DH detained for theft, misleading police

 

Estate where theft allegedly took place

A Filipina domestic helper has been placed under detention after she appeared at Kowloon City Court, charged with two counts of stealing watches worth more than $800,000 from her employer and then falsely reporting to the police that their flat had been burglarized.

Magistrate Kestrel Lam adjourned the case against Vanessa Vallespin, 39 years old, to March 17.

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The case against her was based on a police complaint filed on Dec. 7 last year at the Kowloon City Court.

In the first charge, Vallespin was accused of stealing a Rolex Daytona watch worth $222,000 from her employer at their flat in Sunderland Estate in Kowloon Tong on Dec. 2 last year.

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The second charge was for the theft two days later at the same place, of a Rolex Explorer II, a Rolex Sea-Dweller, a Tudor Black Date GMT, a Cartier Ballon Bleu, a Zenith El Primero Stratos, a Panerai Luminor, a Franck Muller Vanguard, an Omega Seamaster 300, and a Temporis watch with a total value of $580,230.

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The third charge -- knowingly misleading a police officer -- arose from her allegedly giving a false statement to an officer that their flat was broken into.

The Police Force Ordinance penalizes any person who “misleads any police officer by giving false information or by making false statements or accusations” with a maximum fine at level 1 ($2,000) and imprisonment of up to six months.

Filipina in 8-year-old overstaying case jailed 14 weeks

 

The cases were heard at Shatin Court

It took almost eight years to resolve a case of overstaying against a Filipina, and it culminated with her being jailed for 14 weeks, minus the 31 days she had spent under administrative detention by the Immigration Department.

The case ended after Julie Leoncio, 49 years old, pleaded guilty today, Feb. 3,  before Magistrate David Chum at Shatin Court to violating section 49 of the Immigration Ordinance.

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The case, filed by the Immigration department on May 24, 2017, accused her of violating her condition of stay for staying beyond the two-week grace period given her after the terminaton of her domestic helper contract.

According to the Immigration complaint, she was given by an Immigration officer until Jan. 10, 2011 to leave Hong Kong, but she remained until she was arrested on June 4, 2014.

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In the ensuing years, she had applied for non-refoulement, or protection from being forcibly sent back to the Philippines, and was issued a recognizance form which served as her identity document.

 

$193.7M bonanza to one lucky Mark Six winner

 

This betting station on Stanley Street in Central is a favorite of Mark Six punters

Only one ticket won the biggest-ever first prize of nearly $194M in Hong Kong’s Mark Six lottery this Sunday night.

The lucky punter will receive a whopping $193,762,620,  following a record turnover of over $380 million for this year's Chinese New Year Snowball.

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Bettors packed Hong Kong Jockey Club betting stations throughout the city earlier, all hoping to hit the biggest ever jackpot in the lottery’s history.

According to reports, the lone winner placed the bet over the counter with cash. No other details were given as to where the instant mega millionaire had placed the winning bet.

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The winning numbers were 14, 18, 30, 36, 40 and 42. The extra number was 1.

Twelve tickets will split the second prize of $1.2 million. For the third prize pot, 530 winning tickets will each receive $72,500.

Immigration reports 24% rise in removal of unsubstantiated asylum seekers

 

Some of those removed since the new policy took effect in 2022

The Immigration Department has informed the Legislative Council that it removed 2,219 unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants from Hong Kong in 2024. This represents a 24% increase compared with that in 2023.

The “unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimant” term refers to non-Chinese people who were unable to present credible evidence to support their application against being sent back, or refouled, to their home countries.  

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According to the Immigration report, this is in line with the updated removal policy that took effect on Dec. 7, 2022. Under this policy, Immigration may generally proceed with the removal of an unsubstantiated claimant whose judicial review case has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance.

Since the implementation of the policy, a total of 4,070 failed asylum seekers have been removed from Hong Kong, said Immigration.

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At the same time, it has speeded up the screening of non-refoulement claims, with over 2,700 such claims being determined last year. However, over 95% of the claimants rejected by Immigration have appealed against the decisions.

