Phl to allow travelers with booster jab to enter without negative PCR test result

By The SUN 

All travelers with booster shots need not present a negative test result

Starting Monday, May 30, all inbound travelers to the Philippines who have had at least one booster shot of a Covid-19 vaccine to enter without presenting a negative test result for a RT-PCR test prior to boarding their flights.

They will also be allowed to skip quarantine on their arrival.

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The announcement was made by the Department of Tourism in the Philippines Friday, and confirmed today by the Consulate in Hong Kong through a Facebook page.

According to the new health protocol, the passenger who must be at least 18 years old and has had a third or fourth vaccine jab need only to present a recognized vaccination certificate to be able to board a flight to the Philippines.

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Also exempted from the pre-departure test are the following:

• Those aged 12 to 17 who have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine
• Those aged below 12 who are traveling with a passenger who is fully vaccinated (with two jabs) or had a booster shot

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat said the move is aimed at encouraging more tourists to visit the country.

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More tourists, she said, will mean more revenues for small and medium-sized industries and create more jobs in the sector.

Puyat also announced that travel insurance, which used to be required for all tourists entering the country, will no longer be required “but still highly encouraged” for all arriving passengers.

Illustration of the new travel protocol (from PCG HK Facebook page)

The negative test result exemption will, however, not apply to travelers who have had only one or two vaccine doses, or are unvaccinated.

Those who completed two doses still need to present a negative result for a PCR test taken within 48 hours of boarding their flights to the Philippines. However, they are allowed to skip quarantine.

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Those who had only one dose or are unvaccinated should present a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours or departure. In addition, they will have to stay in a quarantine facility until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day and undertake home quarantine for the next 14 days.

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All inbound travelers are required to register online, 72 hours before departure, at the official OneHealthPass website: https://onehealthpass.com.ph.

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Barkadahan sa SmarTone New Yuen Long Shop Now Open!

Congrats sa bagong shop ng SmarTone para sa mga OFW ng HK! Hindi lang sila nasa Central ngayon kung saan ang puntahan ng mga Pinoys kungdi pati na rin sa kabilang parte ng HK, ang Yuen Long! 

 Madami na rin talaga ang mga OFW dito sa Yuen Long, NT. Mga boarding at village houses ang gustong gusto tirhan at puntahan. Pero hindi kompleto ang buhay OFW kung walang phone at internet. 

Sa mga SmarTone customers na nasa Yuen Long o sa mga tabing area ng New Territories, hindi mo na kailangan pumunta sa Central para sa iyong SIM, loads, phones at iba pa. Punta ka lang sa bago nilang shop.

Hindi mahirap hanapin kasi nasa loob sila ng pinakasikat na Chicken ng mga Pinoy, sa Jollibee Yuen Long! Yes! Nasa loob ng Jollibee! 

 Shop B, 1/F, Jollibee Shopping Arcade, 40-52B Castle Peak Road

Nandiyan ang Barkadahan sa SmarTone shop. 

Kaya pag kumain ka sa Jollibee, pwede ka nang dumaan sa SmarTone shop para bumili ng mga kailangan mo. Magpa- register ka na rin ng iyong SIM cards para umabot ka pa sa Lucky Draw para manalo sa $1,000,000 worth ng prizes. 

Heto pa! Sa May 29, Sunday, 10am to 2pm ang Grand Opening at merong over 500 prizes na giveaway sa mga sasali sa pa-games mula 10am hanggang 2pm. 

Pwede manalo ng SIM, Loads, Jollibee meals at door to door boxes! 

Hindi pa tapos ang mga p- giveaway, meron pa! Kapag bumili ka ng SIM + $50 Recharge Voucher, may FREE ka na Chicken at Softdrinks ng Jollibee. Yan ang mga promo sa bagong shop ng SmarTone sa loob ng Jollibee Yuen Long. 

First time ito dito sa HK na may ganitong pagsasama ng 2 malaking kompanya na nagbibigay serbisyo at saya para sa mga OFW ng HK. 

Para sa ibang details pa ng bagong shop at promos sa Yuen Long, i-press ang link na ito https://bit.ly/3PMfcij . 

Kung kailangan mo ng tulong at hindi ka makalabas, pwede kang tumawag sa aming Hotline na 1772244 o mag send ng message sa Barkadahan sa SmarTone Facebook page. 

Para naman malaman iba pang mga offers sa Barkadahan, tingnan ang aming leaflets o sa aming Facebook press https://bit.ly/3qdSgOg. 

