Filipina fined $1,500 after being found guilty of shoplifting

By The SUN

 

The theft happened in a Fusion shop in Happy Valley (Wikimedia photo)

“A pack of lies.”

This was how Eastern Court magistrate Tsang Chung-yiu described the story concocted by a Filipina domestic helper to defend herself against a charge of stealing two bags of goods from a supermarket in Happy Valley on July 1 last year.

Tsang ordered Glenny S. Flores, 35, to pay a fine of $1,500 for the offence of theft, to which she pleaded not guilty in October last year, leading to a two-day trial.

The penalty which the magistrate read out on Wednesday, March 14, amounted to roughly the total cost of the goods that Flores had stolen from Fusion Supermarket.

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These included 21 packs of chocolate, one bottle of shampoo, three bottles of conditioner, two packs of pain-relieving plasters, and two tubes of spray liniment.

She had put the items in two reusable bags, and was on her way out when the alarm sounded. She paid for one pack of chocolates which had triggered the alarm, and again tried to sneak out. However, the alarm sounded again and the cashier confronted her.

Flores and the cashier had an altercation, and the police were called.

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In her defence, Flores said she had intended to pay for the other items, but her wallet was with her friend, Lovely, who had followed her to the grocery and was standing just outside while she was being questioned by the police.

Through her lawyer, Flores also complained that the store had no CCTV, which could have shown that she did not intend to leave without paying.

She also alleged that she was forced to admit the offence after an officer told her that she would be let off lightly if she did, that she was made to confirm what the officer had written on his notebook without being cautioned about it, that the Tagalog interpreter dictated to her what to say, and that she should have been given a Cebuano interpreter and not a Tagalog one.

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In court, however, the officers denied using coercion or tricking Flores into admitting her guilt, which both the Tagalog and the Chinese interpreters affirmed.

One of the officers also said that when he checked Flores’ phone he saw that she did not have enough money in her Alipay account to pay for the items. She had gone to the store with only the bags and her phone with her.

Magistrate Tang was convinced that there was irregularity in the way Flores was asked to write in the officer’s notebook without being given prior warning, and questioned why a Tagalog interpreter was called when the defendant’s mother tongue was Cebuano.

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Tang also noted that Flores had a clear record, which suggested she was a reliable witness.

However, he decided to convict her based on her own testimonies about what happened on the day in question.

First off, Tang said “it did not make sense” that Flores had put the grocery items in two shopping bags instead of leaving them in the trolley and then pushing it to the self-service counters.

Further, if she had really intended for her friend Lovely to bring her wallet to the store so she could pay for the items, why did she not call her before trying to step out?

"Why was it necessary to carry the bags and not leave the goods in the trolley?,” asked the magistrate. Why did it take Lovely a long time to come?”

To him, the only logical inference was that Flores had paid for one item as a ruse to prevent any suspicion that she had taken a number of goods without paying for them.

Finally, he said the fact that there was no CCTV in the store could not be used as evidence in the defendant’s favor.

In mitigation, the defense lawyer said Flores is a single mother to three children, and has been sending $3,000 of her monthly salary home for their upkeep.

She has worked in Hong Kong since 2019, and her current employer whose three-year-old daughter she looks after, intends to sign her up again when their contract expires in September this year.

To show support for Flores, her employers attended court throughout her trial, and until the judge announced his verdict.

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Pinoy, biglang inamin na sinaktan ang asawa

 

Itinakda ang pag-sentensiya sa Pilipino sa April 4

Biglang natapos ang paglilitis ng isang Pilipino sa Eastern Court kanina nang umamin siya sa kasong pananakit ng kanyang asawa.

Bago rito, itinigil nang halos isang oras ang paglilitis laban kay Lito Felnar Novo, 48 taong gulang, upang hintayin ang testigo laban sa kanya, na nagpasabing papunta na sa korte pero naipit ang sinasakyang taxi sa traffic sa North Point.

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Nauwi sa paglilitis ang kaso dahil itinanggi ni Novo ang paratang noong  una.  

Sinabi ng taga-usig kay Deputy Magistrate Leona Chan na handa na siyang iprisinta ang kaisa-isang testigo upang patunayan ang pagkakasala ni Novo, na nagtatrabaho sa isang restaurant bilang supervisor.

Pero nang dumating ang testigo, na siya palang biktima sa kaso at asawa ni Novo, pinaghintay lang ito sa labas ng korte at hindi na pinapasok dahil hindi na kailangan ang kanyang testimonya.

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Nagmula ang kaso sa insidente kung saan sinabunutan ni Novo ang asawa noong Dec. 5, 2020 sa kanilang bahay sa Leighton St. sa Causeway Bay.

