Pinay gets 9 months’ jail for $312K money laundering

 

A Filipina was jailed for nine months after she pleaded guilty to money laundering just before her trial began today at Eastern Court.

Imelda Maqueda, 55 years old, had earlier denied handling $312,497.50, representing proceeds from a love scam, in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

Deputy Magistrate Chung Wing-sze said the money was part of the $2.4 million extracted from a local woman by a man she had met on Facebook and managed to manipulate her into transfering various amounts to Maqueda’s Hang Seng Bank account.

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That money was then taken in 25 withdrawals from Maqueda’s account between Dec. 17, 2020 and Jan. 8, 2021, through her ATM card that she said she had lent to a friend’s friend as a favor.

Magistrate Chung said she believed Maqueda’s claim that she did not financially benefit from the laundering of crime money, but noted that in a police interview after her arrest, she claimed that he had lost her ATM card and did not report the loss.

She credited Maqueda for the fact there was no evidence she knew her account was being used for money laundering and that the crime money did not reach international banking channels.

In sentencing, Chung chose 12 months as starting point but gave a one-fourth - instead of the full one-third -- discount for Maqeda’s guilty plea, for a total sentence of nine months.

Since she had been in detention since her arrest in her employer’s house eight months ago, Maqueda would be out of jail soon after good behavior and holidays are taken into account.

Maqueda arrived in Hong Kong in 2003 to work as a domestic helper. She is separated from her husband, and has raised four children who are now adults.

Flights in and out of HK to return to normal by tomorrow

 

Passengers swamped HK Airport with the departure of Typhoon Wipha (RTHK)

The Hong Kong Airport Authority has rushed to clear a backlog of flights that were cancelled or delayed in the wake of the onslaught of Typhoon Wipha, which caused the hoisting of T10 for about seven hours yesterday.

An estimated 100,000 passengers on 500 flights were affected by the disruptions, and a big number of them had started trooping to the airport since yesterday afternoon when the alert level was lowered to T8, then T3.

Many others decided to take their luck, and ended up getting stranded at the airport from two to three days.

The Airport Authority said it expected a total of 1,076 flights to arrive and depart Hong Kong within today, Monday.

The Authority added its operations have returned to normal, aided by the flight rescheduling system it is using to help get stranded passengers get on their planes.

It said earlier that more than 230 flights departed and arrived between last night and this morning after Wipha left Hong Kong and is reported to be heading to Vietnam.

Passengers anxiously scan the flight board to check their new departure time

While all typhoon signals were cleared early this morning, Hong Kong will still experience heavy and intermittent rain with squally thunderstorms over the next few days under the influence of the outer rainbands of Wipha.

The typhoon, which was given a Thai woman’s name meaning “splendor” or “radiance,” was the first to cause the hoisting of T10 in the past two years, and only the fifth in the past two decades.

While it toppled more than 700 trees and caused a number of people to seek treatment at hospitals, Wipha’s average wind speed of 140 km/hr was among the lowest in its category.

Renowned meteorologist Leung Wing-mo said Hong Kong is simply "lucky" as it experienced relatively minimal damage compared to past storms under the T10 Typhoon signal, as he noted that the situation would have been entirely different if Wipha's path had been 10 kilometers further north.

An expert meteorologist told the press today that it was just lucky that Wipha’s eyewall was nearer south Cheung Chau than the urban areas. If it veered just 10 kilometers north, more areas across the city would have experience hurricane or near-hurricane force winds.

Another lucky event was that the typhoon came closest to Hong Kong at midday, when the tide was receding, otherwise it could have caused storm surges, which could be devastating.

 

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Pacquiao draws with WBC champion in comeback fight

 

Pacquiao scores in this screengrab of televised fight 

Manny Pacquiao today came out of a four-year retirement and held WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a majority draw, in a fight that critics said should have given him another page in boxing history.

