Filipina DH denies stealing co-worker’s gold bracelets

West Kowloon Courts

A Filipina domestic helper pleaded not guilty today at West Kowloon Court to stealing two gold bracelets, valued at a total of $7,500, claiming she was framed.

The plea by Michelle Lamparas, 39 years old, set in motion a trial that will begin on Dec. 19, in which the prosecution said they will present five witnesses.

Lamparas was one of two Filipinos who faced theft charges today at West Kowloon Court.

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She was charged after a black bag containing a gold bracelet worth $1,500 and another worth $6,000, both belonging to fellow helper Analyn Magbutay, was found among her belongings when these were inspected by her employer.

The incident took place inside the employer’s house in Merlin Court, Sham Shui Po, last Oct. 13.

Asked by Principal Magistrate Don So what the defense will be, Lamparas’ lawyer said the Filipina was not the one who packed her belongings after she was terminated by her employer because she did not get along with a fellow helper.

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He suggested that one of the prosecution witnesses may have planted the black bag in her belongings.

When Magistrate So asked for more details, the lawyer said he was not at liberty to disclose any more information.

The lawyer also offered a cash bail of $500 for the temporary release of Lamparas, with conditions such as not leaving Hong Kong because she has lost her passport, and reporting daily to the Tsim Shat Shui police station.

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But the prosecutor objected to the offer, saying the evidence against her was strong.

So agreed with the prosecution and sent Lamparas back to jail to await her trial.

In the other theft case, So adjourned the hearing against A. Pascual, 31 years old and unemployed, because she was being treated in a hospital for an unspecified ailment.

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Pascual was accused of shoplifting three bottles of drinks, three packs of candy, two packs of almonds, one box of cotton swab, and one bottle of sterilizing spray, worth a total of $105, from the Wellcome Supermarket in Hoi Fu Shopping Center in Mong Kok, Kowloon, last Oct. 14.

Magistrate So extended the terms of her $5,000 bail until the next hearing on Dec. 11. 

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Pilipina at hawak na sanggol, sugatan matapos tumalsik sa kotse

 

Tolo Highway

Dapat ay naka-seatbelt ang lahat ng pasahero sa kotse kapag ito ay umaandar, kahit nasa likurang upuan sila nakaupo.

Ito ang naging aral para sa isang 28 taong gulang na Pilipina na tumalsik kahapon, kasama ang alagang 8 buwan lang, mula sa kotseng minamaneho ng kanyang amo nang mawalan ito ng kontrol sa sasakyan at sumalpok sa isang road divider sa Tolo Highway sa Tai Po.

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Ang dahilan ay hindi naka-seatbelt ang Pilipina, na nasa likurang upuan at kalong ang sanggol, nang  tumalsik palabas matapos bumukas ang kaliwang pinto sa tabi niya. 

Kasalukuyan pa ring nasa kritikal na kalagayan ang sanggol samantalang nilista naman na "serious" ang kalagayan ng Pilipina kagabi.

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Ayon sa report, sandaling nahilo ang hindi-pinangalanang Pilipina matapos ang aksidente at nasugatan sa ulo, braso at binti. 

Pero ang bata, na nasugatan sa dibdib, ulo at braso at itinakbo sa ospital na may neck brace, ay inireport kanina na nasa kritikal na kondisyon sa Prince of Wales Hospital.

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Ayon sa HK Police, may isa pang Pilipina na sakay ng kotse, na 27 taong gulang naman. Dinala siya at ang among lalaki na nagmamaneho ng sasakyan sa Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital sa Tai Po.

Samantala, sa Prince of Wales Hospital sa Shatin naman itinakbo ang sanggol, ang kanyang yaya at ina na 32 taong gulang, at nagreklamong masakit ang dibdib.

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Kinasuhan kanina ng pulis ang among lalaki na 52 taong gulang, at nakatakdang bumalik sa korte sa Enero.

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Balladares re-elected as Unifil chair as Villanueva bows out after 25 years

 

Unifil's new ExeCom led by Balladares take oath before Migrante International's Ramon Bultron

After five years, United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil-Migrante HK) held its annual congress again, and re-elected Dolores Balladares as chairperson for the 19^th straight year.

At the same time, Eman Villanueva, who was first elected as Unifil’s secretary-general in 1998, begged off from serving another term, thus ending 25 years of serving as a leader of one of the oldest migrant workers’ groups in Hong Kong.

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However, Villanueva will still head Bayan Hong Kong and Macau, an equally militant migrant workers’ organization in Hong Kong.

Villanueva served as Unifil's SecGen from 1998 to 2023

The changing of the guards at the biggest and most active Filipino community groups in Hong Kong took place yesterday, Nov. 26, at Wesleyan House in Wanchai, with about 200 members from 34 affiliate organizations in attendance.

Balladares was elected unopposed, along with current vice-chair Shiela Tebia from Gabriela Hong Kong.

The three other members of Unifil’s executive committee were also unopposed and will serve as officers for the first time: Lia Quirante of Mission Movers, who replaced Villanueva; Mimi Ysulat of Filipino Migrants Association as deputy secretary general, and Ivy Alamid of Filipino Lesbian Organization as treasurer.

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The new officers will serve for the next three years, or until 2026. They took their oath before Ramon Bultron, deputy secretary general of Migrante International and general manager of Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants.