As of the end of 2024, there were about 750 such appeals pending decision.

A new system rolled out by Hong Kong on Sept 3 last year is expected to lessen the number of non-refoulement claimants entering Hong Kong.

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Under the Advance Passenger Information (API) System, airlines are required to transmit advance information to Immigration about flights and passengers heading to Hong Kong when checking in travellers. The system then gives the airline staff directions on whether to allow or disallow specific travellers to board the Hong Kong-bound aircraft.

However, the new mechanism is being rolled out in phases, given that there more than 100 airlines that need to be connected to the system.

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A transitional period of 12 months is provided for the new system, which means it will be fully implemented  on Sept 1 this year.

 

HK ushers in Year of Snake

 

Fireworks light up Victoria Harbor

Hong Kong is returning to normal after it ushered in the year of the Snake with the International Chinese New Year Night Parade in Tsim Sha Tsui, a spectacular fireworks display on Victoria Harbor, and Lunar New Year Fairs in 15 districts.

“There's no better way, anywhere on earth, to welcome in the New Year than by following - and revelling in - Hong Kong's magnificent Chinese New Year Night Parade,” said Chief Executive John Lee at the opening of the New Year Parade on Jan. 29.

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“This year's celebration is led by 55 performing groups and floats from 14 countries and regions. Here in the world city of Hong Kong, to dance, sing and perform, skip, juggle, cheerlead and otherwise amaze and delight you, on this most auspicious of days,” he said.

“The Night Parade floats you see tonight, together with some of our performers, will find their way to Lam Tsuen, from tomorrow night, for the Hong Kong Well-wishing Festival. This year, the floats are on display there until February 13,” he added.

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The next night, a 23-minute fireworks display lit up Victoria Harbor.

The fireworks drew auspicious symbols in the sky, “as well as adorable pandas - showcasing Hong Kong's giant panda family, now counting six and readying for their first full public appearance at the same time in mid-February,” Lee said.

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Meanwhile, the Lunar New Year (LNY) fairs held at 15 locations for seven days from January 23, attracted about 2.3 million visitors.

The number of visitors peaked on Jan. 28, with more than 215 000 visitors in the LNY Fair at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, according to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said that it was pleased with the public support.

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The department’s waste reduction and recycling measures resulted in 107 tons of materials with reusable value such as waste paper, plastics and metals were collected from the 15 LNY fair sites during the one-week period.

The FEHD also gathered some 1 600 unsold pots of flowers and plants donated by licensees at the fairs. These were delivered to 242 elderly homes/residential care homes for persons with disabilities and five public hospitals by 21 volunteer teams comprising FEHD staff members.

Despite the conclusion of LNY fairs, the Che Kung Festival Fair and the Fong Ma Po New Year Fair at Lam Tsuen in Tai Po will be held until February 12, the FEHD said.

Power bank warning after HK-bound Air Busan jet catches fire

 

Investigations are underway into the fire that gutted an Air Busan aircraft (Yonhap photo)

Air passengers are being advised to ensure their power banks are of good quality and in good condition before bringing them along for travel, after a Hong Kong-bound Air Busan flight caught fire Tuesday, and initial investigations pointed to a charging device as the cause.

Investigations have begun into what caused the fire aboard the aircraft that remains on the tarmac at Korea’s Gimhae International Airport in the southern city of Busan.

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A total of 169 passengers and seven airline staff were evacuated from the Airbus A231 using inflatable slides. Seven minor injuries were reported.

The fire broke out at 10:15pm on Tuesday, Jan. 28, as the single-jet was preparing to leave for Hong Kong after being delayed for about 20 minutes.

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It was first detected by a flight attendant in an overhead luggage bin in the rear left-hand side of the plane.

Witnesses  quoted by local media said they heard a crackling sound, like an electronic device burning, before smoke coming from the overhead compartment began to fill the cabin.

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This prompted suspicions that a portable battery may have caused the fire.

A local news report said that just seven weeks ago, another Air Busan aircraft had a similar problem, when a fire, triggered by a portable battery problem, was detected. Flight attendants had to use fire extinguishers to put it out.

