2 overstayers among 13 people arrested in latest immigration raids

 

Some of those arrested are led to an unmarked van

A total of 13 persons were arrested in a series of anti-illegal work raids conducted by immigration agents and the police over four consecutive days, from Mar 11 to 14.

Those arrested included nine suspected illegal workers, two employers and two overstayers.

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In the first series of raids, seven target location were searched, including a commercial building, premises under renovation and restaurants.

Six suspected illegal workers comprising two men and four women, aged 32 to 63, were detained.

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Two of them, a man and two women hold recognizance forms which prohibit them from taking up any jobs. Another woman was in possession of a false identification document.

Two men, aged 42 and 46, were arrested on suspicion of hiring them.

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In separate raids on 65 locations in Central and Eastern Districts, three more suspected illegal workers were rounded up. They comprised two men and one woman aged 35 to 52. One of the men was on recognizance.

Separately, two overstayers, a 45-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman, were arrested.

A statement from Immigration again warned that overstaying and illegal work are both serious offences.

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Those found to have overstayed their visas can be jailed for up to two years and fined a maximum of $50,000.

The penalty is more severe if the overstayer is also found to have taken up work, whether paid or unpaid. An offender faces a maximum prison term of three years and a fine of up to $50,000.

Employers of illegal workers are punished more severely, with 10 years’ jail and $500,000 fine as the prescribed maximum penalty. Immediate imprisonment is also prescribed by the courts.

Mere failure to inspect a job applicant’s travel document in the absence of a Hong Kong permanent identity card could lead to the employer being meted a maximum fine of  $150,000 and jailed for up to a year.

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2 Filipinas linked to ATM scam fled HK, court told

 

The defendant says a man met her at this MTR exit in Central and took away her ATM card

Two Filipinas named by a defendant in a money laundering case as the ones who caused her to open a bank account that was used in funneling nearly $1 million in illicit funds have managed to flee Hong Kong while on police bail, Eastern Court was told on Thursday.

The two, identified as Angelita Antonio and Ronilda “Dang” Sumili, jumped bail on Aug 21, 2021 and June 27, 2021 respectively, said counsel for defendant Nora Antonio Reymundo.

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Reymundo, 47, is charged along with another defendant, Leonida C. Manlunas, 40, of a count each of “dealing with property known or believed to be proceeds of an indictable offence” or more commonly known as money laundering.

Both pleaded not guilty to the offence, and underwent trial from Mar 11 to 13 at Eastern Court. The money that passed through their respective bank accounts were said to be proceeds of a love scam perpetrated on a local elderly woman.

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Closing arguments by the prosecution and the defence have been set for April 18, after which Magistrate Jeffrey Sze is expected to render his verdict.

The bail set at $5,000 for each accused has been extended until then.

Reymundo is accused of laundering a total of $903,000 which passed through her account with HSBC between Feb 10, 2021 and Mar 4, 2021.

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Manlunas, on the other hand, allegedly dealt with a total of $387,000 which was laundered through an HSBC account in her name between Dec. 18, 2020 and Jan. 8, 2021.

Both defendants admitted receiving monetary reward after opening the bank accounts, but claimed not being aware that they were used to launder illicit money.

Authorities regularly post warnings against the sale or loan of bank accounts

In Reymundo’s case, she said that her younger cousin, Angelita Antonio, contacted her in December 2020 and asked her to open a bank account with HSBC which her friend’s boyfriend could use in receiving money from abroad.

Antonio allegedly said that her friend, Ronilda or Dang Sumili, could not open the account herself as her employer was working with HSBC. Reymundo said she contacted “Dang” and was able to confirm this story.

After repeated bugging with this request, Reymundo said she relented and on Feb. 10, 2021 she went to an HSBC branch in Central to open an account, and later met Dang’s supposed boyfriend, a man named “Chad,” at Exit B of the the Central MTR station.

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Chad reportedly asked Reymundo to go back to the HSBC counter and ask a teller to help her activate her ATM card, which she did. Chad then took the ATM card and her other bank documents, and gave her $500. Reymundo said in court she was supposed to get $2,000 for doing the bidding.

From Feb. 17 to Mar 4, 2021, several bank transactions were made using the account, and Reymundo admitted receiving text messages from HSBC each time. She said she told Angelita about them, but her cousin advised her to just ignore them.

On cross examination, Reymundo admitted having a separate account with Hang Seng Bank, through which her salary was being deposited, and which she knew how to operate.

After her arrest on Jun 17, 2021, along with Angelita and Dang, Reymundo said she could no longer access her WhatsApp conversations with the two, as well as the brief exchange she had with Chad.