Two other Filipinos scored victories in the card. Super featherweight Mark Magsayo defeated Jorge Mata Cuellar of Mexico by unanimous decision (100-90, 100-90, 98-92) while Middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial beat American Bernard Joseph by 3rd-round technical knockout.

"I thought I won the fight," Pacquiao said in a post-fight interview.

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The crowds who watched at the MGM Grand arena in Las Vegas agreed with him, as they booed when the results were announced; the first judge scored it 115-113 for Barrios while the other judges had it at 114-114.

The draw, which enabled Barrios to retain his World Boxing Council title, denied Pacquiao’s bid to be the first fighter ever to capture a major world title after being inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, which took place last June in recognition of his being champion in eight divisions.

The scorecards, however, showed that Pacquiao, 46 years old, was leading until Round 9, landing more heavy blows in exchange for 30-year-old Barrios’ mostly jabs, before the latter stepped up his aggression just enough to catch up on the last round.

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Pacquiao landed 101 of his 577 punches (17.5%) compared to Barrios' 120 from 658 (18.2%). However, Pacquiao landed 81 power punches against Barrios' 75.

He said he wants a rematch, to which Barrios replied, ”I’d love to do it again.”

But Pacquiao’s team also held out for the possibility of fighting bigger names, such as Gervonta “Tank” Davis, WBA welterweight champion Rolando Romero and Floyd Mayweather.

"If Mayweather comes out of retirement and signs the contract, we'll fight," he said.

In their 2015 fight, Mayweather won via unanimous decision to unify the WBC, WBA and World Boxing Organization welterweight titles.

T8 to be lowered to T3 at 7:40pm

 

The Observatory gave regular updates on the typhoon throughout the day

Hong Kong has avoided a direct hit from Typhoon Wipha, which caused Hurricane Signal No 10 to be raised at 9:20am today, and lasted for nearly seven hours before being replaced by T8 at 4:10pm.

According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the signal will be further lowered to T3 at 7:40pm today, as Wipha moves further away from the territory.

During its passage, it felled a total of 471 trees, most of which were reported to the Fire Services Department as of 4pm.

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At about the same time, a total of 26 people – 16 males and 10 females – have sought medical treatment at the accident and emergency departments at various public hospitals.

Another 253 people have sought refuge at 34 temporary shelters set up by the Home Affairs Department.

The No 10 signal, the highest-level warning, means that winds with mean speeds of 118km/h or more are expected.

 

The last No 10 signal was during Super Typhoon Saola in 2023, with the storm causing 86 injuries, landslides and thousands of trees to fall.

 

The strong winds toppled potted plants and scatttered debris at many gardens across HK

At 6 p.m., Typhoon Wipha was centred about 160 kilometres west-southwest of Hong Kong and is forecast to move west at about 22 kilometres per hour, skirting the vicinity of the coast of western Guangdong.

The Observatory said winds are progressively getting weaker, but gale to storm force southeasterly

The forecaster said local winds are weakening progressively, but gale to storm force southeasterly winds are still affecting parts of the territory occasionally. 

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Everyone is urged to remain alert and to stay away from the shoreline, an advice that a number of people of people seem to have disregarded, as shown on various video clips posted on Facebook.

 

T8 will be raised at 12:20am, higher signal likely

 

Wipha is expected to strengthen as it moves towards HK overnight

The Hong Kong Observatory says it will issue the T8 signal at 12:20am tomorrow, as Tropical Storm Wipha continues to pick up strength as it nears the territory.

It added it will consider a higher signal tomorrow morning if the storm gets closer to Hong Kong as it moves toward the vicinity of the Pearl River Delta.

“Depending on the distance between Wipha and Hong Kong, whether Wipha will further intensify into a typhoon and the change in local wind conditions, the Observatory will assess the need of issuing higher tropical cyclone warning signals [on Sunday] morning," said a spokesman for the observatory.

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The approaching storm has prompted several airlines to cancel flights, including Cathay Pacific which announced that all planes departing or arriving in Hong Kong between 5am and 6pm tomorrow, Sunday, will either be delayed or cancelled.

