Another Indonesian helper tests positive after quarantine

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

The helper had moved in with her employer in Providence Bay, Tai Po when found infected

Another Indonesian domestic helper has tested positive for coronavirus after ending her 21-day quarantine at Silka Tsuen Wan hotel, the second such case in just eight days. 

According to a statement released by the Centre for Health Protection today, Oct 14, the 30-year-old helper arrived from Indonesia on Sept 17 via flight CX798. She tested negative on arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, and on all six tests administered during her quarantine.

After completing her quarantine on Oct 7, she moved to her employer’s residence at Tower 10, Phase 3 - The Graces, Providence Bay, Tai Po. The next day she developed symptoms, but got tested only on Oct 12. The result was positive but with a low viral load.

Call now!

After being taken to hospital, the test result was indeterminate. She received two doses of the Sinovac vaccine on Jul 9 and Aug 11 in Indonesia.

Nevertheless, she was included in the list of positive cases, raising Hong Kong’s total Covid tally to 12,276 confirmed cases.

The CHP also issued a compulsory testing notice for the building where she resided and places that she visited. Everyone who had been to these places should get themselves tested by Oct. 16.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

The case comes just eight days after another Indonesian domestic worker tested positive nine days after ending her 21-day quarantine, also at Silka Tsuen Wan Hotel.

The 43-year-old helper tested positive during routine testing, but negative after being taken to hospital, where she also tested positive for antibodies. She was asymptomatic.

In this case, the employer’s residential building in Heng Fa Chuen, Chai Wan was put under a CTN, as well as Victoria Park, which the helper twice visited after ending her quarantine.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

As in the first case, the helper had two jabs of the Sinovac vaccine in Indonesia.

In the past several months, several helpers had the same experience. On May 22, an Indonesian helper was found infected four days after ending her quarantine. The next day, a Filipina helper also tested positive five days after quarantine, while earlier, on May 4, another Filipina was found to have the N501Y mutant strain 15 days after leaving her quarantine hotel.

In all these cases, the CTNs issued in the buildings where they had resided yielded no new cases. Some were found to have been infected in their quarantine hotels.

PADALA NA!

Call us!

CALL US!

Court adjourns case vs Filipino driver in fatal traffic accident

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The court ordered the driver returned to custody until his next appearance in December

Filipino driver R.M. Ducusin turned 40 on Friday, Oct 8, as he returned to Eastern Court to face a charge of “dangerous driving causing death” for running over an elderly local man in Wanchai in July.

Magistrate Andrew Mok adjourned the case until Dec 31 pending an alcohol test and medical reports on Ducusin, and for further investigation.

Call now!

The defendant, who has a domestic helper visa, was returned to custody after the prosecution again opposed granting him bail.

Ducusin was arrested on Jul 28 after hitting Lee Kwok-leung, 69, on the westbound lane of Queen’s Road East near the junction of Amoy St. as he was driving his employer’s car.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

 

The victim was rushed to Ruttonjee Hospital with multiple injuries and was certified dead at 9:47 am that day.

Ducusin's mother who works as a domestic helper for the same employer, has said she and her son were returning to Mid-Levels after buying food at the Wanchai Market when the incident happened.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

 

She remembered hearing a thud and then her son saying, “Nay, may nasagasaan ako.”  (Ma, I ran over somebody.) She said the defendant looked dazed afterwards.

The elderly woman revealed Ducusin was celebrating his birthday that day.

She said she asked her employer to hire his son years ago, as he had a family with two young children.

PADALA NA!

Call us!

CALL US!

 

Filipina on trial for illegal recruitment says she thought agency was licensed

By Vir B. Lumicao

 

Biscocho is on trial in the District Court case being heard at West Kowloon court

A Filipina domestic helper who worked for an employment agency owner accused of accepting payments for bogus jobs and for laundering more than $700,000 paid by applicants has said in court that she had no doubt the agency was licensed as her boss had told her so.