Mas bongga talaga sa Barkadahan, pramis! 

Barkadahan sa SmarTone for the OFW, with the OFW!

Further spread of Omicron sub-variant feared

By The SUN

 

Two staff at HKCEC have tested positive, one of them with the Omicron sub-variant

Health authorities say the new Omicron strain, BA.2.12.1, may be spreading on Hong Kong island as they reported 250 new Covid-19 cases Friday, 29 of them imported.

Dr Albert Au of the Centre for Health Protection aired the concern after reporting that another staff member at the Hong Kong Convention Centre in Wan Chai has also tested positive for Covid-19.

Yesterday, a 63-year-old female cleaner at the HKCEC was among four cases involving the sub-variant that were reported. Today’s case involves a 55-year-old dishwasher.  

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According to Au, the two women had been to the staff canteen at the same time in the morning between May 20 and 23. They both had access to the changing room.

He said health authorities are investigating if the HKCEC cases are connected to the McDonald's cluster in Tai Koo Shing where 11 cases involving the sub-variant were found.

The cleaner and three of her family members who live with her in Lee Wing Building in Kowloon City were all found to carry the mutated virus.

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The fourth case reported Thursday involved a 51-year-old woman who works at Immigration Tower in Wan Chai and lives at Ka Keng Court in Sha Tin.

"We think the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 is spreading in Hong Kong Island," said Au.

"Among the four new cases, two of them work in Wan Chai. Therefore, we are speculating the subvariant has been leaked to the community through silent cases and further caused a transmission."

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However, he was quick to allay concerns about the outbreaks, saying there is no scientific evidence to show that the Omicron sub-variants cause more severe illnesses, or increase the risk of death.

Au reported another cluster of infections that appears to have occurred at DSC (Delia School of Canada) International School in Tai Koo Shing.

The school was one of 16 that reported 18 cases Thursday and Friday, involving 16 students and two teachers.  

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Two students and a teacher who belong to the same class at DSC were among the new cases reported today. Another student in the same class tested positive earlier.

As a result, around 20 students in the same class have been told not to return to school on Monday and to get tested for Covid-19 during the weekend.

As the school is also located in Tai Koo Shing, Au said officials will also investigate whether the students had been to McDonalds in Cityplaza or other places visited by earlier patients.

Omicron is suspected to have spread between 2 guests at Marriott in Shatin

Another cross-infection at a quarantine hotel is also suspected.

A 29-year-old man who flew in from Singapore and had stayed at Courtyard by Marriott in Shatin, is believed to have passed on the virus to his next-door neighbor, a 32-year-old man who came from Sweden.

Another imported case being investigated is that of a 44-year-old local cargo flight crew who traveled for work in the United States between Saturday and Monday tested positive in Hong Kong on Thursday.

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Au said the man who lives in Sai Kung, followed health protocols. While his case has been listed as imported authorities are still looking into whether he might have caught the virus in the community.

Meanhile, Hospital Authority’s Dr Larry Lee has reported one more Covid-related death. The 82-year-old male patient was said to have received two vaccine jabs.

As he had various chronic illnesses, his death may not have been directly caused by the coronavirus.

The city’s death toll from the fifth wave has now risen to 9,162 with the death rate at 7.64%.

The total number of infections in the same period is now at 1,198,957.

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Airline says sorry to OFW whose suitcase was slashed at Mla airport

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Airline staff take pictures of Vigo's slashed suitcase

A long-awaited vacation to the Philippines turned into a harrowing experience for Flor Vigo, a domestic worker in Hong Kong, when she found that her suitcase had been slashed open between her flight from Manila to Roxas City, Capiz on May 23.

When she retrieved her bag, Vigo was disheartened to see that several items of chocolates and electronic gadgets she had intended as “pasalubong” to her family had been taken. Her suitcase was then wrapped in plastic to hide the gaping hole on its side.

Vigo, 42, said she immediately filed a complaint at the Cebu Pacific counter at the airport, suspecting that the filching was done by airline staff in Manila.

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“Hindi naman talaga ganoon kalaki ang halaga ng mga nawalang gamit,” she said. “Yung mahal lang talaga ay yung maleta ko kasi bagong bili pa yun.” (The items I lost did not cost much, but what was pricey was the suitcase because I had just bought it).

She was also sore that her first trip home after the coronavirus pandemic was ruined by the airport theft.

But after her Facebook post about the incident became viral, NAIA staff posted a comment asking for her flight details and whether she had already filed a report to Cebu Pacific about the incident.

