Come to us if you’re burdened, says MFMW

 

Social worker holds workshop on mental wellness for clients of the MFMW shelter, Bethune House

Among the groups that have expressed immediate alarm at two suicide cases involving Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong in recent days was the Mission for Migrant Workers, a non-government organization formed 44 years ago to help migrant workers in distress.

MFMW’s founder and general manager Cynthia Tellez said migrant workers should immediately seek help if they find themselves feeling distressed and lost because of some problem.

“Kapag may pinagdaraanan ka at pakiramdam mo ay wala ka nang susulingan, sa simula pa lang, naririto po ang Mission for Migrant Workers na handang makinig at magbigay ng hakbang para sa paghanap ng solusyon,” Tellez said.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

“Mahalaga ang buhay ng bawa’t isa.”

(If you’re going through a problem and you feel like you have nowhere to run, the Mission for Migrant Workers is always here to listen and provide you with the steps that you can take in looking for a solution. Everyone’s life is important).

The MFMW has long partnered with groups like St John’s Counseling Service and Dignity Institute to provide support for migrant workers in distress. From time to time, it also organizes  mental health workshops for migrant workers together with professionals.

Through its shelter Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, the MFMW also provides a safe space for migrants who need to remain in Hong Kong while battling personal and legal challenges.

Basahin ang detalye!

Meanwhile, family members of the Filipina domestic helper who killed herself by hanging and slitting her wrists on Wednesday, Apr. 16, confirmed that the victim was under extreme financial pressure at the time.

However, they were unsure as to how she ended up borrowing from loan sharks when she was paid a monthly salary that was double the average, and was making extra money as a massage therapist.

One family member said they were all hurting because the OFW stopped communicating with all of her relatives and friends a week or two before she committed suicide.

“Nag try kami mag reach out kaso ignored kami lahat…no family arguments or fights. Ang alam naming it’s because of borrowing from a loan shark. Maybe she was threatened at di na niya kinaya.”

(We tried to reach out to her but she ignored us all. There were no family arguments or rights. All we know was that she had borrowed money from a loan shark. Maybe she was threatened and she could no longer take it).

Nine days earlier, another OFW also slashed her wrists and overdosed on medicines in an attempt to kill herself, but was luckily found by her employer on time, and was saved.

She left behind a suicide note indicating she was in financial distress. Friends later said she had borrowed a huge sum for someone who did not pay, and stopped communicating with her.

Migrant workers who are distressed may call the hotline of the Mission for Migrant Workers, 9529 2326 or the Bethune House Migrant Women's Refuge, 9338 0035.

Those with suicidal thoughts or undergoing depression could call any of the following hotlines, at any time of the day:

The Samaritans at 2896 0000,  the Suicide Prevention Services at 2382 0000, The Care Health Project at 2827 2525 or CEASE Crisis Centre of Tung Wah Groups of Hospitals at 18281.

Filipino domestic workers may also call the Migrant Workers Office hotline at 6345 9324.

In addition, the HK government’s hotline 18111 can provide support for residents with mental health needs.

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Tulfo looks into OFW suicides on surprise visit to HK

 

MWO officers and staff greet Tulfo at their office, despite it being a holiday

A recurrence of overseas Filipino workers committing or attempting suicide topped the list of concerns that Senator Raffy Tulfo brought to the attention of officials of the Migrant Workers Office and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration during a surprise visit to Hong Kong this weekend.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Senator Raffy Tulfo who heads the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers said he will call for a hearing into the problem on his return to the Philippines.

The senator said that in his talk with OFW Mirma Miguel on a chance encounter in Hong Kong she told him how bothered she was by the growing number of her fellow OFWs taking their own lives, mostly over financial problems.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Miguel must have been referring to the death of a longtime OFW who slashed her wrists, then hanged herself in her employer’s house in Discovery Bay last Wednesday. Another OFW also cut her wrists and overdosed on medicines nine days earlier, but survived. Both left suicide notes citing money problems as the reason.

