Temperatures forecast to drop to 14-15 degrees next week

 

The overcast weather  will give way to lots of sun for the next 5 days

The Hong Kong Observatory is forecasting much cooler weather starting next Wednesday, Nov. 27, when the temperature is expected to drop to 15°C in the urban areas.

It will be slightly cooler the next day, Thursday, when the temperature is expected to dip to as low as 14°C.

The Observatory adjusted its previous temperature forecast by as much as 8°C, due to the unexpected cooling effect of a strong northeast monsoon which is approaching the region.

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The full effect of the monsoon is expected to be felt by the middle of next week. There will be a significant drop in temperatures along coastal areas, leading to a gradual shift to clearer and drier conditions.

Various parts of the New Territories are expected to experience even cooler weather, like Tai Po and Ta Kwu Ling where the temperature is forecast to dip to 12°C early on Thursday morning.

The weather today, Friday, is expected to remain pleasant, with temperatures ranging between 19 and 23 degrees.

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The day is expected to be mostly sunny, dispelling the gloom brought by the heavy rain in the past two days.

The sunny weather is expected to last until Tuesday next week, with temperatures remaining steady at around 20 to 23 degrees, before plummeting on Wednesday.

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Ex-DH gets 8 months' jail for money laundering

A former domestic helper was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to money laundering today at West Kowloon court.

Mildred Modesto, aged 40, was also sentenced to another two days after she pleaded guilty to staying beyond the two-week grace period given to her when her DH contract was terminated last Feb. 13.

Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi ordered the two sentences to be served at the same time, resulting in a total of eight months in jail.

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Modesto was convicted of dealing with proceeds of crime, a violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, as a result of $304,498 deposited and withdrawn from her Standard Chartered Bank account from the 23^rd to 26^th of January this year.

Her second charge, breach of condition of stay, arose after she remained in Hong Kong despite the Feb. 27, 2024 deadline for her departure.

Meanwhile, at Eastern Court, domestic helper Lynie Acosta, 39 years old, was told she will be taken to the District Court when her $8.83 million money laundering case resumes on Dec. 12, since the amount involved exceeds the limit for cases that a magistrate court can handle.

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Her lawyer had earlier urged Principal Magistrate Don So to free her on bail so she could continue taking care of her elderly and sick ward, but her employers failed to come up with the $100,000 cash bail which So increased from the earlier police bail of $5,000.

Acosta is charged with three counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offense, in violation of section 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

The police complaint alleged that Acosta’s Mox Bank account received the biggest chunk of the funds, amounting to $8,597,833.36, between March 25 and May 19, 2023. She was accused of dealing with the property with the help of two persons, one named Jane Corpuz and another unknown.

The same persons were also cited as helping Acosta in dealing with $192,940.08 in her account with the Standard Chartered Bank, and with $45,100.78 in her account with with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, both on March 31, 2023.

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Peso drops to Php59 to US$1, near historic low

 

Today's exchange rate is the 2nd lowest in history (Inquirer graphic)

The Philippine peso dropped to its second lowest level against the US dollar when it closed at Php59 to the greenback this afternoon.

This was nine centavos weaker than its Pp58.91 closing yesterday.

The new exchange rate marks its lowest closing since it hit Php59.20 : US$1 on Oct 17, 2022.

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This means that the peso’s value as against the HK dollar which is pegged to the USD has also dropped. The exchange rate between the two is now Php7.59 vs the HKD.

The peso has been declining with the rest of Asian currencies in recent days, which a Bloomberg report says is due to the US dollar’s strengthening following the re-election of Donald Trump as president.

Investors are also wary of heightened US-China trade tensions and potential tariff hikes, also due to Trump’s return to power.

Yesterday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Eli Remolona said that there might be a further easing of key interest rates due to inflationary pressures.

“We can cut (rates in December) or we can pause. The move will depend on the data,” Remolona said on the sidelines of the BSP-IMF Risk Dialogue in Cebu.

“Inflation pressures may cause us to pause a bit, but weak growth may cause us to cut.”

In a move to shift to a less restrictive monetary policy, the central bank has been cutting the country’s benchmark interest rates since August. The key rate is now 50 basis points lower since, at six percent.