Giving evidence on the 17^th day of her trial along with the agency owner on Monday in District Court, defendant Marijane Biscocho, 44, said she believed the agency, WHT Consultants Co in Kwun Tong, was licensed.

Biscocho faces 20 charges, including violating her visa condition by doing illegal work, violating the Trade Description Ordinance by wrongly accepting payments for a product, and money laundering.

Call now!

Biscocho said her co-accused, Lennis Ebrahim, 55, had sent her photos of a business registration certificate after some job applicants demanded to see it.  

The Filipina said she had worked for Ebrahim, and her job included depositing money to the  boss’ bank accounts and accepting job applications.

She said that each time she sent money to the Philippines for the training of applicants she also presented that as proof that WHT was a licensed company.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

 

But on being questioned by her Legal Aid-provided lawyer, Phil Chau, Biscocho said the document was in Chinese and that she could not read it.

When asked about whether she knew that Ebrahim also owned another agency in To Kwa Wan, the Remy Consultants Co, Biscocho said she only learned about this when they moved to that address in 2019.

“I believe it was licensed because that was what Lennis told me,” said Biscocho when Chau pressed her about WHT’s license. She also said she did not know that Ebrahim had changed the name of WHT to Remy until the latter told her.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

 

Asked if Remy was also licensed, Biscocho said she was not sure but there was another business registration certificate displayed on top of a cabinet in the To Kwa Wan office.

Ebrahim had also told her they were moving out of their previous office in  Kwun Tong because the contract was not renewed.

The Filipina also said she was not aware that early on, Ebrahim was using another name, Catherine Yu, but found out about this only from a co-worker, Nympha Lumatac when she received a receipt for a Bank of China check addressed to a Mr Yu in April 2019.

Biscocho said during questioning by Chau that she came to Hong Kong in 1988 to work as a domestic helper of a Mr Chan in Shatin. At the time of her arrest on Nov 7, 2019 she was under a domestic helper contract with  Peter Chan Hin-man, with a visa issued on Sept 27, 2017 and valid until Nov 12, 2019.

But when questioned during her arrest, Biscocho claimed she was working for WHT, with offices in Kwun Tong.

Biscocho said in reply to Chau’s question that she was offered by Ebrahim a job at WHT to talk to applicants and answer their queries about jobs. But she said she worked there only on Sundays as Ebrahim had two regular employees, Lumatac and an Indonesian woman named Allin.

Scores of Filipino domestic workers had paid placement fees to WHT to get their relatives in the Philippines to come to Hong Kong or Macau for such jobs as waiter, housekeeper, printer, caregiver and welder.

After more than a year of waiting, the applicants realized there were no real jobs and decided to complain.

Seven of them are named in the charges against Biscocho and Ebrahim: Rosalina Agcalis, Jocelyn Domingo, Nena Castro, Maria Aurora Lagura, Jovelyn Villaflor, Mary Joy Liggayu and Preciosa Abellera.

But when Chau mentioned the names of some of the applicants, Biscocho said she attended to some or accepted their documents, while Lumatac, who has disappeared after the complaints started piling up, was the one who processed their applications.

Biscocho and Ebrahim are alleged to have laundered money from the illicit recruitment 

Biscocho faces two counts of money laundering for handling a total of $299,745 in a Hang Seng Bank account between Jun 17, 2018 and Sept 30, 2019. She is also accused of depositing $110,500 in an HSBC account between Sept 23, 2018 and Jun 16, 2019.

Ebrahim faces one count of money laundering for allegedly dealing with a total of $331,216 between Sept 23, 2018 and Jun 16, 2019 in an HSBC account she held jointly with Biscocho. 

The trial continues.

PADALA NA!

Call us!

CALL US!

Consulate to open tomorrow for last day of OVR

By Daisy CL Mandap                                   

The Consulate advisory says it will open tomorrow, 9am to 3pm, for OVR only

Despite tomorrow being a statutory holiday due to the Chung Yeung festival, the Consulate will open from 9am to 3pm for overseas voter registration.