Tulfo's interest was piqued after talking with Miguel, a HK OFW

Senator Tulfo said he immediately called up Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac for an update, and got the following statistics: six OFWs committed suicide in 2023; five in 2024; and one in the first four months of this year.

The SUN’s own records showed that at least three of the cases last year involved OFWs hanging themselves, while one had downed bleach.

In 2023, the spike in suicides reflected the overall rise of such cases in Hong Kong, which non-government organization Samaritan Befrienders said was the highest since 2007. A total number of 1,080 people took their lives that year, meaning14.73 out of 100,000 people in Hong Kong.

Cacdac reportedly told Tulfo that MWO has extended all possible help to OFWs in distress, with OWWA setting up a hotline, +852 63459324, to respond to their concerns.

Basahin ang detalye!

OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio, on the other hand, admitted to not having enough people to attend to those who call up the hotline.

During talks this afternoon at the MWO and OWWA offices in Hong Kong, Welfare Officer Marilou Sumalinog said they had briefed Tulfo on their “intervention” efforts, such as providing financial literacy and other trainings to OFWs.

Sumalinog (in brown) joins meeting with Tulfo

Sumalinog said they also brought up the proposal to mandate check-ups every six months for OFWs in Hong Kong, similar to what Singapore requires.

Apart from Sumalinog, MWO officers Tony Villafuerte and Angel Sunga were also present during the brief meeting with Tulfo, which was held despite the Consulate being closed for the Easter Sunday holiday.

Also discussed during the meeting was the ongoing overseas voting in Hong Kong, and the OFW Global Centre, a lounge and activity center for OFWs which is the first to be set up outside of the Philippines.

Afterwards, Tulfo was seen being mobbed by Filipinos as he walked through Chater Road, the OFWs’ favorite hangout in Hong Kong.

Payment for traffic accident deaths to be raised

 

Runaway car that left one dead in 2021 (File)

The government intends to increase the amount to be paid to the families of those who die in traffic accidents, as required under the Fatal Accidents Ordinance.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam has given notice to the Legislative Council (LegCo) that he will move a resolution at the LegCo sitting on May 14 to increase the statutory sum to be awarded as damages for bereavement (bereavement sum) to $253,500.

Since the enactment of the Ordinance uin 1986, the bereavement sum has been adjusted in 1991, 1997, 2018, 2020 and 2023. The current sum is set at $242,500.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The Government is committed to reviewing the bereavement sum biennially to reflect inflation. The proposed increase reflects the inflation experienced over the period from 2022 to 2024 by making reference to the Consumer Price Index (A), accoding to a spokesman for the Department of Justice.

The spokesman said the ordinance allows an action for damages to be brought against a person for the benefit of the dependants of the deceased for that person's wrongful act, neglect or default which has caused the death.

Basahin ang detalye!

The LegCo Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services, the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers have been informed of the outcome of the present biennial review and the Government's intention to make the proposed adjustments by making reference to the Consumer Price Index (A).

Filcom leader says OV flaws could lead to voters staying away

Eman Villanueva being interviewed on Bilyonaryo Channel's  'On Point' 

Longtime Filipino community leader in Hong Kong, Eman Villanueva has warned that voters frustrated with the difficulty of navigating the new online voting system for Filipinos could lead to massive disenfranchisement.

Villanueva, who chairs Bayan Hong Kong and Macau, said in an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel on Wednesday that while, as a relatively techie person he managed to finish voting in less than five minutes, he knew of many other voters who experienced difficulty in the initial step, which is the enrolment process.

“Mabilis na mag expire yong enrollment page, expired na bago mo mai-type ang OTP. Depende din sa gamit na devices, iba-iba ang experience ng pag capture ng passport and yong face recognition. Marami akong nakausap na it took them several tries bago naging successful,” he told The SUN in greater detail.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

(The enrollment page expires easily. Often it expires even before you finish typing your OTP <one time password>. It could also depend on the kind of device used by the voter, their experience varies in terms of passport capture or face recognition. I have spoken with quite a number of people who had to try a couple of times before they succeeded in doing this).