The airline advised passengers affected by the flight disruptions to avoid making phone inquiries and allow rebooking efforts to proceed first. Affected travelers will receive updates via SMS and email.

Another airline, EVA Air, also announced the cancellation of at least 20 flights to and from Taipei and Kaohsiung, which are on the storm’s path, between today and tomorrow.

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Wipha is expected to reach typhoon strength before hitting the coast of Guangdong overnight.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 101 kph (63mph) and gusts of up to 126 kph (78 mph) as it swept through south of Taiwan earlier today.

Before barreling through Taiwan, it caused massive flooding and landslides in many parts of the Philippines. Its strong winds toppled a billboard, which then crushed a parked truck in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

The Observatory said winds are expected to reach gale to storm force later tonight and early tomorrow, and the adverse weather will persist throughout the day tomorrow.

But it said the issuance of the higher tropical cyclone warnings would still depend on the distance between Wipha and Hong Kong.

Everyone is advised to stay away from the shoreline and avoid engaging in water sport as the seas would be rough with high swells.

Flooding may also occur in low-lying areas.

 

$2,000 fine for shoplifting

 

If, by any chance, you entertained the thought of shoplifting or shopping and then leaving the store without paying, a Filipina’s experience with its consequences should act as a deterrent.

Ethel Joy Mangila, 42 years old, not only lost her job as a domestic helper and has only until July 26 to return to the Philippines, but she also may not be able to return to Hong Kong to work as she now has a criminal conviction.

On top of that, Mangila was fined $2,000 after she was convicted of theft Friday at Kowloon City Court as a result of pleading guilty to shoplifting $540 worth of items from an Aeon store in Whampoa Garden in Hung Hom last June 12.

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She was charged with stealing four boxes of toothpaste, one pack of lipstick, two packs of lip balm, one makeup brush, two packs of snacks, two cans of sardines, one pack of digestive bar, one pack of digestive biscuit, one pack of cookies, one pack of sushi and one bottle of coffee.

A police complaint said a security guard at the store noticed her on CCTV picking items from shelves, putting them in her eco bag and then leaving the store without paying. She was intercepted outside the store and arrested by a responding police officer.

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In mitigation, her duty lawyer pleaded to Acting Principal Magistrate Peony Wong not to hand her a custodial sentence as she had no previous criminal records, the stolen items were for her own consumption, she was remorseful and that, as a result of the case, she had been terminated by her employer.

Magistrate Wong noted that Mangila has posted a $1,000 bail. She added another $1,000 as penalty, for a total fine of $2,000.

T8 likely to be raised within hours

 

Wipha is expected to strengthen as it moves towards HK overnight

The Hong Kong Observatory has issued the No 3 Strong Wind Signal, with plans to raise it further to No 8 between midnight and 2am as Tropical Storm Wipha nears Hong Kong.

The approaching storm has prompted several airlines to cancel flights, including Cathay Pacific which announced that all planes departing or arriving in Hong Kong between 5am and 6pm tomorrow, Sunday, will either be delayed or cancelled.

The airline advised passengers affected by the flight disruptions to avoid making phone inquiries and allow rebooking efforts to proceed first. Affected travelers will receive updates via SMS and email.

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Another airline, EVA Air, also announced the cancellation of at least 20 flights to and from Taipei and Kaohsiung, which are on the storm’s path, between today and tomorrow.

Wipha is expected to reach typhoon strength before hitting the coast of Guangdong overnight.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 101 kph (63mph) and gusts of up to 126 kph (78 mph) as it swept through south of Taiwan earlier today.

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Before barreling through Taiwan, it caused massive flooding and landslides in many parts of the Philippines. Its strong winds toppled a billboard, which then crushed a parked truck in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

The Observatory said winds are expected to reach gale to storm force later tonight and early tomorrow, and the adverse weather will persist throughout the day tomorrow.

But it said the issuance of the higher tropical cyclone warnings would still depend on the distance between Wipha and Hong Kong.