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At least two other battery-related incidents were also reported in Korea last year, one involving an Eastar Jet plane in July and another aboard an Asiana Airlines flight in April.

Authorities conducted a risk assessment of the plane on Friday, and ruled out a terrorist attack. They determined that the plane still had a large amount of fuel and oxygen onboard but was safe for a full-scale investigation.

Tuesday's incident came about a month after a Jeju Air plane crashed at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, which killed all but two of the 181 people on board.

HK Labour Secretary holds meet on migrant workers concerns

 

Secretary Sun (6th from left) with the groups serving MDWs and employers

Nineteen organizations serving migrant domestic workers and employers in Hong Kong met recently with the Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun, on enhancing future collaborations.

The news was relayed through a social media post by the Mission for Migrant Workers , which was among the 19 groups that joined the meeting.

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“Our meeting presented a key opportunity to share, discuss and pave the way for future collaboration with the Labour Department on important areas of mutual interest - not only for the betterment of Hong Kong, but also towards enhancing mutual care and understanding, as the cornerstones of an amicable family and employment relationship,” said the MFMW.

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More than 350,000 migrant domestic workers are now in Hong Kong, where officials often acknowledge their vast contribution to the city’s economic development.

“With a rapidly ageing population, it is anticipated our already heavy reliance on this community will significantly increase over the coming years,” said the MFMW.

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The MDWs are said to represent 10% of the labour force, and are employed by some 13% of all households.

They are credited for enabling many Hong Kongers - especially those with young children and elderly parents - to maintain dual income households.

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According to MFMW, a recent research suggested the hiring of MDWs has facilitated the decision by many families to have a second child, which could be pivotal in Hong Kong’s future development, given its falling birth rate.

The other organizations represented in the meeting were the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, Branches of Hope, Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, CARITAS-AMP, Christian Action, EmpowerU, Enrich, Equal Justice, Fair Employment Agency, HelperChoice,  HELP for Domestic Workers, Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions, Justice Without Borders, Migrasia, Pangyao, PathFinders, TCK Learning Centre and Uplifters

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6 would-be OFWs stopped from leaving PH via Palawan

Palawan Airport, where the victims were monitored after traveling from NAIA (PortCalls photo)

Six Filipinos who were promised jobs in Thailand were rescued on Jan 22 as they were attempting to leave the country illegally via Bancalaan Island in Balabac, Palawan via a small boat.

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The victims told government operatives they were recruited via Telegram and offered jobs in Thailand. They said they merely followed the instructions of their recruiter to meet up in Palawan, where their recruiter promised that a boat will be waiting for them.

They were monitored as they travelled from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Puerto Princesa in Palawan. From there they travelled by boat to Bancalaan Island where they were stopped in coordination with Balabac Municipal Police and barangay officials.

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Their rescue was disclosed four days ago by Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, who said it was mounted by inter-agency law enforcers after they received information of a possible attempt by trafficking victims to leave the country via illegal means.

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Viado said the BI’s immigration protection and border enforcement section immediately coordinated the information to the inter-agency council against trafficking (IACAT), who then relayed the information to operatives on the ground.

After being intercepted at Bancalaan island, the victims were brought back to Puerto Princesa City for further investigation by the NBI.

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Viado lauded the swift action and cooperation of all agencies involved under the IACAT, and vowed to continue proactive efforts to stop the trafficking of Filipinos.

The public is urged to report trafficking attempts to the IACAT’s 1343 Actionline.

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Margie’s ‘ happy home story

 

Margie shares a happy home with young Isabella

(This article from the Mission for Migrant Workers’ newsletter tells the story of Margie and her employers, the Ho family, with whom she won the MFMW’s ‘Happy Homes’ award. This symbolizes that the household fulfills the 10 criteria set by the non-government organization for a truly harmonious relationship between a migrant worker and her employers.)

Amongst the many homes of Hong Kong, nestled in an apartment building, surrounded by two dogs, a 3-year-old girl, and her loving parents, is Margie Mendoza.