An advisory posted on the Consulate’s Facebook page says only OVR services will be provided during the day, the last day of the extended registration for Filipinos overseas for the May 2022 presidential elections.

In the Philippines, voter registration will continue until Oct 30.

Call now!

The original deadline was Sept 30 for both local and overseas registration, but the Commission on Elections was forced to yield to a widespread clamor for an extension, which received strong support from both houses of Congress.

As no registration took place today due to the hoisting of Storm Signal No 8 across Hong Kong, the long queues in the past several Sundays are likely to happen again tomorrow.

Most of those who patiently lined up on those days said it took them no less than seven hours to get through the process. Those who wanted to be first in line reportedly got to the United Centre building in Admiralty where the Consulate has its offices, as early as 5 in the morning.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

 

But with the cut-off time set an hour earlier tomorrow, Consulate staff will not likely stay up beyond 1am the next day, as what happened in the last three Sundays of registration.

The line was longest on Oct 10, the last Sunday before the extended deadline.

The line was the longest on Sunday, Oct 10

When asked why they decided to register at the last minute when the OVR has been going on for at least a year, many said they were not aware that it was going on. They claimed they never saw any announcement on the Consulate’s social media sites about the registration exercise.

One of them was Precy Pacuyo, who said in a comment on Facebook: “Hindi ako aware about (the) registration. Nalaman ko lang sa isang friend ko na last day na noon Sept 26 yata, tapos na extend ng Oct. 14. Di rin ako nakakalabas ng maaga para makapila.”(I wasn’t aware about the registration. I just learned from a friend that the last day was on Sept 26 – I think – then it was extended to Oct 14. I also couldn’t leave the house early to line up).

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

 

Others cited the coronavirus pandemic as the main reason for their failure to register, as employers used it to prevent their domestic workers from taking a day-off. Before this, the raucous anti-government protests in Hong Kong also kept many people at home.

A few said they decided to register only after seeing their favored candidates file their declaration to run for key posts in next year’s election.

But those who were more forthright admitted they did not give the voter registration a priority until they realized there were only a few more days left before the OVR closed.

As in previous overseas voting exercises, voters will have the chance to elect the Philippines’ next president, vice-president and senators, as well as a party-list of their choice. Designated nominees of party-lists that win enough votes will get to sit at the House of Representatives.

All Philippine passport holders aged 18 years old and above are qualified to register. Overseas, they need to present only a copy of their passport page with their personal details to be able to register.

PADALA NA!

Call us!

CALL US!

3 people in Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre test positive for Covid-19

By The SUN

 

The 3 patients were all in quarantine at Penny's Bay when they tested positive

Three imported cases of Covid-19 were reported today, Oct 13, involving people who were in quarantine at Penny’s Bay.

Two of the patients are foreign domestic helpers, one from the Philippines and another from Indonesia, while the third is a man from Pakistan who was moved to Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre after being identified as a close contact of a previous case.

Two of them carried a mutant strain of the coronavirus while the test result of one is still pending.

Call now!

They are all asymptomatic and were fully vaccinated in their home countries before flying to Hong Kong.

They took Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally to 12,275 confirmed cases.

The FDH from Indonesia is a 28-year-old female who tested positive on her third day in quarantine. She had two jabs of the Sinovac vaccine in Indonesia on Jun 26 and Jul 24.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

The one from the Philippines is female and 34 years old, and was found infected on her ninth day at Penny’s Bay. She also had the Sinovac jabs in the Philippines on Jun 16 and Jul 14.

The third patient is a 30-year-old man who came from Pakistan, and initially moved to Silka Far East Hotel in Tsuen Wan. After his 45-year-old male companion tested positive on Oct. 9, the younger man was moved to Penny’s Bay after being identified as a close contact of the infected patient.

The younger patient had one jab of the single-dose Convidecia vaccine in Pakistan on Jun 8.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

The Centre for Health Protection reminded people who were included in the compulsory testing notice issued for Golden Glory Court in Sha Tin that they should get tested tomorrow, Oct. 14

The estate is where a cargo handler at Hong Kong International Airport who was found with the Delta variant, resides.