This was echoed by Marites Palma, founder of Social Justice for Migrant Workers, in the same interview. She said it took her four tries before she managed to put in the required OTP because she was using a single device and had to switch pages to complete the process.

But she said she was still happier with online voting as she did not have to queue up for hours at the lone voting center in Hong Kong just to cast her ballot.

Marites Palma with 'On Point' host Gerg Cahiles

However, she acknowledged that many other registered voters are not keen to vote, having heard that they still needed to enroll by verifying their identity before they could get on to the ballot page.

She said that her group no longer bothers to try to convince these naysayers to change their minds and instead focus on those who are willing to vote but need help in navigating the new system.

 A pamphlet from the Consulate which provides a step-by-step guide to online voting has helped made this task easier, she said.

Basahin ang detalye!

Villanueva said the “serious” lack of active information dissemination and coordination with Filipino community groups has also prevented many voters from realizing that they can no longer vote manually this year, or that they need to pre-enroll to be able to vote.

“If this will not change, expect a massive disenchantment among overseas Filipino voters,” said Villanueva. “If these issues are not resolved, they could result in the failure of overseas voting this election.”

But John Rex Laudiangco, spokesman for the Commission on Elections, said a little inconvenience should not deter Filipinos from taking part in the ongoing overseas voting.

“Huwag naman sanang sumuko. Huwag naman sanang kapag nahirapan ay disenfranchisement (ang sinasabi). Bakit? Maari namang humingi ng tulong. Ang ating mga embahada, ang mga konsulada ay nakahandang tumulong…”

(Please don’t give up. Please don’t say there will be disenfranchisement just because you encounter some difficulty. Why? You can just ask for help. We have embassies or consulates that are willing to help).

John Laudiangco joined the show online

Laudiangco told online voters they can go to the Philippine consulate or embassy nearest them if they need help enrolling, or with casting their votes. All overseas posts are also equipped with gadgets that voters can use if necessary.

Of the nearly one million Filipinos abroad who are registered to vote online, 69,000 have enrolled so far, said Laudiangco. He assured that the system that is in place could accommodate a last-minute surge in enrolment and voting, as what usually happens with overseas voters.

Online overseas voting began on Apr 13 and will last until 7pm on May 12. Enrolment will, however, end on May 7.

Filipinos in Hong Kong who need help in enrolling as overseas voters may go to the OV wing of the OFW Global Centre on the 18th floor of United Centre building in Admiralty, on any day, including Sundays and public holidays, from 9am to 4pm.

 

Pinay posing as DH gets 4 months’ jail

 

The case was heard at Shatin Court

A Filipina has just realized how serious an offense lying to an Immigration officer is in Hong Kong.

M. David, 32, was jailed for four months Thursday (April 17) after pleading guilty at Shatin Court to a charge of “making a false representation to an Immigration officer lawfully acting under or in the execution of Part III of the Immigration Ordinance.”

Basahin ang detalye!

The offense is punishable under section 42(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance.

She was brought to court as a result of lying to an Immigration officer on Oct. 2, 2023 when she was applying for an extensuon of stay, that she would work for a local resident as a domestic helper, “knowing the same to be false or not believing the same to be true.”

Pinay’s theft case elevated to DC

 

 Kwun Tong Court

The Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Court has elevated to the District Court a theft case involving a Filipina domestic helper after prosecutors submitted an amended list of items she is accused of stealing from her employer.

Jennifer Ducusin, 40 years old, was remanded in jail after Magistrate  Pang Leung-ting adjouned the case to May 6.

Ducusin was originally charged with stealing $772,161 worth of items and $2,500 Chinese yuan in cash on Nov. 5 last year at her employer’s residence at Green Park, Sai Kung, in violation of section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.

Basahin ang detalye!

Information filed by Tseung Kwan O Police included the following allegedly stolen items in the oiginal list: three necklaces, 17 rings, five pairs of earrings, eight bracelets, three gold chains, one gold coin, two gold ingots, three pendants, two watches, one handbag, one scarf, one shawl, one ivory scale and 2,500 yuans in cash.