Margie has been a migrant worker for 10 years, in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) as well as KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and in Hong Kong, where she has gone through four households before finally feeling peace of mind working with the Ho family.

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Margie helps the family out with regular household chores such as laundry and cooking, as well as looking after their family dogs Mocha and Pearl, but her main focus is her employers’ young daughter, Isabelle.

Margie joined the Ho couple right before the birth of their daughter, and was an integral part in the first-time parents’ lives as she supported them in taking care of her, and taught them with her rich experience.

“I feel really at home with them. They treat me as family. They are very kind and humble. They respect me as a human being. I was really treated fairly and with understanding. I can express myself and I have freedom to choose and to connect with my family. They accept me for who I am,” Margie expressed.

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“This family puts effort into understanding me, and my family in the Philippines— if we have a situation they are always willing to help. They never forget to celebrate my birthday and on my son’s birthday, they give him gifts.”

Margie says her employers treat her like family

Margie’s employer, Lucia Wong, corroborated Margie’s statement, with some of their good memories being their bonding time with Margie’s family. “We really enjoy learning about Margie’s family in the Philippines, and saying hi and chatting with them during video-calls. We love sending gifts to them and seeing photos and videos of them, as well as getting updates on them.”

Another one of Wong’s good memories with Margie has been the delicious meals she makes for them, as well as the baked goods she creates for special occasions.. “Margie enjoys cooking and we have enjoyed many delicious meals and desserts as a result, putting on the pounds too!”

Margie’s employers have also described their disappointment towards the mistreatment of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. “We are disgusted, disappointed, and concerned – Hong Kong is a developed international city,” Wong said. “We are quite embarrassed to know that this could be done by Hong Kong people, or that it’s happening in Hong Kong.”

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Both Margie and Wong have given suggestions to other families as to how to create a Happy Home.

“You have to ensure there’s open communication, trust, and honesty on all fronts,” Wong said. “Treat each other as you would want to be treated, and ensure there is fair treatment and foster a positive working relationship to create a harmonious environment for both the family and the helped," Wong continued.

“The best thing is good communication between the employer and employee and trust towards each other so you will have a smooth and strong relationship for the future while working with them,” Margie added. “I’m very happy and thankful and I’m so proud to my employer and they deserve to be a Happy Home Family. Thank you is not enough for this family, that's why I give my best to them.”

Lastly, Margie and Wong have both expressed their gratitude towards each other for the love and support they have received mutually over the years.

“They give a chance for a migrant domestic worker like me to find a Happy Home with them,” Margie shared. “I never feel like I’m far from my family in the Philippines and they give me hope to continue my dream of my family having a better future. Not everyone is lucky like me to find a family that will become your family in heart.”

For her part, Wong said: “Thank you, Margie, for all your hard work and efforts in ensuring that our family is well taken care of. We truly appreciate all that you do and are so grateful to have you with us! Cheers to many more years together!”

(Visit the Facebook page, Mission for Migrant Workers, to learn more about  Happy Homes HK)

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Lying costs public housing applicant $8,000 in fine

Public housing (photo from Housing Authority)

It does not pay to lie when applying for public housing from the government; it will be found out eventually.

This was the lesson learned by A.Zapata, a 52-year-old Filipino, who not only failed to get the public rental housing he applied for, he was also fined $8,000.

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His case came to light when he appeared at Kowloon City Law Courts last Jan. 27, accused of violating the Housing Ordinance, which prescribes a maximum fine at level 5 ($50,000) and maximum imprisonment of six months, as penalty for false statements.

He had stated in his application for public rental housing that he “did not have domestic property ownership in Hong Kong from the date of completing the application form for waiting list for public rental housing up till date of making the declaration” on Sept. 30, 2019 at the Authority’s Customer Service Center in Kowloon.

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When his lie was discovered, his application was rejected by the Housing Authority because he was unqualified to rent public housing.

The Authority also filed information on the case with the Kowloon City Court.

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Zapata pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $8,000 by Magistrate Kestrel Lam.

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