Pastor fined $10k for illegal recruitment face another, bigger claim

 

Lalaan in a photo taken from Facebook

A Filipino pastor was today fined $10,000 and ordered to reimburse $7,000 to an employer after pleading guilty at West Kowloon Magistracy to operating an unlicensed employment agency.

Jonathat Edorot Lalaan, 64, pleaded guilty to the charge of operating an employment agency without a licence between Mar 22 and 24, 2022 in Tung Chung. The charge was filed as a result of an information laid by the Labour Department on Mar 21, 2023.

Lalaan, a permanent resident and is known in the Filipino community as a pastor and a former court interpreter, is also facing a complaint by a foreign domestic helper who claims to have paid him $25,000  on Feb 3 last year, after he promised to secure a job for her partner who is in the Philippines.

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Marissa M. said in complaints she filed with the police and the Philippine Consulate, that months after she paid the money, he told her he could not secure the promised job and offered a refund. However, he has yet to comply with this promise.

According to a statement released by the government, the Labour Department received a complaint in May 2022 from an employer who was seeking to hire a FDH and paid Lalaan a sum of money for this purpose.

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After an investigation, the Department was able to determine that Lalaan was operating an unlicensed employment agency and decided to prosecute.

The Department warned that all establishments or persons operating a business in Hong Kong for the purpose of obtaining employment for another person or supplying personnel to an employer must obtain a licence from the Labour Department before undertaking any recruitment activities.

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Except for the person licensed to operate an employment agency, no one shall operate, manage or assist in the management of the said agency.

Anyone found to have violated these laws could result in revocation of the licence and face prosecution. The maximum penalty for someone operating an unlicensed employment agency or overcharging commission from job-seekers is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.

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Any matters related to the operation of EAs or complaints about their malpractices may contact the Employment Agencies Administration of the LD by calling 2115 3667, e-mailing ea-ee@labour.gov.hk, or visiting its office at Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon.

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Filipino fined after his Rottweiler bites woman

 

Rottweiler owner leaves court after being fined

A Filipino whose Rottweiler dog bit a woman in Hung Hom Ferry in Kowloon was today fined a total of $7,400 for two cases filed against him at the Kowloon Courts by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

Revan Valleramos, 36, had pleaded guilty to violation of both the Dangerous Dogs Regulation under the Dogs and Cats Ordinance, and of the Rabies Ordinance for the April 1, 2023 incident.

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Deputy Magistrate Eric Yao imposed on Valleramos a fine of $3,600 for the first offence -- allowing a large dog to enter a public place without leash – which has a maximum penalty of $25,000 fine and 12 months’ imprisonment.

Yao imposed a fine of $3,500 for the second offense because the dog bite caused a deep laceration above the right elbow of the victim, who had to undergo surgery as a result.

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And for being late – Valleramos arrived in court at past noon for a 9:30am schedule, which resulted in the hearing being stood down until he arrived – Yao charged him $300 for court costs.

When Valleramos arrived, he apologized to the court for being late because he had mixed up his schedules, thinking he had to go to a hearing at the Small Claims Tribunal where the victim of his dog was suing him for compensation.

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While he pleaded guilty to the first offense, Valleramos was reluctant to admit the facts in the second case, insisting that the victim was bitten accidentally and this fact should be mentioned in the statement of facts.

“I do not agree that my dog intentionally bit (the victim),” he said.

He narrated that he was playing ball with his Rottweiler when a woman carrying two poodles passed by.

The poodles barked at the Rotweiler, which responded by running towards them, he added.

To protect her poodles, the woman turned around and was bitten. After pain forced her to release the poodles, the Rottweiler went after them, he added.

But Magistrate Yao said it does not matter whether the dog bite was accidental or not.

“It’s not a defense for you to say the dog accidentally bit the victim,” he added.

Nevertheless, he called a recess to enable Valleramos to sort his concern with the prosecutor, who said the statement of facts does not mention that the dog bite was intentional.

In the end, however, accidental was not mentioned in the statement of facts, which he accepted before pleading guilty.

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Usudan is now Consul General in Hong Kong

Congen Germie Usudan leads the flag-raising ceremony at the Consulate for the first time

The Philippines’ new consul general in Hong Kong, Germinia V. Aguilar-Usudan formally assumed office yesterday, Jan. 7, when she led the flag-raising ceremony at the Consulate, joined by her officers and staff, as well as some members of the Filipino community.

Prior to assuming the role as the country’s top diplomat in Hong Kong, Congen Usudan served as deputy to former consul general, Raly Tejada, who has been recalled to the head office of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila after completing the mandatory six years tour of duty. 

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In her short address after the flag-raising, Congen Usudan, who is a lawyer like her predecessor, reaffirmed the Consulate’s commitment to improve the delivery of services to the public, including  upholding and protecting the rights and welfare of Filipinos in Hong Kong.

Congen Usudan began her career with the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1988 right after graduating from the University of the Philippines with a degree in economics. She later took the Foreign Service Officers’ examination and joined the foreign service in 1997.

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Since then, she served as principal assistant at the Office of Consular Affairs (1997-1999), special assistant and vice-chairperson of Overseas Voting Secretariat (2006-2009), and director of Office of Middle East and African Affairs (2016-2018) at the Home Office in Manila.

Her previous foreign assignments were at the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (1999-2002), the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2002-2006), the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia (2009-2012) and the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2012-2016).

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Congen Usudan has a BA Economics degree from UP, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Santo Tomas. She hails from Libon, Albay and is married with two children who are currently with her in Hong Kong.

She first came to Hong Kong in November 2018, which means she has been here for more than five years, and is just one year shy of completing her own tour of duty. 

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Filipina jailed 10 months for stealing $178.8k from employer

Metiam admitted the theft at Eastern Court

A Filipina domestic helper was ordered jailed for 10 months after she pleaded guilty at Eastern Court earlier today to stealing $178,800 cash from her employer’s flat in Happy Valley in October last year.

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Maribel de la Cruz Metiam, 33 years old, married and a native of Pangasinan, had been in detention since her arrest last Oct. 20 for the theft. Her lawyer had said earlier she did not wish to apply for bail as she had nowhere to live while her case was being investigated.

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She admitted stealing the huge sum on Oct. 4 of the same year in the flat of her employer, Mary Lau Yuk-chun, on the 12^th floor of Siu Fai Terrace in Happy Valley. She had been in Lau's employ for just over three years.

In mitigation, the defense lawyer said Metiam was remorseful, and was compelled to steal because her mother was sick. She had a clear record.

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Because of the substantial amount involved, Magistrate Ivy Chui used 15 months’ imprisonment as a starting point, and reduced it only by 1/3 for her guilty plea, resulting in a sentence of 10 months in jail.

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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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