Ayon sa paratang sa kanya, umuwing lasing si Novo at hindi agad mabuksan ang pintuan kaya kumatok.

Nang mapagbuksan siya ng asawa, sinabunutan niya ito dahil sa tagal nang pinaghintay niya sa labas.

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Nagpunta sa Ruttonjee Hospital ang babae na nagrereklamo na masakit ang anit. Itinawag sa pulis ang kaso matapos niyang ilahad ang nangyari.

Inamin ng abugado ni Novo na ikalawang beses na itong kinasuhan ng pananakit sa asawa.

Ang naunang kaso ay natapos sa bind-over, kung saan nangako si Novo na hindi na gagawa ng kasalanan sa loob ng dalawang taon, kapalit ng $2,000 na babayaran niya sa asawa kung siya ay lumabag sa pangako.

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Dahil sa paglabag na ito, ang pinagsamang parusa ng dalawang kaso ay dapat nang pagsilbihan ni Novo.

Ayon sa Offenses Against the Person Ordinance, ang parusa sa kaso niyang common assault o pananakit ay pagkakakulong ng hanggang isang taon.

Hiniling ng abogado ni Novo na bigyan siya ng kahit anong parusa huwag lang ang pagkakakulong, dahil may sinusuportahan pa siyang magulang at anak sa Pilipinas.

Itinakda ni Magistrate Chan sa Apr. 4 ang pag-sentensiya kay Novo.

Inutos rin niya na gawan ito ng report ng probationary officer at Community Service Office, na gagawing basehan sa pagpaparusa.

Nakalalaya siya sa bisa ng piyansang $1,000.

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Indecent conduct, assault on child snag 4 Filipinos, Bangladeshi

 

Tuen Mun Magistrate rejected all bids for bail

Four Filipinos and one Bangladeshi holding recognizance papers, were returned to jail after appearing at Tuen Mun Law Courts today on similar charges of indecent conduct toward a child aged under 16, and common assault. 

“Go back,” Principal Magistrate Don So told two of the five before they were led into jail custody from the court’s detention area, after rejecting their offers of varying amounts of cash as bail.

The reason for the bail rejections was that there was no change in the circumstances of the case.

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Magistrate So scheduled their next appearance for May 10, as proposed by prosecutors who said they needed more time for legal advice and investigation.

The cases arose after an incident inside a flat on Kung Om Road in Yuen Long last Jan. 3 in which the five committed “an act of indecency” and assault “towards girl X, a child under age 16,” according to the charge sheets.

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In the discussions, it was revealed that the girl was 10 years old and those involved were neighbors.

While all five were charged for one incident that gave rise to the charges, four separate cases were filed by police.

In one case, the lawyer of one of the defendants, Jimwoel Macaraig, 53 years old, complained that he had been detained since January and would have been in custody for 17 weeks by the next hearing. He offered $3,500 cash as bail, which the magistrate rejected.

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In another case, Julie Arcega Jr., a male aged 32, offered $5,000 while his co-accused, female Gina Villanueva, offered $1,500 as bail. Both were rejected by Magistrate So.

The prosecutor opposed the granting of bail to the fourth Filipino, Benjur Macaraig, 46 years old, who was accused of wounding the child in the body.

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The prosecutor said B Macaraig was also facing a separate charge of wounding, and had three past criminal records. In addition, he jumped bail on immigration cases, the prosecutor said.

The charge sheet against Bangladeshi, MD Moazzim-hossain, 42 years old, was the only one that identified the four Filipinos as participants in the attack on the child.

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FDH gets suspended sentence for selling bookings in sports facilities

 

A one-hour booking of a LCSD-run basketball court could be sold for as much as 13x more

Sports aficionados in Hong Kong are all abuzz over news that a foreign domestic helper was sentenced to two months in jail, suspended for 24 months, at Shatin Magistracy yesterday, Mar. 13.

According to a government statement, the FDH whose nationality was not disclosed, was charged and convicted of a charge of breaching her condition of stay by selling bookings she made at basketball, tennis and other sports facilities, to end users.

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She was arrested after the Immigration Department was alerted over her illicit activities. Acting on the reports, immigration investigators enquired and retrieved relevant documents from the department concerned which were used as evidence against her.

Investigators found out that she had made numerous bookings of a basketball court, a tennis court and other sports facilities, in her name, between July and September 2021.

However, she only went to the venues to sign in for the actual user/s then left after collecting payments.

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When arrested, the FDH said she had acted on her own, and that she had sold the bookings in exchange for money. She did this while knowing that she could only perform domestic duties at the contractual address of her employer.