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“Amin po tong ipapadala sa management ng Cebu Pacific upang ma-verify at maimbestigahan ang pangyayari. Puwede rin po kayong mag-iwan ng mensahe sa aming Facebook page para sa karagdagang detalye.”

(We will forward this to Cebu Pacific management for verification and for the incident to be investigated. You can also leave a message on our Facebook page for additional details).

In no time, the airline also contacted Vigo to say sorry and offer compensation. The longtime OFW said she did not respond to the offer, lest she be accused of posting about her experience only because she was after money.

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But when told that it was alright for her to accept payment for her losses, she said she would respond to the airline’s offer so the matter could be settled once and for all, and she could enjoy the rest of her two-month-long vacation.

Vigo's excitement over her vacation was marred by the airport theft

Vigo had left Hong Kong for Manila in the evening May 22, and spent a few hours at Ninoy Aquino International Airport before her 9am departure for Roxas via Cebu Pacific airline the next day.

She said her suitcase was still intact when she retrieved it from her flight from Hong Kong, until she checked it in at 7am for her onward trip to Roxas City.

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When she landed at Roxas airport at about 10:30am, she was disheartened when she did not spot her suitcase in the baggage carousel. She waited until she felt there was no way she could still get it on the same day and reported it lost to the airline counter at the airport.

But just 15 minutes later, she received a call from someone who said her luggage had been at the airport the whole time. It turned that the lone suitcase that had sat on the carousel for more than an hour was hers, although she did not recognize it as it was fully covered in cling wrap.

What remained of Vigo's 'pasalubong'

Vigo, a single mother who had worked in the Middle East before moving to Hong Kong six years ago, said she had just been signed up by a new employer after her previous employers had relocated elsewhere.

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Taking up a new job after working non-stop for years because of the pandemic had proved too exhausting for Vigo that she had thought of quitting. But after talking to her employers, they all agreed to go on vacation for two months - Vigo, to the Philippines, and the employers, to Canada.

Vigo hopes the break would give her enough time to enjoy the company of her family, and get enough rest before facing the challenges of working away from home once again.

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Pinay, bigong makuha ang sweldo kapalit ng abiso

 

Magkasamang lumabas ng Labour Tribunal ang mag-amo kahit hindi nagkasundo sa kaso

Nang i-terminate ng amo si J.A. Antonio pagdating niya mula sa day off noong Feb. 12, naisip niyang humingi ng isang buwang sahod bilang kapalit ng biglaan niyang pagpapaalis. At siyempre, pati air ticket papuntang Pilipinas at iba pang gastusin sa pag-uwi.

Pero pumayag lamang ang among si Yu Wai Shing na bigyan sya ng pambili ng air ticket, kaya nauwi ang kaso nila sa Labour Tribunal.

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Ipinaliwanag ng Presiding Officer na si Eleanor Yeung na ayon sa batas, karapatan ng isang employer na sisantehin ang kanyang tauhan at agad paalisin, pero obligado siyang magbayad ng suweldo kapalit ang isang buwang abiso, na tinaguriang “payment in lieu of notice”.

Pero kung may mabigat na dahilan sa pagsisante, hindi obligado ang amo na magbayad nito.

Pinuna ni Yeung na noong October 2020 at February 2021, hindi umuwi mula sa day off si Antonio.

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Ayon sa sagutan ng mag-amo sa Whatsapp tungkol dito, humingi pa ng tawad si Antonio.

Ang ikatlong kasalanan ni Antonio ay nang mag day off siya noong Feb. 12, na pinayagan ng amo dahil ang paalam niya ay magre-remit lang ng pera sa pamilya, pero gabi na nang siya ay dumating.

Sinabi ng amo niyang si Yu na noong panahong iyon ay kasagsagan ng fifth wave of Covid-19, at natatakot siya para sa anak niyang may sakit ng epilepsy at autism, na alaga ni Antonio.

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Kaya nang tanungin ulit siya ni Yeung kung papayag siyang magbayad bilang kapalit ng abiso sa halagang $4,630, tumanggi si Yu at iginiit na babayaran nila lang ang air ticket, na sa kanyang pagtatanong ay nagkakahalaga ng $1,556.

“Pwede mo bang dagdagan? Pwede bang $3,500? Iyan ay mungkahi lang,” dagdag ni Yeung.

Sumagot si Yu na ang pagtanggi niya ay base sa prinsipyo.

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“Kahit kaunti lang,” sambit ni Antonio, na isinalin sa Inggles ng court interpreter.