Everyone is advised to stay away from the shoreline and avoid engaging in water sport as the seas would be rough with high swells.

Flooding may also occur in low-lying areas.

 

Filipino accused of trafficking in 9.7 kilos of drugs allowed bail

 

The drug trafficking and theft cases were both heard at District Court

A Filipino resident has convinced a District Court judge to allow him to post bail of $5,000 cash and an equal amount in surety pending the resolution of a drug trafficking charge against him, when he appeared for a hearing of his case yesterday, July 17.

Aster Leo Balucanag had been in jail since January last year after being charged with a more serious drug-related offence, but was cleared in March this year after the prosecution withdrew the charge.

But he remained in detention because of another case that also involves drugs.

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Balucanag, 39, is accused of trafficking in 9.703 kilos of cannabis in herbal form on Dec. 14, 2023, outside No 188 Lin Fa Tei, Yuen Long in the New Territories.

The case has been adjourned to Sept 23 this year for mention.

Meantime, Judge Justin Ko has allowed him to post bail after the defence lawyer said Balucanag was granted temporary liberty when he appeared in the magistracy over this offence. That time, his bail was set at $10,000 cash.

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This time, the defendant said he could only raise $5,000 cash for the bail, but his brother who works as a chef in Lan Kwai Fong was willing to act as surety on his own recognizance for another $5,000.

The defence lawyer also asked if it was possible to alter the bail condition as regards the surrender of the accused’s travel document, saying Balucanag had no passport.

He was said to possess a Philippine passport before, but the last time he used it was when he was eight years old, which means that even if it still exists, it would have already expired.

Judge Ko agreed, and required Balucanag to surrender a travel document if he had any, to reside at the address he gave the court, and report to the Yuen Long Police station everyday as part of his bail conditions.

In a separate hearing also at the District Court, a Filipina accused of stealing a number of valuables from her employer, including 38 pieces of jewelry, was returned to custody after her plea-taking was set for Jan 16 next year.

Jennifer H. Ducusin, is accused of stealing 2 bracelets, 17 rings, 3 necklaces, 1 necklace with pendant, 5 pairs of earrings, 1 pendant, 3 coins, 9 wrist chains, 2 scarves, 1 handbag, 2 watches, one scale and RNB2,5000 in cash from Cheung Yee Wah at Green Park in Sai Kung on Nov. 5, 2024.

At the earlier hearing of the case at Eastern Court, the value of the items she is alleged to have stolen was placed at $772,161, apart from the RMB2,500 cash.

Case of Filipina with 14 different names elevated to District Court

 

Scene of the alleged first offense (Google Maps photo)

Prosecutors dropped one of four criminal charges at Eastern Court today against two unemployed Filipinas, one of whom uses 14 different names and was subjected to a deportation order 37 years ago, but still applied for the elevation of their case to the District Court.

Jay-Ann Benlot, 30 years old, and Rebecca Quirante, 67 years old, were returned to jail by Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung to await their next hearing at the District Court on Aug. 7.

Quirante is also known by the following names: May P. Topacio, May R. Topacio, Rosalie S. Baltazar, Bessie A. Valle, Isabel A. Castro, Malon P. Gonzales, Malou P. Gonzales, Malous P. Gorizhles, Malou P. Gorizhles, Malon P. Gorizhles, Jaqueune Dayandante Moristo, Nelrie A. Monte, and Annabelle Paqueros Sugcang.

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Benlot and Quirante are accused of theft in the first charge, for allegedly stealing a wallet containing HK$2,000, 80 renminbi, Chinese travel and identity documents and four bank cards from a man who was inside the Brandy and Melville shop on the ground floor of Emperor Watch and Jewellery Centre in Causeway Bay on Nov. 10, 2024.

In the second charge, Quirante is accused of stealing one mobile phone while its owner was inside a shop on Cheung Sha Wan Road in Sham Shui Po on Nov, 14, 2024.

