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| Vallespin |
This warning was made by the Consulate and a community leader after a second Filipina maid was arrested within a span of three months for taking delivery of dangerous drugs sent as gifts by their foreigner boyfriends.
On Sept 26, Welva Gannaban was arrested by Customs and police officers posing as postmen in her employer’s home in North Point after she signed a delivery receipt for an air parcel from Addis Ababa.
The package, purportedly a present posted by the maid’s Nigerian boyfriend from the Ethiopian capital, was found to contain 650 grams of suspected cocaine. Gannaban was charged with drug trafficking in Tsuen Wan court on Sept 30.
Vice Consul Alex Vallespin, head of the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section, warned Filipinas in Hong Kong to beware of this new modus by international drug rings who use unsuspecting domestic workers as drug mules.
Vallespin said: “It’s the same modus – they meet online, become friends, get into an online relationship and then, all of a sudden, the man says: ‘I have a present for you’.”
So, Gannaban came running when a Customs officer disguised as a postman rang the bell at her employer’s flat. When the officer asked her if she was the addressee, she replied: “Yes, that’s me. I’m expecting that package.”
As soon as she signed the receipt, other officers emerged in the corridor, handcuffed her and took her into custody.
Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of the Mission for Migrant Women, said the workers should be wary of crime syndicates that exploit their weakness in many ways.
“Siguro malaking babala rin para sa mga kababayan natin. Sinasamantala nila (mga sindikato) ang mga kahinaan ng ating mga migrants para magamit nila,” Tellez said.
“Panawagan din sa mga kababayan natin na maging maingat sa ganoon, maraming paraan. At kapag umabot na sa ganyang mga ipadadala, naku, mag-ingat kayo. Huwag na kayong magharimunan.
Huwag kayong masyadong ma-excite kasi baka ito ay hindi maganda ang kalalabasan. Wala kayong kawala. Imagine it will cost you the rest of your life,” Tellez said.
Vallespin warned Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong not to be too trusting especially with friends they meet online.
He cited the case of the Filipina arrested in June, a single mother who was actively searching for a foreign boyfriend online because her sister had successfully found and married one.
The woman fell for a Nigerian man she met online and they “eyeballed” in Wanchai a few days before the arrival of the package.
Delivery day came and the woman eagerly signed a receipt for the parcel allegedly sent from Brazil by her boyfriend. As in the other case, the gift turned out to be illicit drugs. She was arrested and would appear in Tsuen Wan Court on Oct 20 for the resumption of her case’s hearing.
The latest foiled incident involving the use of the postal system to smuggle dangerous drugs into Hong Kong was the fourth this year, and the second time that a Filipina helper was involved.
Vallespin said he plans to include in his talks at post-arrival orientation seminars at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office a warning to newly arrived Filipinas about getting involved in online relationships.
“Ang sinasabi ko nga, kakilala mo na, Pilipino, lolokohin ka pa. What more kung ito. At Nigerian, laging may drugs na involved kapag sila, eh,” he said.
He said there is nothing wrong for Filipinas to look for boyfriends online for a lasting relationship or for fun, but they need to be extra careful.
“Sa mga kababayan natin, hindi namin kayo pinipigilan na tigilan yung mga online source nyo for whatever, whether for relationship or just friendship. Pero mag-ingat po tayo pag sinabing ‘padadalahan ko kayo ng regalo’, lalo na kapag through courier service,” Vallespin said.
“Kasi walang sabit yung nagpadala, eh. Of course, they can use a bogus or non-existent address. Ang madadale diyan yung kababayan natin na nagpadala ng address,” he added.
He said the two incidents had already been reported to the Foreign Office in Manila for appropriate action.