The amended charge listed the following: two bracelets, 17 rings, three necklaces, one necklace with pendant, five pairs of earrings, one pendant, three coins, nine wrist chains, two scarves, one handbag, two watches, one scale and 2,500 yuans in cash.

10 people arrested for illegal work, overstaying

 

5 women, 5 men were arrested in the anti-illegal work operations

Three consecutive days of anti-illegal work operations have resulted in 10 people being arrested across Hong Kong.

A statement released by the Immigration Department today said eight of those arrested were suspected of doing illegal work while two were found to have overstayed their visas.

The suspected illegal workers comprised four men and four women, aged 29 to 55. The arrested overstayers were a man aged 46 and a woman aged 49.

The operations, part of which were carried out jointly with the Hong Kong Police, were conducted from Apr 14 to yesterday, Apr 16.

Basahin ang detalye!

In the first phase, 17  locations were targeted, including commercial buildings, residential buildings and restaurants. Enforcers arrested two suspected illegal workers, both women.

In separate operations 55 locations in Central, Eastern and Western districts were raided. Those arrested were six illegal workers comprising four men and two women, as well as the two overstayers.

Immigration again warned that illegal work is a serious offence in Hong Kong, for which custodial sentence is prescribed.

Visitors are not allowed to take up any work, whether paid or unpaid. Violators can be jailed for up to two years and fined a maximum of $50,000.

Recognizance paper holders or asylum seekers, illegal immigrants and overstayers who are found to be working illegally face a maximum of three years in prison and $50,000 fine.

In addition, an immigrant found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment can be issued with an outright deportation order by the Chief Executive as stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance.

Employers face more severe penalty, with up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $500,000.

Filipina slashes wrists, then hangs self over debt problems

 

The Filipina was found dead inside her room at her employer's flat in Discovery Bay

by Daisy CL Mandap

A 44-year-old Filipina domestic helper was found dead inside her room in her employer’s Discovery Bay flat, after apparently hanging herself with a long piece of fabric.

The Filipina, who was reportedly single, was also found to have slit her wrists earlier.

Police said a suicide note was found near her body, but the exact cause of death has yet to be investigated.

Basahin ang detalye!

Initial investigations reportedly revealed she had been struggling with money problems.

Police records show the employer had called them at about 7:30pm Wednesday, saying the helper was found injured in their flat at Seahorse Lane at Discovery Bay Phase 1.

But rescuers who rushed to the unit pronounced the Filipina dead on site.

The Migrant Workers Office of the Philippine Consulate confirmed the reported suicide, and said they had already contacted the victim’s family in the Philippines.

The sorry incident comes just nine days after another Filipina domestic helper cut her wrists and overdosed on medicines in an attempt to kill herself inside her employer’s flat in Wu Kai Sha.

The 33-year-old Filipina who survived the suicide attempt, had left a note indicating financial problems.

One of her neighbors said the helper had been despondent because a friend for whom she had borrowed a large sum had stopped communicating with her.

Anyone with suicidal thoughts or undergoing depression could call any of the following hotlines, at any time of the day:

The Samaritans at 2896 0000,  the Suicide Prevention Services at 2382 0000, The Care Health Project at 2827 2525 or CEASE Crisis Centre of Tung Wah Groups of Hospitals at 18281.

Filipino domestic workers may also call the Migrant Workers Office hotline at 6345 9324 or the Mission for Migrant Workers at 9529 2326.

In addition, the HK government’s hotline 18111 can provide support for residents with mental health needs.

 

Pinay to appeal 10-week sentence for theft

 

Place where alleged theft happened (Google Maps photo)

by Leo A. Deocadiz

A Filipina was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail today for theft after an Eastern Court magistrate rejected her defense that she actually owned the gold ring and gold necklace worth $1,000 in total that she was alleged to have stolen from her employer.

But Lilibeth Fabros, 51 years old, indicated through her duty lawyer that she would appeal the decision to the High Court, on the ground that Magistrate Frances Leung did not give proper weight to her testimony.