The third charge accuses Quirante of the serious offense of violating a deportation order issued on May 26, 1987, when she was arrested on  Nov. 15, 2024.

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This offense under Section 43 of the Immigration Ordinance, Cap. 115 occurs when a person who has been deported (or is subject to a deportation order) returns to Hong Kong in violation of the order. Such a breach is punishable with a maximum sentence of seven years in jail on an indictment.

Dropped from the case was a charge of theft agaisnt both of them, for allegedly stealing a wallet containing an Octopus card and $1,000 from a man who was inside Yoho Mall I on Long Yat Road in Yuen Long on Nov. 14, 2024. The prosecutor did not explain why the charge was withdrawn.

Filipinos applying for ESLS jobs urged to be cautious

 

Acting Labatt Tony Villafuerte with Vice Consul David Paje urges caution to jobseekers

Officers of the Philippine Consulate have warned Filipinos seeking employment under Hong Kong’s new labor import scheme for low-skilled workers to be very careful when dealing with agents or people offering such jobs.

The warning came as a number of employment agencies and individuals have begun advertising their services for foreign domestic helpers seeking to work as “office staff, waiter/waitress, bookkeeper, cashier, dishwasher,” etc.

One promoter said on a video that the jobs are available at a licensed recruitment agency in Central, while another agency in Sheung Wan merely promised to help process the job applications, indicating the jobseekers must look for possible employers themselves.

Commenting on these advertisements, Acting Labor Attache Tony Villafuerte said Filipinos who wish to be employed under Hong Kong’s Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) must first ensure that there is a job waiting for them.

 “The jobseekers must not pay the recruitment agency for the processing of the documents because the employers are supposed to do this,” said Villafuerte.

At most, he said that under Hong Kong’s labour laws they could be charged only 10% of their first monthly salary, which means they should have already secured the job before paying anything.

Villafuerte said the Labour Department has adopted strict measures to ensure that local workers are not displaced by those from overseas, like requiring them to undergo a four-week local recruitment exercise, which includes advertising the position in local newspapers.

Imported workers must also be paid at least the prevailing average monthly wages of comparable positions, and could be hired for no longer than 24 months in each application. Employers must also hire two fulltime staff for every imported worker, and must pay a levy for them.

Once the application is filed, it is vetted by first, the Labour Advisory Board and then the  government. The employer can proceed with applying for an employment visa once an approval for hiring the imported worker is issued.

This poster says FDWs can switch jobs under the ESLS but they must look for employers themselves

While the Hong Kong government says a total of 54,278 workers were allowed in under the ESLS as of March this year, Villafuerte says MWO records show that only 38 of them were Filipinos.

However, an employee of local company Hong Kong Aero Services Limited (HAESL) have told The SUN that about 600 Filipinos were hired by the company recently to work as aircraft mechanic. It appears the hiring was done directly by the company, including the filing of necessary paperwork with Immigration.

Villafuerte concedes this could be true, as the applications to hire foreign workers, including Filipinos, are directly filed with HK Immigration. It is only when the contracts are approved that they are forwarded to MWO for verification. And even this is often done only when the worker needs to go back to the Philippines for a vacation.

Pinay jailed 1 year for overstaying 27 years

 

Footbridge beside Worldwide House where Filipina was arrested (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina who has overstayed for 27 years after she was terminated from her work as a domestic helper in 1996, was jailed for 12 months yesterday, July 16, after she pleaded guilty at Eastern Court.

Since Josephine Rescate, 63 years old, has been in jail for almost two years because the court has rejected her applications for bail in prevous hearings, she is expected to be formally released immediately and deported.

The hearing of her overstaying case had to be delayed after she requested that her application for non-refoulement, or against being sent back to the Philippines on account of claimed torture, be dealt with first.

Rescate was convicted of breach of condition of stay, in violation of section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance, for overstaying her visa since Sept. 29, 1996, or 14 days after she was terminated from her job as a domestic helper.