Sa huli ay pumayag ang amo na itaas ang babayaran niya sa air ticket papuntang Pilipinas. Sinabi niya na papayag siyang bayaran kung magkano ang gitna ng presyong nakuha niya na $1,556 at ng quotation na nakuha ni Antonio na $2,944, na lumabas na $2,250.

Nang tanungin ng presiding officer si Antonio kung tinatanggap niya ito, sumagot siya ng oo.

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Pauwi na siya ng Pilipinas nitong Sabado (bukas), dagdag pa niya.

Pagkatapos magpirmahan ng dokumentong tumatapos sa kanilang alitan, magkasabay na lumabas sa korte ang dating mag-amo.

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HK says infection rebound possible as 251 new Covid-19 cases reported

By The SUN 

2 more students at St Catherine's International Kindergarten school are among the 251 new cases

Health Secretary Sophia Chan has urged the public to remain vigilant as a rebound in Covid-19 cases could occur.

Her statement came as the Centre for Health Protection reported 251 new infections on Thursday, with two related deaths. Among the newly recorded cases, 36 were imported.

Chan noted that the daily caseload has hovered between 200 and 300, and early this week, even dropped to below 200.

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What this means, according to her, is that there are still hidden transmission chains in the community, and a surge could happen again. However, she assured that the government was prepared to respond if a rebound does occur.

Meanwhile, CHP’s Dr Albert Au reported that two more cases involving students at St Catherine’s Kindergarten in Kowloon Tong were reported today, raising the total number of infections in the cluster to nine.

The students were among 20 cases involving 19 schools that were reported Thursday. The patients included 13 students and seven teachers and staff.

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The outbreak at McDonald’s in Cityplaza also resulted in one more case, involving a 99-year-old woman who did not go to the restaurant but lives in the same building as a 76-year-old patient who caught the coronavirus there.

A lockdown of block 6 of Richland Gardens in Kowloon Bay where they both live resulted in the older woman’s infection being detected.

The cluster, which involves the transmission of the Omicron BA.2.12.1 sub-variant, now has 11 cases, including nine diners, a diner’s mother and the latest patient.

As for the imported cases, 26 were uncovered at Hong Kong airport, while the remaining 10 cases were detected during quarantine.

The patients had flown in from the United States (16), Singapore (5), United Kingdom (3), Thailand through Taiwan (2) and one each from the Philippines, Indonesia, Netherlands, Norway, Italy, India and United Arab Emirates.

Two flights have been suspended for five days each for flying in a number of infected passengers. These are Turkish Airlines’ TK 070 from Istanbul and Emirates flight EK384 from Dubai, UAE.

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The two deaths that were reported involved residents of elderly care homes. One was a man aged 67 and the other, a woman aged 87.

A total of 447 patients are being treated at public hospitals and medical facilities. Five of them are in intensive care units and two are in serious condition.

Matandang nanghipo sa Pilipina nilang DH, ikinulong ng 6 na linggo

 

Sa Shatin Court nahatulan ang matandang nanghipo sa Pilipinang kasambahay

Isang retiradong taga-Hong Kong ang ikinulong ngayon matapos mapatunayang nanghipo ng kanilang domestic helper na Pilipina.

Si Edmond Ho Fook Cheung, 76, ay nahatulang makulong ng anim na linggo matapos mapatunayang nagkasala sa tatlo sa apat na akusasyon ng “indecent assault”, na lahat ay nangyari sa kusina ng kanyang bahay sa Shatin.

Sinabi ni Deputy Magistrate Tsang Chung-yiu na sa unang akusasyon, kung saan tinapik ni Ho ang Pilipina sa puwitan noong June 2021, hindi napatunayang malaswa ang intensyon ni Ho kaya pinawalang-sala siya.

Ang Pilipina, na dumating sa Hong Kong noong February 2021 para magtrabaho sa pamilya ni Ho, ang mismong nagsabi sa kanyang testimonya na baka nga aksidente lamang ang pagkasagi sa kanya habang tinuturuan siya nitong magluto ng pagkaing Intsik, dagdag ng hukom.

Pero nakitaan ng malaswang intensiyon si Ho sa ikalawa, ikatlo at ika-apat na insidenteng nahipuan sa puwitan at dbdib ang Pilipina

Sinabi ng hukom na malinaw at hindi pabagu-bago ang testimonya ng Pilipina, na sinang-ayunan ng testimonya ng kanyang tiyahin na pinagsumbungan agad niya, at dalawang video clip na ipinakita sa korte bilang ebidensiya ng panghihipo.