The lawyer explained that Magistrate Leung instead gave more weight to the testimony of her alleged victim, Linda Chan, who claimed ownership of the two items but testified that the last time she saw them was in 1982 or 43 years ago.

Basahin ang detalye!

Fabros is accused of stealing the ring and necklace from her employer at the latter’s flat in Dragon Garden, Tai Hang, on Nov. 15, 2021.

In the trial, Chan testified for the prosecution, along with a policeman and the owner of a pawnshop in North Point, where the two items were recovered by police.

“Her evidence is direct and fair. She has told us when and where she put her jewelry,” Magistrate Leung said in her ruling. “I cannot imagine why she would invent a story.”

She also found the two other witnesses honest and reliable.

On the other hand, Leung said she does not believe that Fabros was telling the truth when she claimed that she bought the two items at a bargain from a Filipino reseller in Central, packed in a resealable plastic bag, and had no receipt.

She noted that Fabros, who had a salary of $5,200 a month, testified that she was in financial difficulty at that time and could not explain during the trial how she could afford such a purchase.

With the appeal, Miss Leung allowed Fabros to post a bail of $4,000, with conditions such as to stay in Hong Kong while the case is pending, report to police regularly, stay in her present address and notify police in advance if she is moving to a new address.

Filipino gets life for killing his domestic-helper girlfriend

 By Daisy CL Mandap

 

Quiabang during happier times in Hong Kong

A lover’s quarrel that turned violent today led to the conviction for murder of a Filipino domestic helper over the killing of his domestic helper-girlfriend, also a Filipino, more than three years ago.

In imposing the mandatory life sentence on 45-year-old Bernie Macatangay Valencia, High Court Judge William Tam said the seven-man jury who voted 6-1 for conviction must have decided that the defendant had intent to kill when he assaulted his girlfriend, Ivy Villaluz-Quiabang, on the night of Dec. 22, 2021.

Quiabang lost consciousness on that night, but was not taken to hospital until more than 24 hours later.

Despite undergoing brain surgery she never regained consciousness, and was declared dead on Jan. 2, 2022.

Basahin ang detalye!

“Your vicious attack on her resulted to traumatic injuries that led to her death,” Judge Lam told Valencia. 

Valencia had earlier told the court that he did not want to plead guilty to murder but only to manslaughter. 

He admitted repeatedly punching Quiabang, then 37, but did not intend to kill her.

On hearing the verdict, Valencia looked momentarily shocked, but was otherwise calm. 

His elder sister, Susan, who was in court, was the one who broke down and cried out to him in anguish after the judge ordered a few minutes’ break so defense counsel Michael Arthur could confer with him.

Susan had earlier told the court it was she who had stopped her brother from taking the unconscious Quiabang to the hospital, saying doctors there might say she had Covid-19 and "would ask a lot of questions."

It was only after two of Valencia’s male friends checked in on them that police were called at about 9:20 pm on Dec. 23, 2021.

Following today’s verdict, Arthur said he had nothing to say in mitigation as there was only one sentence prescribed for the crime of murder. 

After conferring with his client, Arthur said Valencia did not want to address the court. 

Arthur did give a brief background on Valencia’s personal details, saying the Filipino had secondary-level education, and first came to Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper from 2016 to 2020. He has seven children.

In September 2021 he returned to Hong Kong again for work, but was dismissed a month after. As it was the height of the pandemic he managed to stay on to look for work, and lived with Quiabang in a subdivided flat on Stone Nullah Lane in Wanchai.

Prosecutor Human Lam told the jury earlier that Valencia who had a wife in the Philippines, developed a romantic relationship with Quiabang after they met at an outing in 2017 or 2018.

Arthur had suggested that Quiabang often got jealous after getting drunk. But this was disproved by a friend of Quiabang who told the court the deceased had bonded with Valencia through drinking but never became violent while drunk.

According to the evidence, Valencia and Quiabang had attended a Christmas party together on the night of the incident.  They were initially in good spirits but after they both consumed alcohol they started to fight, so friends asked them to leave.