Unifil last held its annual general assembly in 2018, in the wake of massive pro-democracy protests across Hong Kong, and shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic wrought havoc all over the world.

But despite the severe pandemic restrictions and a slowdown in most outdoor activities, Unifil continued many of its activities, albeit in smaller numbers, including the yearly demand for an increase in the minimum wage of migrant domestic workers.

About 200 representatives of 34 affiliate organizations took part in the 17th Congress

In her five-year report, Balladares noted that Unifil continued to wage a campaign against exactions by the Philippine government on MDWs; the illegal collection of fees, illegal recruitment and trafficking by employment agencies; and such national issues as human rights violations, corruption, and opposition to the return to power of the Marcos family.

Together with other migrant-serving organizations like the Mission for Migrant Workers and Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, Unifil also extended help to Covid-stricken Filipinos during the most severe pandemic-related restrictions imposed by the HK government.

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Balladares also listed among Unifil’s accomplishments in the past five years its successful campaign to stop the collection of higher government fees such as Pag-IBIG and PhilHealth contributions in the Philippines as well as its stringent opposition to allegations of job-hopping of MDWs in Hong Kong.

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With membership fees being suspended during the past five years, Unifil incurred a slight deficit, with a big part of its funds being used for Covid-related assistance and relief operations for victims of typhoons and other natural disasters in the Philippines.

However, due to its savings from past years, the organization has managed to retain some funds in the bank.

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Global group takes lid off online sexual abuse of Filipino kids

 

Filipino kids are highly vulnerable to online sexual abuse (IJM photo for illustration only)

Nearly 500,000 Filipino children became victims of online sexual exploitation last year alone, while a quarter of a million adult Filipinos were found to be behind the dastardly crime.

These shocking statistics were shared by global organization, International Justice Mission, during a briefing session with a number of Hong Kong executives on Nov. 21,  to raise awareness about its work in the Philippines.

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IJM executives led by its CEO and founder, Gary Haugen, explained how they tap the help of local authorities in 16 countries to rescue and rehabilitate survivors, hold perpetrators accountable and help strengthen public justice systems so they can better protect people from violence.

Through such work, IJM has not only stopped the abuse of a number of young people, but also helped in the successful prosecution of a number of offenders.

IJM CEO Gary Haugen with IJM Philippines' Samson Inocencio at  HK briefing

Consider these:  A 32-year-old woman in Davao City was arrested for offering to sexually abuse not only her six-year-old son, but also a one-year-old girl, for profit. 

The Davao City Regional Trial Court subsequently sentenced the woman last month to four life sentences, and ordered her to pay Php 6 million in fines and Php1.5 million in moral, civil and exemplary damages.

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In another case just three months earlier, police in the Philippines rescued four young children who were used by their own parents in livestreamed child sexual abuse. The children – a nine-year-old girl, a six-year-old boy, and two-year-old twins – were siblings. 

The children have been placed in the care of social workers who will help them heal from the traumatic experience, while their parents face charges of human trafficking, child abuse, cybercrime, and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

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In both cases, IJM provided technical and legal support during the investigation and was consulted by government prosecutors during the early stages of the trial in Davao.

Lawyer and IJM Cebu Director Lucille Dejito who was among those consulted in the case said severe punishments will help intensify deterrence for the crime, but it is equally important for people in the community to be vigilant and active in reporting cases of online sexual abuse to authorities.

HK executives were all ears during the compelling IJM presentation

In 2016, IJM focused on combating online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines, in particular the trafficking of children to create new child sexual abuse materials, including via livestreaming.

As a result of this work, IJM said there has been a dramatic drop in the number of incidents of sex trafficking of children in bars and brothels across the Philippines, reaching a high range of 72% to 86% in cities where it partnered with local authorities.

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As of 26 October 2023, Philippine authorities, supported by IJM and other groups committed to stopping the nefarious trade, have brought 1,198 children to safety and arrested 372 suspected perpetrators, with at least 212 traffickers now convicted.

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But given the big number of children who continue to be drawn into the sex trafficking ring, more work needs to be done, and IJM through its Hong Kong office, is looking at raising greater awareness of its work, and to establish partnerships with various groups and individuals to attain its mission.

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Click on this link to learn more: https://ijmhk.org/en/our-work/online-sexual-exploitation-of-children/

(In the Philippines, reports about online child sexual exploitation may be directed to the Philippine National Police – Women and Children Protection Center at 0966-725-5961 (Globe) and 0919-777-7377 (Smart))

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Filipina DH rescued from apartment fire in Tuen Mun

 

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Black smoke billowed from the burning flat while embers fell on the street below
(TheStandard photo)

Police have confirmed that a foreign domestic worker rescued from a burning flat in Yau Oi Estate, Oi Tak House in Tuen Mun on Friday is a Filipina.

A police spokesperson said the 35-year-old Filipina was found inside the apartment after firefighters were alerted at 10:44 am that day. She was sent to Tuen Mun Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and discharged.

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Other reports said a man was also treated for smoke inhalation on site but did not require hospitalization.

The police could not immediately confirm reports that the man had helped drag the Filipina from the burning flat as she became immobile from shock.

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Some reports said the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen, and spread quickly, with dark smoke billowing and embers falling to the street below.

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Police said the fire was put out after a few minutes. Its cause is still being investigated.

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