Before the cuts, the BSP kept interest rates steady starting in November 2023.

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8 months for using someone else’s bank account for money laundering

 

EasternCourt

A Filipina domestic helper was sentenced today at Eastern Court to eight months in jail after she pleaded guilty to using somebody else’s bank account to launder $131,000 in crime money.

Michelle Valenzuela, aged 45, pleaded guilty to dealing with property known or believed to be proceeds of an indictable offense or money laundering, a violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

The police complaint accused her of dealing with dirty money using an account with Hang Seng Bank, along with a certain Richel Gania, between an unknown date in January 2020 and March 4, 2020, but did not describe what she actually did.

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At today’s hearing, Valenzuela hinted at her role – either depositing or withdrawing money -- when she answered yes to Principal Magistrate Don So’s question as to whether she used someody else’s account.

She also answered yes when Magistrate So asked if somebody gave her the ATM card of the account.

Her lawyer, in seeking leniency in sentencing, said Valenzuela is the sole breadwinner of her family and is sending two children to university.

In a separate money laundering case, Imelda Maqueda, 54 years old, was remanded in jail custody after her case was adjourned by Magistrate So to Dec. 20 on request of the prosecution.

She is accused of dealing in $312,497.50 of proceeds from crime that were deposited and withdrawn between Dec. 17, 2020 and Jan. 8, 2021.

 

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Overstayer escapes jail term

 

The Filipina got off lightly after pleading guilty at Shatin court to overstaying 

A Filipina who surrendered after overstaying her visa for more than six months walked free from Shatin Court on Monday, after the magistrate sentenced her to 12 days imprisonment, suspended for one year.

Lorena Mangusib, 40 years old, faced one count of violating her visa conditions when she appeared in court.

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She should have left Hong Kong at the end of March this year, 14 days after her contract was terminated by her employer.

However, she chose to stay until October 2, when she decided to surrender to Immigration.

Appearing before Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong, Mangusib pleaded guilty, and got off lightly with a suspended sentence.

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This means that she will not be jailed as long as she does not commit any offence for the next 12 months.

But having been convicted of an immigration offense, she would most likely be sent home, and not allowed to return to Hong Kong to work again.

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DMW warns of illegal recruiters on social media and other online platforms

 

135 victims of illegal recruitment receive Php50k each in financial aid from DMW

The Department of Migrant Workers in the Philippines has again warned Filipinos to be wary of illegal recruiters taking to social media and other online platforms in search of victims.

The warning came as 135 more Filipino victims of illegal recruitment or human trafficking were each given a financial assistance of P50,000, taking the total amount to Php6.75 million.

Earlier, 201 victims received the same amount under the DMW's Aksyon Fund, with the total cashout amounting to Php10,050,000.

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The DMW said the public should take note of the following to avoid falling prey to illegal recruitment and human trafficking:

1.     Take care not to fall for job offers that are too good to be true, or those that come with unnaturally high salaries and benefits. Ask the DMW in case of doubts over any job offers.

2.     Avoid job offers that are sent via email or through advertisements on social media, or those that require pre-payment.

3.     Apply only at the offices of licensed recruitment agencies that have approved job orders from DMW.

4.     Ensure that the placement fee being charged does not exceed your monthly salary. Always ask for a receipt for every payment made.

5.     Make sure that you are holding a work visa or work permit if you’re meant to work abroad. (Not student, tourist or visitor’s visa).

In addition, the DMW reminded job applicants to always verify with DMW if the agency or its agents offering the job are licensed with them to make sure the offers are genuine.

DMW reminder on avoiding illegal recruitment in Tagalog

Click on this link to verify if your preferred agency is licensed  https://dmw.gov.ph/licensed-recruitment-agencies

To check the approved job orders per country, per position or per agency, please click this link: https://dmw.gov.ph/approved-job-orders

Always inform the DMW Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) in case of any suspicious job recruitments in your area, or of any fake overseas job posting on social media.

Contact them through  telephone number  +632 87210619 or email airtipinfo@dmw.com.ph

You may also send a message through FB Messenger: DMW Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Program

 

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Indonesia agrees to allow Mary Jane Veloso to go home

Mary Jane has been in death row for 14 years (photo from Veloso family) 

Fourteen years after being found with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage on arrival in Indonesia and being put on death row, Filipina Mary Jane Veloso is set to go home.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said in a statement today that his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto has  agreed to allow Mary Jane to return home.