One witness said during trial that Quiabang got upset when she saw Valencia offering an e-cigarette to another woman, and this led to a heated argument between the two. 

Valencia hit Quiabang on the face, so she left and proceeded to their rented room in Wanchai.

At about 8:45 that night, Valencia went home, and a neighbor testified hearing him demand from Quiabang why she had left the party without him. 

The fight ended with Valencia punching the victim repeatedly in the head, causing extensive injuries and rendering her unconscious. She was also later found to have bruises on her limbs and other parts of the body.

Despite this, Valencia did not seek medical help for her, even though her condition had worsened that she was unable to get up or eat. She also became incontinent.

The couple lived in a subdivided flat on this street in Wan Chai

A neuro surgeon who testified for the prosecution said Quiabang’s brain had swelled from the repeated and forceful punching, that she would not have likely survived even if she was taken to the hospital earlier.

However, her condition had gotten a lot worse from the delay that she stood no chance of recovering.

During questioning by the police, Valencia insisted his girlfriend had slipped in the bathroom, which caused the injuries to her face and limbs. 

Quiabang was already in a coma when she was rushed to Ruttonjee Hospital, and later moved to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital after she was found to have suffered a brain hemorrhage.

She was immediately operated on but never regained consciousness. The single mother of two teenagers passed on at 7:52 am on Jan. 2, 2022, the day she was supposed to move in with a new employer.

EOC thanks community partners in advancing race equality in HK

By The SUN

Secretary Erick Tsang joins EOC officers led by Chairperson Linda Lam at the event

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) hosted an appreciation ceremony on Saturday, Apr 12, for about 100 community stakeholders who have helped advance racial equality in Hong Kong.

The event held at Eaton Hotel in Jordan commemorated both the 2025 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Race Discrimination Ordinance (RDO).

As a token of its appreciation, the EOC presented plaques to the guests from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities, representing 80 non-government organizations serving various ethnic groups and migrant domestic workers.

The community leaders honored at the gathering and their hosts (EOC photo)

Among them were a number of Filipino community leaders, including Cynthia Tellez of the Migrant Workers, Lito Castillo of the Hong Kong Musicians Union and Daisy CL Mandap of The SUN.

“Today we are all gathered here, in this room, to acknowledge those individuals and organizations who have worked tirelessly over the years for people from Hong Kong’s less represented communities by empowering them, educating them and giving them visibility,” said EOC chairperson Linda Lam.

“The EOC’s work would not have been possible without the collaboration and support of frontline organizations and community leaders.”

Basahin ang detalye!

Lam officiated the event’s opening ceremony along with Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang, who spoke of the government’s own effort to ensure people from various ethnic backgrounds enjoy equal opportunities, including within the civil service.

“First and foremost, the government leads by example. As the largest employer in Hong Kong, the civil service has strived to enhance employment opportunities for ethnic minorities; over fifty civil service grades have reviewed and adjusted their Chinese-language proficiency requirements to give more opportunities to non-ethnic Chinese applicants to join the civil service,” he said.

A big 'thank you' flashes after VIP guests pressed the screen

“The government also strives to promote equal opportunities in the private sectors and the community. All these underline the government’s commitment to building an equal, inclusive, and harmonious society."

Both officials lauded the implementation of the RDO 15 years ago, with Lam saying it “significantly transformed the racial equality landscape in Hong Kong” and gave it the distinction of being one of a few places in Asia with an anti-discrimination legislation.

She added, “The anti-discrimination protections have positioned Hong Kong well in international exchange and collaboration and in the integration into the broader national development.”

The event closed with a networking among guests.

7 months’ jail for DH who had been in HK for 35 years

 

by Leo A. Deocadiz

A Filipina who has worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong for 35 years finally understood how she got involved in a $533,000 money-laundering case, to which she pleaded guilty last April 1 and for which she was sentenced today to seven months’ imprisonment.

Susana Echevaria, 57 years old, told the Eastern Court principal magistrate, Don So, in the earlier hearing that she did not know why she was charged on two counts of “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable crime,” in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

In response, Magistrate So put off her sentencing and ordered a background check to find out how her two bank accounts ended up being used for laundering a total of $533,000.

