New anti-illegal work raids net 9 suspects

 

One of 8 suspected illegal workers arrested during the operation

A total of nine persons were arrested in a three-day sweep conducted by officers of the Immigration Department as part of a territory-wide anti-illegal work campaign.

Those arrested during the raids from Jan 2 to 4 were eight suspected illegal workers and one employer.

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Searched during the operations were 21 premises, including commercial, industrial and residential buildings, restaurants and a retail shop.

The suspected illegal workers comprised four men and four women, aged 30 to 60. Among them, one man was suspected of using a forged Hong Kong identity card.

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Another man, aged 34, was arrested on suspicion of employing the illegal workers.

A statement from Immigration warned that illegal work, whether paid or unpaid, violates the law, and offenders face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment.

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If the offender is subject to a removal or deportation order, is an overstayer, or was denied permission to land, face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment.

Using or possessing a forged HKID card is a more serious offence, for which the maximum penalty is a 10 years’ imprisonment and fine of $100,000.

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Employers of illegal workers face a maximum fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment.

All employers are required by law to take all practicable steps to determine if a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. This means that apart from inspecting a job applicant’s HKID card, the employer must also make enquiries to ensure the person’s lawful employability.

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One Visayas takes grand prize in PaSTARAN 2023

 

One Visayas' entry featured a 'belen' made up of bottle caps, cut-up cartons and pistachio shells

One Visayas Hong Kong has won the grand prize in the annual PaSTARAN Christmas lantern-making contest organized by the Philippine Consulate. As before, all the entries came from registered Filipino community organizations, and should have been made entirely of recycled materials.

As grand winner, the group received $5,000 cash and a trophy from LBC, the main sponsor of the yearly contest.

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Like most other entries, the basic frame of the lantern was made of bamboo painstakingly sourced from a few scant wooded parts of Hong Kong. The other materials used were the core of bathroom tissue rolls, bottle caps, plastic bottles cut into strips, cardboard strips and pistachio nut shells.

Diwa't Kabayan used laundry hangers to frame its lantern

The first runner-up, Diwa’t Kabayan Benlife Society Club, was awarded $3,000 and a trophy. Its entry had a unique frame made from old laundry hangers and covered with painted cardboard boxes as well as egg shells.

Its lyrical video presentation of the process of making their lantern and how it symbolized friendship and cooperation among the members should have also scored well with the judges made up of Vice Consul Allan G. Revote, Welfare Officer Marilou V. Sumalinog, and LBC Country Manager Arnold Cereno.

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Adjudged second runner-up was the entry from United Migrants Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Association, which came with a $2,000 cash prize and a trophy. Its winning lantern was made up of a number of materials, including bamboo, paper and eco bags, dried grass, rags and old chopsticks.

Umela used the most number of recyclable materials to make this lantern

The People’s Choice award, which went to Panay Overseas Workers Association for having garnered the most number of votes on Facebook, came with $1,000 cash and a trophy.

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A total of nine Filcom groups took part in the competition which was launched months ahead to give ample time to the contestants to conceptualize their entries and finish them by December 24, when they were put up on display before the final judging.

POWA's entry was an early favorite among netizens

A short program held before the awarding ceremonies on Chater Road featured dance numbers from the Migrant Ilonggo Cultural Dance Troupe, Star Pinoy HK, Tinikling Group of Migrants and FLAG HK Dancers as well as song numbers by Ruby Bofill, TNT Girls of Holy Family Parish, Mylene Cristobal, and the Alconga Family.

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The traditional Misa de Aguinaldo followed at 10pm, led by Fr. Jay  Flandez, Chaplain for Filipinos.

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Filipina walks free after overstaying case dropped

 

A Filipina walked free from Shatin Court today after the prosecution withdrew a charge against her for overstaying.

Artist Natividad, 45 years old, was facing a charge of breach of condition of stay for remaining in Hong Kong beyond the Jan. 17, 2022 deadline given her by an Immigration officer, until she was arrested on Sept. 26, 2022.

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The Immigration Department filed the complaint against her last Dec. 23 for violation of of Section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance.

When her case was called today, however, the prosecutor stood up and said they were withdrawing the charge against Natividad, who holds a recognizance certificate as an asylum seeker, and did not explain why.

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Her duty lawyer stood up to say he had no objection.

Acting Principal Magistrate Amy Chan told Natividad, “You are free now.”

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Magistrate Chan adjourned a separate breach of condition of stay case to Jan. 12 to wait for the Immigration Deparment’s confirmation that it had received an application for non-refoulement from Analyn Cacbet, 39 years old.