“We managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” said Marcos.

He added, “Mary Jane’s story resonates with many: a mother trapped by the grip of poverty who made one desperate choice that altered the course of her life. While she was held accountable under Indonesian law, she remains a victim of her circumstances.”

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However, it remains unclear whether the 39-year-old mother of two will be set free on her return or transferred to a Philippine prison.

Yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippine and Indonesian governments have discussed the potential transfer of Mary Jane to a detention facility in Manila, but gave no other details.

However, DFA spokesperson Eduardo de Vega said President Marcos could extend her executive clemency once she is returned home.

Migrante International, which has maintained for years that Mary Jane was a victim of human trafficking and should not be punished, immediately released a statement thanking both the Philippine and Indonesian governments for pursuing diplomatic and political solutions to her case.

It added a call for the Marcos government to grant Mary Jane immediate clemency on her return home on humanitarian grounds, and because she should be regarded as a victim and not a criminal offender.

Mary Jane was arrested in 2010 on her arrival at Adisutjpto International Airport in Yogyakarta after the drugs were found in her luggage.

Veloso has maintained that she was unaware of the contents of her luggage as it was only given to her by her recruiters whom she identified as Julius Lacanilao and Maria Kristina Sergio.

Veloso worked in Dubai as a domestic helper for 10 months before returning to the Philippines in January 2010, claiming her employer had tried to rape her.

In April 18 of the same year, her friend Maria Kristina Sergio or “Tintin” of Talavera, Nueva Ecija offered her a job as a domestic worker in Malaysia.

Two days later, the two flew to Malaysia, where Tintin told Mary Jane the job was no longer available, but that she could still find her another job.

A few days later, Tintin sent Mary Jane to Indonesia for a supposed seven-day holiday, and promised to let her go back to Malaysia for employment afterwards.

On her arrival in Yogjakarta, Veloso was arrested by Customs and Excise authorities after the drugs were found in the luggage she was carrying.

She was sentenced to death on October 11, 2010. Since then, the Philippine government has sought to get her released in response to appeals from various non-government organizations and migrant support groups, to no avail.

Meanwhile, her alleged traffickers were convicted of large-scale illegal recruitment in a separate case by a Nueva Ecija court on Jan. 30, 2020, and sentenced to life in prison.

 

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DH jailed 8 months for money laundering

 

Another Filipina domestic helper was sent to jail today for allowing her bank account to be used in money laundering, the latest in the growing number of Filipina domestic helpers getting ensnared in the crime.

Asteria Pinili, 41 years old and DH in Hong Kong since 2019, pleaded guilty in Eastern Court to dealing with crime money, and was sentenced by Principal Magistrate Don So to eight months in prison.

In a complaint filed by police last July 30, Pinili was charged with dealing with $641,086 of “any person’s proceeds of an indictable offense” through 16 deposits into her Mox Bank account from 7 to 21 June last year. 

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In another case today, Magistrate So rejected an offer of $20,000 in cash, in a bail review for another Filipina domestic helper charged with money laundering.

Instead, he remanded Charity Joy Paculio, 45 years old, in jail custody and set another bail review for Nov. 26.

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He also affirmed the case’s adjournment to Jan. 28, which had been set earlier to finalize its transfer to the District Court.

Paculio is accused of dealing with proceeds of crime in her Standard Chartered Bank account, for deposits and withdrawals between 22^nd and 28th of February in 2023, which totalled $2,751,387.98.

 

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Filipino gets 15 months’ jail for allowing illegal worker to use his ID to get job

 

An attempt to make money out of his Hong Kong Identification Card (HKID) as a permanent resident has resulted in a Filipino being jailed for a total of 15 months.

Ricardo de Austria, 53 years old, pleaded guilty today at Shatin Court to allowing another person to use his HKID to get a job, and for allowing his bank account to be used as depository for the salary earned from that employment. For that, he admitted getting a $1,500 monthly reward for two years.