Basahin ang detalye!

Her defense lawyer, in mitigation, sought leniency, noting that in her 35 years in Hong Kong, she had managed to have a clean record, providing for her family and elderly parents.

He explained in today’s hearing that her Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. and Hang Seng Bank accounts became involved in money laundering when she obtained a loan of $10,000 and was required to leave her ATM cards and PIN as collaterals.

Her HSBC account subsequently ended up receiving $413,000.21 in deposits of crime money that became “clean” money when withdrawn between the 16th and 29th of August 2019, for which she was sentenced to seven months in prison.

She was sentenced to six months fo the second charge, in which her Hang Seng Bank account had deposits and withdrawals totalling  $120,000 between the 4th and 13th of September 2019.

But since Magistate So ordered that the two sentences run at the same tine, the total sentence was seven months.

Comelec rejects allegations of fraud in online voting

 

The page that caused the ruckus

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disputed claims made on social media by several overseas Filipino voters that the ongoing internet-based voting is rigged as a review of the ballots they cast showed names of candidates they did not vote for.

Many of the complainants showed as proof screen shots of a box with jumbled letters and numbers underneath the sign “This is your ballot content”. A few names of actual candidates in the 2025 mid-term elections showed up amid the mostly unreadable content. 

The page is accessed through a QR code given to them after they cast their ballot.

Basahin ang detalye!

One of the complainants, Jefferson Bonoan, a Filipino worker based in Singapore, posted on his Facebook account screenshots of the ballot he cast on Monday, and the contents of the landing page of the QR code sent him.

While the screen shot of his ballot showed him voting for 10 candidates of the PDP-Laban party and two from the administration’s slate, his scanned QR code revealed names of those he did not vote for, including Manny Pacquiao of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and Mimi Doringo of Makabayan.

Other voters in South Korea and United Arab Emirates who publicly declared voting for senatorial candidates endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte made the same allegation.

The posts prompted widespread calls by other overseas Filipinos for their cast ballots to show the actual names of candidates they voted for.

Garcia explains the apparent glitch to reporters

But in a talk with reporters on Monday, the second day of internet voting, Comelec Chair George Garcia said the full lineup of candidates chosen can be viewed and reviewed by the voter before the vote is cast. This will disappear once the “cast” button is pressed to prevent vote-buying.

 “Hindi namin talaga ibibigay ang mga pangalan (ng mga binoto) pagkatapos mai-cast kasi pwedeng gamitin sa vote buying,” Garcia said. (We really cannot give the names of the candidates chosen after the ballot is cast because this can be used for vote buying).

He explained that the random letters and numbers, and names of candidates that show up after the QR code is scanned is a security feature of the system, and does not reflect the actual ballot that was cast.

“Once these encrypted codes are translated into human-readable language after the end of election hours on May 12, that’s when they will confirm that the votes they cast are for the correct candidates. This is our way to secure your votes,” he pointed out.

Comelec, he said, is the only one with the capability to translate the encrypted script on QR codes to reveal the actual votes cast.

He assured the public that the internet voting system is “verifiable and auditable” and was rigorously checked before poll watchers National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and other stakeholders.

Garcis lamented that there appeared to be an effort by some Filipinos to spread misinformation to discredit online voting.

Some technology experts, however, laid the blame squarely on the Comelec for the confusion that resulted from the unreadable script which was supposed to contain the ballot that was cast by the voter.

“That kind of information is not meant for end users or the general public but for IT developers,” said an expert.

“They should have thought of masking the information and turning it into something more understandable for everyone, without comprising the security of the vote as they mentioned,” said the expert.

Another who posted online said the code did not appear to be fully encrypted because it showed the full names of some candidates. In any case, he and several other IT practitioners said the encryption process should have been done in the back end, so nothing would be visible to the public for data privacy and security.

Overseas voting for Filipinos will run for 30 days until 7 p.m. on May 12 Manila time, which coincides with the closing of the day-long election in the Philippines.