Chan sent her back to jail custody.

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Cacbet, a domestic helper, was allowed to stay and work in Hong Kong until Oct. 1, 2024.

However, her contract was terminated on March 16 this year. She was allowed to stay for two weeks to find another employer and apply for a new visa, but failed.

She remained in Hong Kong until she was arrested on Dec. 19, 2023. 

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Rizal Day marked with wreath-laying ceremony at Consulate

 

Photo-collage of the Rizal Day commemoration at the Consulate on Dec 30

Former Consul General Raly Tejada led a wreath-laying and flag-raising ceremony at the Consulate on Dec 30, to commemorate the 127^th death anniversary of the Philippines’ national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

Consulate staff and some members of the Filipino community took part in the commemoration held at the Consulate’s public area where a bust of Dr Rizal was put on display.

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This marked a departure from the pre-pandemic commemoration of Rizal Day, where Consulate officers held the wreath-laying ceremony at the national hero’s former Hong Kong residence at Rednaxela Terrace in Central.

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Past commemorations even included a street theater that included stops at two other sites on nearby D’Aguilar Street and Pottinger Street where Rizal had eye clinics, and on Chater Road opposite the HSBC headquarters where Philippine revolutionaries kept an account.

Street theater in 2012 when the late Carlos Celdran played the role of Dr Rizal

Dr Rizal, who lived and practiced his profession briefly in Hong Kong, was executed by firing squad in Luneta (formerly Bagumbayan) on Dec. 30, 1896 for the crime of rebellion against the Spanish colonial government.

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During the program at the Consulate, staff paid homage to Dr Rizal with an oral interpretation of his literary work, “A La Juventud Filipina” or “To the Filipino Youth” recited by Vice Consul Allan G. Revote.

This was followed brief remarks by Congen Tejada, who lauded Rizal’s role in laying the foundation for nationhood through his insightful writing about the Filipinos’ desire for justice and equality, and how his sacrifice sparked the Philippine revolution.

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Tejada, who ended his tour of duty abroad the next day, Dec. 31, encouraged everyone to remember Rizal’s clarity of conscience in adversity and keep in mind his fervent wish for the Filipino people to showcase their strength and unity as a nation.

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Ex-musician charged in $5.5 million laundering case

 

Ledesma says he lost control of his bank account after collecting the $10k Covid aid from the govt

A Filipino who used to work as a musician in Hong Kong appeared in District Court yesterday, Jan. 4, charged with one count of laundering through his bank account a total of about HK$5.55 million in illicit funds more than three years ago.

Jose Rizaldo R. Ledesma, who is said to go by two other names and is 57 years old, was charged alongside Wong Chiu-sang, 51, who faces a separate count of laundering the equivalent of more than HK$7.30 million in his own bank account.

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No plea was taken and both men were allowed to extend their bail - $300 for Ledesma and $4,000 for Wong -- until the next hearing of their case on March 12.

Chief District Judge Justin Ko allowed the postponement of the cases after both defendants applied through counsel for more time to seek legal advice, particularly for the amendment of the charges against them.

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Judge Ko also asked if Ledesma could understand English as there was no Tagalog interpreter around, and he said yes. However, he later said he wished to have a Tagalog interpreter with him at the next hearing.

The judge also confirmed directly with the two men if they wanted to apply for an adjournment and for their bail to be extended until then.

The two defendants are charged with one count each of “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence,” commonly known as money laundering, which is contrary to section 25(1) and (3) of the Organized Crimes Ordinance, Cap 455. The offence is punishable by up to 14 years in jail and a maximum fine of $5 million.

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Ledesma, who is said to be also known by the names Jose Rizaldo Raymundo Ledesma and Tose Rizhido R. Leoesma, is accused of having laundered a total sum of 5,500 Euros and USD706,468.21 in his Bank of China account between Aug 5, 2020 and Oct 21, 2020.

Wong is charged with laundering through his Standard Chartered Bank account a total of HK$1,705,319.28 and USD719,851.25 between Aug 13, 2020 and October 31, 2020.

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There was no mention why the two defendants were charged together, although the timing of the alleged offences indicate a connection.

After the hearing, Ledesma said he had told the police he had no knowledge of the illegal transactions made using his account which he lost control of shortly after collecting the $10,000 Covid aid relief from the government which was handed out in July 2020.