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Binigyang-diin ni Tsang na sinabi ng Pilipina kay Ho sa ika-apat na insidente ng panghihipo:  “I don’t want, Sir.”

Sinabi ng hukom na walang senyales na bingi si Ho, o hindi nakaintindi ng simpleng mga katagang iyon, kaya hindi ito mapapa-isantabi.

Ang panghihipo ng isang lalaki sa puwitan at dibdib ng isang babae ay likas na bastos, dagdag niya.

Matapos basahin ng hukom ang kanyang hatol, tumayo ang abugado ni Ho upang humiling ng mas maluwag na parusa sa akusado. 

Sinabi nito na si Ho ay 76 taong gulang na, retirado na nang 20 taon at sinusuportahan na lang ng kanyang mga anak.

Pagkatapos ng ilang minutong pagsusulat ang hukom, pinatayo ng mga guwardiya si Ho at ipinasok sa lugar ng mga detinidong nasasakdal upang doon basahan ng hatol.

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Ang parusa ni Ho ay binubuo ng apat na linggong pagkabilanggo sa ikalawang kaso, dalawang linggo sa ikatlong kaso at tatlong linggo sa ika-apat na kaso.

Pero iniutos ng hukom na pagkatapos ng unang apat na linggo para sa pangalawang kaso, tig-iisang linggo na lang mula sa ikatlo at ika-apat na kaso ang pagsilbihan ni Ho, na nagresulta ng kabuuang anim na linggo sa kulungan.

Pinay na overstay at partner, nakaligtas sa kulong dahil sa anak

 

Pauwi na ang pamilya matapos ang pagdinig ng kaso sa Shatin court

Isang Pilipina na nag-overstay ng kanyang visa at ang partner niyang taga-Hong Kong ang nakaiwas sa pagkakakulong sa Shatin Law Courts kahapon, Miyerkules, kahit napatunayang lumabag sila sa Immigration Ordinance.

Ang dahilan ni Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung Chi-wai ay kung ikukulong ang kahit isa kina M.R. Ursolino, 28, at Cheung See-lai, 45, ay mahihirapan ang maiiwan sa labas na alagaan ang kanilang anak, na ipinanganak sa Hong Kong na may kapansanan.

Binigyan niya ang dalawa ng suspended sentence, kaya hindi sila makukulong kung hindi sila magkakasalang muli sa loob ng susunod na dalawang taon.

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Ito ay kahit ang dalawa ay hindi isinuko ang mga sarili, kundi nahuli ng Immigraton sa airport nang magtangkang umalis sa Hong Kong papuntang Pilipinas.

Si Ursolino ay pinatawan ng 21 linggong pagkabilanggo, na ginawang 14 na linggo matapos ang 1/3 na diskwento dahil nag-overstay siya mula Nov 16, 2017 hanggang nahuli siya noong Oct. 13, 2021.

Si Cheung naman ay pinatawan ng pagkakakulong ng siyam na linggo, na binawasan ng 1/3 upang maging anim na linggo, dahil tinulungan at pinayuhan niya si Ursolino na maglagi sa Hong Kong nang ilegal sa nabanggit na apat na taon.

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Magkatabing tinanggap ng dalawa ang sentensya habang karga ng lalaki ang limang taong gulang nilang anak.

Sinabi ng hukom na hindi ito gaya ng maraming kasong paglabag sa Immigration Ordinance, kung saan ang ilegal na paglagi sa Hong Kong ay upang maghanapbuhay, kahit ilegal.

Sa kasong ito, ayon sa hukom, ang dahilan ng pamamalagi ni Ursolino at ang pagsuporta sa kanya ng kanyang partner ay ang kanilang pagiging ina at ama na naghahangad na maging malusog ang kanilang anak.

Ayon sa medical certificate, na hinintay ng hukom na isumite ng abugado ng dalawa kaya ipinagpaliban niya ang kanyang hatol noong April 27, ay nakumpirmang mabagal at hindi normal ang paglaki ng bata.

Ayon sa Immigration Ordinance, ang parusa sa overstaying ay multang aabot sa $50,000 at kulong na dalawang taon.

Ayon naman sa Criminal Procedures Ordinance, ang pagsulsol at pagtulong sa isang tao upang lumabag sa batas ay gumagawa ng kaparehong krimen at pinapatawan ng parehong parusa.

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Bago umuwi sina Ursolino at Cheung, dumaan sila sa cashier ng korte upang bawiin ang tig-$500 na inilagak nila bilang piyansa.