CTNs issued in relation to Covid-19 cases with mutant strains require specified people to take compulsory testing on days 3, 7, 12, and 19 after the case is confirmed. They should also undergo self-monitoring until the 21^st day.

PADALA NA!

Call us!

CALL US!

One man dies, 20 others injured as Kompasu lashes HK

By The SUN

Latest satellite image taken by the Observatory shows heavy cloud still hovers over Lamma Island

UPDATED:

One man has died and 20 other people been injured during the onslaught of typhoon Kompasu in Hong Kong.

According to a statement posted on the government at about 5pm today, Oct 13, 21 people, comprising 10 men and 11 women have been injured during the typhoon and received medical treatment at the emergency rooms of public hospitals. One of them subsequently died.

No other details were given.

As at 4pm, the 1823 Government Call Centre has received 72 reports of fallen trees while 10 flooding cases were confirmed. No report of landslide has been received.

The Home Affairs Department has opened 24 temporary shelters in various districts where 255 people have taken refuge.    

Call now!

The Observatory downgraded the Severe Storm Signal No 8 to No 3 at 4:40pm today, more than 23 hours after it was hoisted. This made it the longest time a T8 signal was in force in Hong Kong.

It had considered lowering the signal earlier but heavy rain, particularly on Lantau Island, began to fall just before this time, prompting the issuance of an amber rainstorm warning. A thunderstorm warning was also issued, which is expected to remain effective until 6pm today.

The Observatory said in an advisory issued at 4pm that more than 70 millimetres of hourly rain had fallen, or is expected to fall on Lantau, which may cause serious flooding. Squally thunderstorms are expected over Hong Kong.

A lone pedestrian braves heavy rain brought by Kompasu (RTHK)

Residents who may be affected are advised to take precautions to avoid possible flood damage as the heavy the heavy may cause flash floods.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

Everyone is advised to stay away from bodies of water and drivers should beware of any serious road flooding and traffic congestion when they go out.

Earlier, Kompasu brought HK to a halt, with classes in all levels suspended, offices closes and public transport seriously disrupted.

The stock market, child and elderly services centers, courts, and Immigration Department were all closed for the day.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

The MTR said it is providing limited services, with trains on most of its lines running at 10-minute intervals, while the Airport Express runs at 30-minute intervals.

The Home Affairs Department has opened 24 temporary shelters in various districts and 237 people have sought refuge there so far.

PADALA NA!

Call us!

CALL US!

Kompasu leaves 9 people dead, more crying for rescue in Phl

By The SUN 

Kompasu triggered flooding and landslides in Bontoc  

At least nine people have reportedly been killed and 11 others are missing after heavy rain brought by Severe Tropical Storm Maring (Kompasu) swept through several provinces in the main Philippine island of Luzon on Monday.

On Twitter, cries for rescue from raging floodwaters pushed the hashtags #IlocosNeedsHelp# and #CagayanNeedsHelpAgain# to the top of the trends.

Of the nine dead, four were killed in landslides in the landlocked mountainous province of Benguet, and one person drowned in the coastal province of Cagayan, said the national disaster agency.

Call now!

Kompasu flooded villages and triggered landslides mostly in northern provinces, but also sparked a flash flood in a village in the western island province of Palawan, leaving four people dead.

Seven other people were reported missing across Luzon.

River rescue operation in Gonzaga, Cagayan

In Cagayan, 11 municipalities were flooded yesterday, but the water subsided Tuesday morning, provincial authorities said.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

In Palawan’s capital Puerto Princesa, however, eight villages were still flooded as of today due to drainage problems, said the city’s disaster officer.

Earlier, the Philippine Atmostpheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Kompasu slightly intensified at it moved over the West Philippine Sea before dawn Tuesday.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

Kompasu’s maximum sustained winds is now at 100 kilometres per hour from the previous 95 km/h.

It made landfall in Cagayan’s Fuga Island at 8:10pm on Monday, Oct. 11

PADALA NA!

Call us!

CALL US!