She was arrested and charged with one count of violating her visa conditions.

Immigration warned FDHs that they should only do domestic work for their employers. They should not take up any other employment, whether paid or unpaid, including part-time work.

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In turn, employers should not require their helpers to work for any other person.

Anyone who contravenes his/her conditions of stay will be prosecuted and if convicted, face a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment of up to two years.

Meanwhile, news of the arrest shook sporting communities, including those composed mainly of migrant workers.

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An insider said this is because the selling of sport bookings has become commonplace in recent months when getting an online booking, especially on a weekend, has become extremely difficult.

“You have to go online as soon as the booking for a venue becomes available, which means remaining awake in the odd hours,” he said. “Then, you must also have a good connection because many other people would be vying for the same slot at the same time.”

Basketball bookings are offered for up to $2,000 per hour, according to him, when hiring an indoor venue for the sport, with airconditioning, costs only $148.

For tennis, the going rate is $150 per hour when the Leisure and Cultural Services Department only charges $42 during the daytime, $57 if floodlighting is required.

He said certain groups or individuals who need multiple bookings for training sessions at the government facilities, are forced to pay up to ensure they get to use the venues as needed.

He suggested the government overhaul the booking system to ensure slots are reserved for genuine end users, while people who profit from the current scheme are kept away.

 

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Pilipina, itinanggi ang 3 kaso ng pananakit sa among lalaki

 

Itinanggi ng Pilipina ang sakdal nang humarap sa Eastern Court

Mariing itinanggi ng isang Pilipina ang sakdal na tatlong beses niyang sinaktan ang among lalaki sa mismong bahay nito sa Tavistock, Tregunter Path sa Mid-Levels.

Tatlong beses na sumagot ng “Not guilty” si Romalyn Lappay Marinay, 36, nang tanungin kung inaamin niya ang mga sakdal laban sa kanya nang humarap siya sa Eastern Magistracy kaninang umaga.

Dahil sa kanyang pagtanggi sa sakdal na “common assault” ay itinakda ni Magistrate Ivy Chui ang paglilitis sa kaso sa May 17 hanggang May 19, at pinayagan muling magpiyansa si Marinay sa halagang $1,000.

Ayon sa sakdal, nangyari ang diumano’y pananakit ni Marinay sa among si Shek Yuet hey na isang abugado, sa tatlong magkakahiwalay na petsa. Ang una ay noong Nov. 29, 2020, ang pangalawa ay noong March 17, 2021 at ang pangatlo ay noong July 21, 2021.

Si Shek ay asawa ng nakapirma sa kontrata ni Marinay. Nangyari ang mga diumanong pananakit ng Pilipina sa among lalaki sa mga panahong nagkakaroon ng hidwaan ang mag-asawa at nagdesisyon nang maghiwalay.

Ayon sa tagausig, mayroon silang siyam na testigo, pero hiniling ng depensa na gawin na lang itong isa dahil hindi naman itatanggi ng akusado ang mga kuha ng mga video camera na balak gamitin na ebidensya laban sa kanya, basta masiguro lang nito na hindi ito na-edit.

May dalawa namang testigo na tatawagin para sa depensa ng Pilipina.

Inutos ng mahistrado na subukan ng dalawang panig na magkasundo na maipasa sa korte ang “admitted facts” sa kaso nang hindi lalampas sa dalawang araw bago ang takdang paglilitis.

High Court explains why 73-year-old Filipino was not allowed to remain in HK

The ruling came five months after the Filipino was deported

A High Court judge who refused to allow a 73-year-old Filipino to remain in Hong Kong despite his appeal against being sent home, has explained his decision - almost five months after the appellant had been deported.

Deputy High Court Judge Anthony To rejected the application for leave filed on Aug. 17, 2022 by Brudencio Bolanos to allow him to appeal an earlier High Court ruling that upheld the rejection by the Torture Claims Appeal Board / Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office of his request not to be forcibly sent home because he might be harmed in the Philippines.

In his ruling, Judge To said that when an application for leave to apply for judicial review is refused by a judge, the applicant may appeal the order to the Court of Appeal within the next 14 days.

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In Bolanos’ case, the application was 19 days late. He argued that even if the application is late, the court can still accept other factors that may help him.

But Judge To rejected Bolanos’ excuse that he was in prison at that time, saying that he did not present evidence to prove that his being in jail caused an acceptable delay.

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“Giving him the benefit of doubt because of his age and the inconvenience occasioned by his detention, this Court was prepared to condone his delay, if he can show a good prospect of success in his intended appeal,” said Judge To.

But Bolanos still fell short -- in both his summons and supporting affirmation, as he did not cite reasons for his appeal, said the judge. 