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Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung told her that she had overstayed for a substantial length of time and the sentence was net of the one-third discount she was entitled to for pleading guilty.

Rescate, who is an applicant for asylum as a torture claimant, has managed to remain underground until her arrest on Sept. 7, 2023 on the footbridge near Exit A of the Central MTR station and Worldwide House, during a routine police check.

PCG to provide half-day services on Saturday, July 26

 

Last month's meeting between Consulate officials and Bayan HK delegation on Saturday opening

For the first time ever, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong will provide consular services on a Saturday, in the wake of calls by various organizations led by United Filipinos-Migrante Hong Kong.

An announcement posted on the Consulate’s Facebook page says that the half-day services will be held next Saturday, July 26, from 9am to 12 noon on the 14^th and 29^th floor of United Centre building in Admiralty.

That means full services will be provided to Filipinos, including passport and notarial services on the 14^th floor, as well as contract verification and other labour-related services at the Migrant Workers Office on the 29^th floor of the building.

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Those who want to avail of the services are encouraged to pre-register at <bit.ly/HK_SCS> or by scanning the QR code.

Walk-ins will still be accommodated, but priority will be given to those who preregistered.

Please visit the link for more details:

https://hongkongpcg.dfa.gov.ph/saturday-consular-services

The announcement follows a meeting on June 24 between Consul General Romulo M. Israel and Bayan HK and Macau affiliate organizations like Unifil-Migrante and Gabriela HK, during which a number of issues were raised, including their request for a Saturday opening.

Their request was backed by signatures collected from several church organizations, including the Philippine Independent Church , Methodist International Church and the Filipino-Christian Community.

Congen Israel said the decision to offer Saturday services was in response to the clamor.

"It will be like the equivalent of an outreach service that we do in other Posts with much bigger areas of jurisdiction," he said in a text message to The SUN.

Unifil chair Dolores Balladares said her group welcomes Congen Israel's quick response to their plea for a Saturday opening, which she said was "long overdue."

But she added she hoped the Consulate would be open every Saturday, instead of just once a month, in line with their original request. 

The campaign proponents said most employers do not permit their domestic workers to get out of their houses unless it’s their day off, so those who can go out only on Saturdays are unable to get much-needed service from the PCG.

These services range from basic consular services such as legal advice to general enquiries and document processing such as contract verification.

During their meeting with Congen, the militant groups also asked for a regular Filipino community leaders’ meeting where non-migrant workers will also be invited; and for the permanent freeze on the mandatory collection of such government fees as memberships to PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and SSS.

Congen Israel responded positively to their suggestions, said the group representatives.

He was joined in the meeting by Vice Consul Alan Revote and Assistant Labor Attache Angelica Sunga.

 

Heavy rain, thunderstorm forecast for Sunday in HK

 

Latest aerial photo of East Kowloon captured by the HKO

A band of low pressure east of the Philippines is expected to develop into a tropical cyclone as it moves towards Luzon, and gradually intensify as it reaches Hong Kong on Sunday.

The Hong Kong Observatory said in its revised nine-day weather forecast issued today, Wednesday, that winds reaching force 8 gale force will be felt offshore and on high ground on Sunday and Monday.

The Observatory said strong winds, heavy showers and thunderstorms will be felt across Hong Kong and Guangdong’s coastline, and in northern South China. Seas will be rough with swells.

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The gale force wind will be felt offshore and on high ground, which is the lower threshold for the issuance of No. 8 typhoon signal.

However, the Observatory said uncertainties remain regarding the storm’s movement and intensity.

Tomorrow will be mainly fine with minimum temperature of about 29 degrees in the morning, rising to about 35 degrees in the urban areas and a couple of degrees higher in the New Territories. It will be extremely hot with isolated showers during the day.

High temperatures will persist with isolated showers and thunderstorms in the next couple of days. More showers later on Saturday.

Filipina in $2.75M money laundering case to go on trial

 

More than $2.75 million passed through Paculio's bank account in just 6 days

A Filipina who has been detained since late last year will have to wait for 11 more months before she goes on trial for a $2.75 million money laundering charge which she denies.