He also said he would apply for legal representation through Legal Aid, and ask for a Tagalog interpreter to assist him as he had difficulty understanding the legal terms used during the court hearing.

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Flu season expected to peak next week

 

CHP officials issued the warning at yesterday's press conference

Government experts have urged the public to be more cautious of catching seasonal influenza and Covid-19, saying there are indications the spread of both virus-borne diseases will peak next week.

At a news conference, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection said coronavirus activity has increased, along with the number of people being admitted to hospitals with respiratory symptoms.

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She urged those in high-risk groups like the elderly and people with disabilities and living in care homes to get vaccinated against COVID and the flu as soon as possible and to always wear masks in public areas.

Chuang said the percentage of with flu being admitted to public hospitals has reached 0.48, higher than the baseline level of 0.25. Those with influenza A virus H3 accounts for 79 percent of all cases, those with the B virus for 13 percent, while the remaining 8 percent had the H1 virus.

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At the same press conference, Hospital Authority's Chief Manager Dr. Larry Lee said the occupancy rate in public hospitals has increased to near-capacity. Medical cases reached 116 percent of capacity, while those pediatric cases are at 92 percent.

But he assured that the authority has a lot of experience handling such pressure, given a similar surge in cases in the middle and end of last year.

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Separately, a government statement said that the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for seasonal flu at the CHP’s public health laboratory last week was 8.49 per cent, which was more than double compared with three weeks ago. This trend indicates seasonal flu may enter a peak period next week.

Chuang said it is difficult to predict when the flu season might wane.  "The usual duration of the influenza season in the past was maybe 8 weeks or 12 weeks, sometimes longer. So it is difficult to anticipate or predict the exact duration of the influenza season and also the severity," she said.

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She also said that the coronavirus spread has increased, based on both sewage samples and specimens taken from people with Covid.

A new coronavirus subvariant, JN.1, which has been classified by the World Health Organization as a variant of concern - is said to be spreading in the city and is expected to replace XBB as the dominant variant.

Chuang said JN.1 has a higher transmissibility, but does not appear to cause more serious effects than other mutant strains. She also said that the XBB vaccine which is already available in the city, is also effective against it.

However, the government’s warning was sterner. “The activity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus generally increases in winter. With the higher transmissibility of the JN.1 variant, although the current evidence does not suggest JN.1 will cause a more severe disease, more local COVID-19 cases are anticipated. With more community infections, reports on severe cases and deaths will also increase,” its statement read.

But there is a bit of relief. Studies show that other respiratory viruses have been less active, while cases of pneumonia have dropped.

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Filipina resident jailed 44 months for $5.7 million theft

Avelino admitted the thefts at the District Court

A 34-year-old Filipina resident was put behind bars for 44 months at the District Court earlier today, after admitting two charges of stealing a total of $5.7 million in bank deposits from two companies. 

Kristine Annette D. Avelino was stoic as Deputy Judge Charles J. Chan read out the sentence, after noting the various mitigating factors raised by the defense lawyer. In court to give Avelino support were several family members and friends.

Judge Chan noted that Avelino came to Hong Kong at the age of 10 and committed the offences when she was only 26 years old. The fact that the case had dragged on for a long time was not due to any fault on her part.

He also noted that she suffered from asthma and anxiety because of the long time it took before her case was decided upon, and that she was remorseful. She also had a clear record.

He decided to exercise his discretion in reducing the final sentence to account for the delay in resolving the cases.

However, the judge did not accept as an excuse the defense’s claim that Avelino had committed the offences out of desperation as she needed to help pay for the medical expenses of an uncle and her grandmother who unfortunately, passed away since.

He also said he had to impose separate sentences for the two theft cases, as they were committed separately.

Judge Chan imposed a 38-month sentence for the first offence, where the amount stolen amounted to $5.4 million, and 12 months for the second offence, which involved the theft of $344,000, with six months of the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in a total prison term of 44 months.

In the first charge, Avelino was found guilty of stealing $5.4 million from the account held by the Cosman Health Group Ltd. at Chong Hing Bank. She committed the theft over a five-year period, from May 2, 2012 until April 24, 2017.

A few months later, Avelino again stole a total of $344,044 from the Dah Sing Bank account of Work Life Balance Limited over a four-month period, from Nov. 10, 2017 until Feb. 27, 2018.

She was first charged in Eastern Magistrate’s court but because of the big amount involved, the case was transferred to the District Court. While her case was being heard, she was allowed to post a $60,000 bail for her temporary liberty.

Avelino comes from a family of musicians, and reportedly got married only recently.