On Jan. 4, the court sent Bolanos a letter telling him to file a statement by Jan. 20 setting out reasons why he should not be sent home. The letter sent to him, addressed to Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution,  was returned by mail on Feb. 7, marked “No such person”.

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It turned out that Bolanos had been deported on Oct. 20.

“Though the direction letter did not reach him, the fact remains that he was late in lodging his appeal and he has advanced no grounds for his intended appeal which show a good prospect of success,” concluded Judge To.

Bolanos was  sent to jail in April 2019 for using a false instrument to withdraw US$943 billion from HSBC, claiming the amount was given to him by the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.

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Last September,  he also failed to gain freedom through a habeas corpus application asking the High Court to declare his detention illegal.

Court of First Instance Judge Russell Coleman said in a written decision on Sept. 19: “…in this hearing, the real focus is on whether there is and continues to be lawful detention.  In my view, there is.  But, it is also clear that the detention can cease very shortly, tomorrow, upon the intended repatriation of the Applicant.” 

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Mag-ingat sa mga nag-aalok ng malaking suweldo

 

Nakaramdam ng takot ang isang Pilipina na sinubukang mag-apply bilang domestic helper sa isang nag post sa isang Facebook group page at nag-alok ng malaking suweldo at iba pang magagandang kundisyon.

Pagkatapos niya kasing sumagot at binigay ang telepono niya sa nagpakilalang employer ay biglang naging business account ito sa WhatsAapp. Mismong ang employment agency sa Pilipinas na inaaplayan niya ang nagtanong kung bakit business at hindi personal account ang binigay niyang numero.

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“Nag aalala lang po ako baka maya nanloloko sila at baka ako ang habulin ng mga naloko nila,” sabi ni Che, na naterminate sa trabaho at sinubukang maghanap online ng maari nyang aplayan.

Sa pahina ng Hong Kong Jobs for Domestic Helpers ay natawag ang pansin niya ng isang “Melinda Dunaway” na kailangang kailangan daw ang isang helper/domestic worker, at maaring mag-aplay kahit yung mga terminated ang kontrata.

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Ayon sa post ni Melinda, Canadian daw ang pamilya niya, at dalawa ang anak. Linggo ang day-off ng kanilang makukuhang helper, may sariling kuwarto na may aircon, at may “any food you can eat.”

Ang pinaka maganda sa alok nito ay ang suweldong $8,000 kada buwan.

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Kabilang si Che sa mga agad na nag mensahe kay Melinda. Sabi niya: “Hello madam, I’m interested to apply as a helper. I am currently here in Hong Kong and I was terminated by my employer. Madam, I need work for my family and I don’t want to go back to the Philippines.”

Sumagot naman si Melinda, at sinabing kontakin sya sa WhatsApp number niya na 954---3344 para sa job interview.

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“Dyan na po nagsimula, tapos kinuha niya ang number ko para sa job interview,” sabi ni Che.

Nakita daw ng employment agency inaaplayan niya ng trabaho pabalik ng Hong Kong na ang numerong binigay niya ay may “business account” sa WhatsApp.

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Dahil dito ay agad daw niyang pinadalhan ng message si Melinda at tinanong kung ito ang gumagamit ng numero niya kaya naging business account ito. Hindi na siya sinagot.

“Noong una akala ko ay totoo nga pero nitong huli ay nakapag isip-isip ako,” sabi ni Che.

Lalong tumibay ang kutob niya nang alukin siya ni Melinda na magtinda ng mga cellphone online, na agad namang tinanggihan ni Che.

Ngayon ay wala na sa Facebook page ang wanted ad ni Melinda.

Wika nga ng marami, kung masyadong maganda ang inaalok na trabaho, kita o pabor, malamang ito ay scam.

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Filcom leader, muntik mabiktima ng off-loading sa NAIA

By Daisy CL Mandap

Si Selomenio (kanan) bago umalis ng HK: Isang oras siyang na-hold sa NAIA pabalik

Usap-usapan ngayon sa social media ang madalas na pag “offload,” o pagpigil sa pagsakay sa eroplano ng mga Pilipinong paalis papunta sa ibang bansa, ng mga opisyal ng Immigration Department na nakatalaga sa mga airport sa Pilipinas.

Mas umugong ang usapin nang lumabas sa mga balita nitong March 11 ang tungkol sa karanasan ng isang freelance writer na hindi nakasakay sa eroplano papunta ng Israel noong Disyembre sa dami ng tinanong sa kanya ng immigration officer sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Ayon sa pasahero, tinanong pa siya ng taga immigration kung may dala siyang yearbook para patunayan na nagtapos siya sa kolehiyo.

