services are being provided in response to a clamor from OFWs who have their days-off on this day, backed up by the group United Filipinos in Hong Kong-Migrante.

Pinoys admits drug possession, resisting arrest charges

 

Area where Filipino was arrested (Google Maps photo by Kit Tsin)

A Filipino asylum seeker has pleaded guilty in Kwun Tong Court to possession of methamphetamine hydrochloride (known to Filipinos as shabu) and apparatus to inhale it, and then resisting when four police officers arrested him in a park in Sai Kung.

But Aldrian Maloles, 36 years old, will find out only on Nov. 19 what his penalty for the three charges will be, after Magistrate Lau Suk-han adjourned the case to await a report that she ordered done by the Drug Addiction Treatment Center.

He was returned to jail until then  

The three offenses took place on Nov. 17 last year at the sitting out area outside 15 Sai Kung Hoi Pong Street, in Sai Kung, according to a police complaint dated May 16 this year.

Basahin ang detalye!

In a hearing on Wednesday (Nov. 5), Maloles admitted violating sections 8(1)(a) and (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, for having in his possession three plastic bags containing a total of 1.01 grams of a crystalline solid containing 0.99 gram of meth and one plastic bag containing 0.20 gram of crystalline meth.

He also admitted violating sections 36(1) and (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance by having in his possession one glass tube with one end shaped as a bulb containing 0.02 gram of crystalline solid meth and one glass bottle with two openings containing 0.01 gram of meth.

When three police constables and one police sergeant arrested him, he resisted and thus violated section 63 of the Police Force Ordinance.

Death toll from Typhoon Tino rises to 92, dozens more missing

 

This riverside community in Talisay City was nearly wiped out by floodwaters (FB photo)

At least 92 people are reported to have died and dozens more missing from Typhoon Kalmaegi (Tino in the Philippines) which devastated Central Philippines on Tuesday.

The typhoon, which packed sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and gusts of up 180 khp, lingered until before noon Wednesday, before intensifying slightly as it headed out to the South China Sea on the way to Vietnam and Thailand.

Basahin ang detalye!

Hardest hit was the province of Cebu, which is still recovering from a massive killer earthquake last month that has set off a series of aftershocks.

The provincial government there confirmed a death toll of 92 in the province alone, with most of the victims drowning in floodwaters that washed away everything in their paths, including cars and buses, and trapped people on their roofs.

Cars were swept away and ended up piled on top of each other in this ritzy subdivision in Cebu City\
(screen grab from DZMM Teleradyo) 

The biggest number of fatalities was recorded in Liloan town, where 36 residents died when the Cotcot River overflowed and inundated riverbank communities and gated subdivisions.

The other fatalities were recorded in Compostela, 16; Cebu City, Danao City and Mandaue City with 9 each; Talisay City, 7; Balamban, 6; and Consolacion, 1.

Separately, the Office of Civil Defense said that 62 other people were reported missing in the neighboring  provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, which were also pummeled by heavy rain and strong winds.

The entire Cebu province has been placed under a state of calamity to allow the local government to access much needed funds for the victims and rehabilitation works. Relief efforts are underway.

In several interviews, Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro said the provincial government is doing all it could to help the victims. She said the massive floods were totally unexpected and were the worst to have been seen in the province.

Residents of the devastated areas including an upscale residential area in Cebu City said the floodwaters engulfed the ground level of their houses within minutes, prompting them to clamber up the upper floors or roofs in panic.

Cebu City residents escape to the roofs of their houses to avoid being washed away (FB)

Others were not as lucky, as they were swept away by the floods, along with a lot of debris, before they could get to a safe place.

Another hard-hit area was a riverside community in Talisay City, which was wiped out entirely by raging waters from the swollen river, despite flood control structures built to protect them.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon said during a tour of the stricken area that flood control projects there need to be improved as they are inadequate, if not faulty.