Charity Joy T. Paculio, 45 years old, appeared before District Court Judge Kwok Wai Kin today, July 15, after pleading not guilty to the offence. The judge set down her trial for six days, from June 8-15 next year.

Meanwhile, the judge ordered her returned to custody until her next court appearance.

Paculio, a domestic helper, had tried since November last year when she first appeared in the Eastern magistrate’s court to be allowed bail, but failed, even after offering $20,000 cash bond for her temporary release.

This means that she would have been in detention for close to two years when she goes on trial next year.

Paculio is accused of dealing with proceeds of crime through her Standard Chartered Bank account where deposits and withdrawals of a sum totaling $2,751,387.98 were made in just six days, from Feb. 22 to 28, 2023.

She denied having made any of the transactions in the bank account.

The charge, formally described under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance as “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence,” is punishable with a maximum jail term of 14 years, and fine of up to $5 million.

 

Filipina assaulted in video urged to surface

 

Screen grab of attack caught on viral video 

The Migrant Workers Office today urged the Filipina who was shown being assaulted in a video that has become viral on social media, to come out so proper assistance can be extended to her.

 “We need to identify her so we can get accurate information about the case,” acting Labor Attache Antonio R. Villafuerte said.

He promised his office will help her seek justice.

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The video shows the Filipina being hit three times with a handbag by a Chinese woman. She did not fight back, although she held on to the bag to stop the attack as she left the room.

OFW chat groups on Facebook suggested that the incident took place inside the clubhouse of a residential building.

The attacker was said to be the mother of a child who was admonished earlier by the Filipina for bullying her ward, but this could not be confirmed.

The date of the attack was not disclosed, although one video has a July 15 time stamp. 

Some Filipino community leaders who saw the video immediately sounded out Welfare Officer Marilou Sumalinog of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and she promised to alert the MWO about it. 

But she advised the leaders not to share the video, saying it could put the Filipina in trouble.

Unifil-Migrante marks 40th anniversary

 

Bayan president Renato Reyes jr. keynotes celebration

United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil)-Migrante celebrated its 40^th anniversary with a program that highlighted its accomplishments in its fight for the welfare of migrant workers in Hong Kong.

“In the last four decades, Unifil has fought against exploitation, abuse and attacks on our rights and welfare as migrant workers,” Unifil chairman Dolores Baladares Pelaez told the crowd of more than 300 representatives of member-organizations who gathered Sunday (July 13) at Eaton Hotel in Jordan.

She cited the group’s victories which have benefited migrant workers, including opening the Consulate on Sundays to serve migrant workers on their day off and the ban on window-cleaning.

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An audio-visual presentation elaborated on Unifil’s other gains, such as the “laglag-bala” scam that victimized OFWs at Philippine airports, illegal charges by employment agencies, opening of Balikbayan boxes by Philippine Customs and excessive exactions by government agencies such as Philhealth.

In his keynote address, Bayan Party president Renato Reyes Jr. underlined the role that Unifil-Migrante plays in the lives of migrant workers.

He said politicians who run the country have no idea what migrant workers are going through. “That is why we can only depend on our fellow migrants for genuine help when we need it,” he explined.

“We need Unifil because there we still have migrant workers, because the economic system in the Philippines has not been fixed, which has pushed Filipinos to work abroad,” he said.

Ramon Bultron, secretary general of Migrante International, urged members to learn from the experiences in the last 40 years because it is the key to real change, in their life not only in Hong Kong but especially in the Philippines.

Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of Mission for Migrant Workers, said she looks forward to the day when her organization as well as the Bethune House shelter for migrant workers in distress, wil not longer be needed because there are no more workers needing protection from abuse and unfair labor practices.

Allied organizations also took part in the celebration, by presenting songs, folk dances, a karate demonstration, a skit and a Balagtasan on the question of whether the country benefits better from its people working in the Philippines or abroad.