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Muntik na ring nangyari ito kamakailan kay Leo Selomenio, chairman ng Global Alliance Hong Kong at tauhan sa isang employment agency.

Ayon sa Facebook post ni Selomenio, na dating domestic helper, na hold siya sa Immigration ng mahigit isang oras dahil sa akusasyon na peke ang hawak niyang Hong Kong ID card. Tinanong pa daw kung saan niya ito pinagawa.

“Sabi ko, pag naiwan ako ng flight ko alam mo ang consequence ng ginagawa mo? You are holding me for no reason,” sabi pa niya.

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Ang dami daw hinanap sa kanya samantalang siya naman ay tinitingnan ang oras.

“Sabi ko, nakapunta ka na ba ng Hong Kong para alam mo na peke yong dokumentong hawak ko.”

Sa inis daw niya ay tinanong na niya kung magkano ba ang dapat niyang bayaran para payagan siyang umalis. Bandang huli ay binigay din sa kanya ang kanyang pasaporte at sinabihan na ayusin niya ang kanyang mga dokumento pagdating niya sa Hong Kong.

“Sinagot ko, maayos ang papel ko, ikaw etong hindi maayos,” dagdag ni Selomenio.

Mga pasaherong paalis sa NAIA matapos dumaan sa Immigration

Ang offloading ay ginagawa ng mga ahente ng Immigration sa Pilipinas kapag may duda sila na ang pasahero ay sangkot, o masasangkot, sa human trafficking. Kabilang dito ang may balak na magtrabaho ng walang papeles o kaukulang proteksyon sa bansang pupuntahan nila.

Unang unang pinagdududahan ay ang mga single na walang trabaho na babalikan sa Pilipinas, o yung malinaw na titirahan sa Hong Kong. Maari silang hingan ng patunay ng kanilang trabaho o mga papeles na magpapakita kung mayroon silang sapat na perang ipantutustos sa kanilang bakasyon.

Pero ang pinaka mahalaga ay yung air ticket na may petsa ng pagbalik sa Pilipinas, at patunay ng kung saan tutuloy sa Hong Kong, katulad ng hotel booking o affidavit of support ng kaanak o kaibigan na tutuluyan.

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Sa isang interview kamakailan, sinabi ni Consul Paulo Saret, pinuno ng Assistance to Nationals section ng Konsulado, na mas maigi na kumuha ng ganitong affidavit ang mga Pilipino na sasagot sa pagbibiyahe ng kanilang mga kaanak sa Hong Kong, para makasiguro.

Ito ay matapos maglabasan sa social media ang kuwento ng mga kapamilya ng mga migranteng manggagawa na hindi pinayagang makaalis sa Pilipinas, kahit pa may dala-dala silang sulat mula sa employer ng kaanak.

Kung dati ay maari nang gawing patunay ang ganitong letter of support mula sa employer ng migrante, ngayon ay mas malamang kaysa hindi na tatanggapin ito dahil ang affidavit ang talagang hinihingi sa airport.

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Dahil sa napapabalitang paghihigpit sa mga patakaran para sa mga paalis, hindi maiwasan ng marami sa mga nakatakdang bumiyahe sa Hong Kong ang mangamba na ma offload sila.

Marami sa mga online seller ang nagtatanong sa mga chat forum kung kailangan ba talaga silang  magpakita na rehistrado ang kanilang negosyo, at nagbabayad ng tamang buwis.

Ang iba naman ay may dala-dalang patunay na may sapat silang ipon sa bangko, at iba pang papeles na nagpapakita na kaya nilang gastusan ang kanilang biyahe.

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Pero mayroon ding kakaiba ang pangamba, katulad ni Claire na aminadong nagpunta siya sa Dubai noong 2016 at nanatili doon ng anim na buwan dahil talagang naghanap siya ng trabaho, kaya lang ay hindi pinalad.

Ngayon ay may asawa na siya at isang anak, at negosyong sapat ang kita. Kayang kaya na nilang magliwaliw gamit ang perang kinita sa Pilipinas kung tutuusin.

Sa kabila nito, hindi pa rin maalis-alis sa isip ni Claire na baka pigilang umalis ang kanyang pamilya, at masira ang matagal na niyang inaasam na  makabiyahe sila at magsaya.

Sa bandang huli kasi, tunay na napakalaki ng kapangyarihan ng mga opisyal ng Immigration na payagan o pigilan sa paglabas ng siyudad ang mga Pilipino, kabilang ang ilan na ang tanging pangarap ay makapasyal at magliwaliw sa ibang bansa.

 

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