Come to us if your passport is held by the police, says PCG

 

More than 1,300 passports were turned over to PCG in 2019, after
a police bust on an illegal money lender 

The Philippine Consulate has called on all Filipinos whose passports were taken away by Hong Kong Police during its recent crackdown on a suspected illegal money lending syndicate to approach them directly.

In its advisory released yesterday, the Consulate said those concerned about passports being held by the police should coordinate with them directly amid reports some Filipino community leaders are asking those affected to go through them.

So far, those who have expressed concern about not getting back their passports were those who pawned them with RichRen Finance Limited in Mong Kok, which was raided by the police on Monday on suspicion of illegal lending and collection of identity documents, and money laundering.

Basahin ang detalye!

The police took away relevant documents found in the money lender’s office, including the passports of an unknown number of Filipino debtors.

Two mobile phone companies, including OWTEL, were also targeted in the raids, but it does not seem they had kept the passports of those who took out loans with them.

At least one leader said more than 50 Filipino domestic workers had contacted her about their missing passports, and she promised to take them with her to the Consulate on Sunday.

Many of those who had pawned their passports with RichRen are said to be worried because they are due to fly home to the Philippines next month, or over the Christmas holidays.

Separately, a blogger who used to be an OFW in HK posted a message telling the borrowers not to be overly concerned as the police in Mong Kok had reportedly said the passports would be turned over to the Consulate after their investigation.

What he did not seem to realize was that the police investigation could take a long time, and those who need their passports to exit Hong Kong, renew their contracts or visas or for any other reason, could be left in a bind.

Also, as a matter of practice, the Consulate never gives back passports used as collateral for loans, as this could amount to condoning an illegal act.

In its advisory, the Consulate warned that using or accepting passports as collaterals for loans is a serious offence under the New Passport Law, which prescribes a prison term and fine for violators.

However, from similar instances in the past, like when about 1,300 passports were seized by the police from another money lender named OFC in July 2019, those who hocked them were not prosecuted but were reminded that they had violated the law.

In these cases, the persons concerned were issued with passports valid for only five years, instead of 10. They were also made to sign an undertaking that they will not commit the offense again, otherwise they will no longer be issued with a passport.

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