His offenses came to light in September 2022 after Immigration Department officers raided a Fairwood restaurant in an anti-illegal worker operation and arrested Mohammad Shah, an Indian holding a recognizance form, for illegally working in the kitchen.

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Shah turned out to have used de Austria’s HKID to land the job.

His salary was also paid into de Austria’s Hang Seng Bank account from Aug. 6, 2020 to Sept. 7, 2022, amassing a total of $414,781.33. This became the basis for de Austria’s money laundering charge, for which he was jailed for 12 months.

De Austria’s second case, transferring an identity card to another person, resulted from lending his HKIC to his co-defendant in the case, Leila Fonte, 55. Shah, her Indian live-in partner, cannot be employed legally in Hong Kong because he is a holder of the recognizance form and subject to deportation.

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De Austria was sentenced to 12 months for each of the charges. However, Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong ordered that only three months of the second sentence be added to the first, with the rest being served concurrently.

For her part, Fonte was sentenced earlier to a total of 36 months in jail after being convicted of eight charges, including money laundering, conspiracy to use de Austria’s identity card, and transferring an identity card to another person.

Aside from Shah, Immigration also arrested over 20 overstaying foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) working as cleaners in the same restaurant.

“After in-depth investigation, it was discovered that the arrested FDHs had all used others' identity cards during job seeking. They would also borrow the rightful holders' bank accounts for receiving salaries. The rightful holders would provide their ATM cards for the FDHs to withdraw the salaries every month in return for a reward of around HK$2,000,” Immigration said. These salaries totalled $2.5 million.

Aside from Fonte, five people had been jailed for 12 to 15 months, it added.

“The case is still under investigation, and the Immigration does not rule out the possibility of further prosecutions,” it said in a press statement.

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DH gets 2 years’ jail for money laundering

 

The case was heard at Tuen Mun Court

For allowing her two bank accounts to be used for money laundering, a Filipina domestic helper will spend two years in jail, in one of the harshest penalties to be imposed for such a crime.

Jereza Baylon, 42 years old, was meted the penalty at Tuen Mun Court today after she pleaded gultty to two charges of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offense, a violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

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Baylon pleaded guilty to handling $1,352,305 of crime proceeds that flowed in and out of her Hang Seng Bank ATM account between July 31 and Aug. 29, 2023.

She also pleaded guilty to handling $788,470  of crime money deposited and withdrawn from her CITIC Bank account between July 5 and July 20, 2023.

Basahin ang detalye!

Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang sentenced her to 18 month imprisonment for the first charge, and 12 months for the second charge,

However, he ordered that half of the second sentence be served at the same time as the first sentence, resulting in a total sentence of 24 months.

This is the most severe penalty ever imposed on a FDH convicted of money laundering in Hong Kong so far. 

The only Filipina to beat the record was a resident, Ester Ylagan, former proprietor of Emry's employment agency, who was jailed for 32 months in February this year for laundering $5.7 million which she collected by offering non-existent jobs in Canada to Filipinos.

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IBP Cebu to hold law seminar, legal clinic at PCG

 

Poster on the free legal seminars and consultations with IBP lawyers

The Consulate, in cooperation with lawyers for Cebu City Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, will hold a free seminar and legal consultation with Filipinos in Hong Kong on  Nov 24, Sunday, from 9am to 5pm.

After welcome remarks by Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan, the three-part seminar that will tackle issues on the Philippines' Family Law, Property and Contract Law, and Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) Law, will be held until 12 noon.

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In the afternoon, eight lawyers from IBP Cebu City will conduct a free legal clinic with Filipinos who wish on consult on any legal matters in the Philippines may consult them one-on-one, in private.

The seminar is part of the “Juana Knows” program of the Consulate, while the legal clinic is a continuation of its regular “Idulog Mo Kay Atorni” project with the IBP.

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To pre-register for both the seminars and the legal clinic, please scan the QR code on the poster above, or click on the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSebWtLckGXcc9O02YdB85A5RzRvbUZCK-EAJpiyqaPEubhGZQ/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawGmSVdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHd--V2f4o0YuzAwYSUvim_efSkP9k6aMLBioc7aE1fhav2ztJ3k0GP0mFA_aem_YXY_vet5mLBAMuyH8SdUgg

 

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