In the case of Manlunas, she said she opened the account at the behest of an aunt, Josephine,  who said a friend needed it to transfer some money.

Manlunas admitted receiving text messages from HSBC each time a transaction was made using the account she opened, but said she did not understand what they were about. However, she did not call the bank’s hotline for clarification.

When she was arrested, a bank statement for the month of January 2021 was found by the police among her things in her employer’s flat. But when asked about this in court, Manlunas said she did not remember.

The defendant admitted receiving $1,600 for doing her aunt’s bidding, but insisted she did not know that her account was going to be used for illegal activities.

Manlunas said her aunt disappeared after her arrest, leaving her with debts totaling $80,000 from two financing companies which they were supposed to share. Her kindly employer who testified in court in her defense, ended up paying the entire debt to help her out.

Money laundering is a serious offence in Hong Kong, for which the prescribed maximum penalty is 14 years in jail and fine of up to $5 million. However, the maximum sentence that a magistracy can normally impose is two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $100,000.

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DH charged with child pornography for taking videos of ward

 

The case is being heard at Kwun Tong Court

A domestic helper who took two videos of a naked girl under her care has found herself in Kwun Tong Court answering two charges of making child pornography.

Gorgina Binmulog, 27 years old, appeared today before Acting Principal Magistrate Winnie Lau to face charges of violating Section 3(1) of the Prevention of Child Pornography Ordinance.

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Magistrate Lau adjourned the case to May 16, at the request of the lawyer of Binmulog, who was returned to jail custody.

A police complaint stated that the case arose from two video recordings that the Filipina took of the naked girl identified as X inside the toilet of the house of her employer in Sau Mau Ping, Kowloon.

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She used a smartphone to take the videos, the complaint said.

The first recording was made on Feb. 23, 2024 and the second on March 5.

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When her employers found out about the videos, they called police.

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Free tram rides tomorrow for ‘Art March’

 

The trams on Hong Kong island will take you to key art events

Take a free tram ride tomorrow and feel Hong Kong’s art vibe.

This is the message that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department is putting across, as it offers unlimited tram rides to the public tomorrow, in a bid to facilitate access to key art events taking place this weekend as part of “Art March 2024.”

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These include the Hong Kong Flower Show 2024 which opens today at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, the Ren Zhe sculpture exhibition at Edinburgh Place in Central and the Hong Kong Cultural Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui.

A must-go-to event is the HK Flower Show at Victoria Park, which is easily accessible by tram

Starting this year, LCSD is using “Art March” to promote a series of cultural and artistic events sponsored, funded, or supported by the government, ranging from arts and culture showcases, fashion trends, entertainment, film festivals, cultural summits, and fashion shows.

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The world-renowned Art Basel Hong Kong, which is privately organized, will also return in full scale to the city, when it is staged from March 28-30 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Also returning full-blast from March 28 to 31 is Art Central 2024, which can be seen at the Central Harbour Front.

For the second straight year, Art@Harbour will be staged on both sides of Victoria Harbour from March 25 to June 2. For two months, the seafront will be transformed into an outdoor art exhibition space featuring several interactive installations and digital art facades. 

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Tourism-related industries, such as hotels, retail, and catering, were also encouraged to collaborate with the arts and cultural sectors to offer an unforgettable art experience to everyone in the city, residents or tourists alike, whatever their age.

For other art-related events, check out: https://thehkhub.com/art-exhibitions-hong-kong.

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HK OFW Cris Cayat gets entrepreneur award from 'Go Negosyo'

 

Cris receives her award from First Lady Liza A. Marcos and other VIPs 
(photo by EmEm Macatiag of MM Gallery)

An indefatigable domestic worker and community leader recently brought pride to the Filipino community in Hong Kong by copping one of 19 “Aspiring Filipina Entrepreneurs Awards 2024” awards handed out by Go Negosyo on March 9 in celebration of International Women’s Month.

Cristina Cayat who was honoured for her Baguio-based indigenous clothing business called Inabel Tailoring, received her award from no less than First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, assisted by Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion and United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson.

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The 19 winners were picked from about 700 other women entrepreneurs all over the country. They were presented with their trophies at this year’s Women Summit, which celebrates women’s achievements and contributions to society and the economy in various fields and industries.

Cris, who has been working in Hong Kong for nearly three decades, said she was overwhelmed by the award, as being shortlisted was, to her, already an accomplishment.

“Being recognized as one of the aspiring women entrepreneurs for 2024 was a huge surprise and honor,” said Cris. “It gives me positive energy and hope for my business to grow.”

One of Cris' designs - her dream is to dress women in contemporary Cordillera fashion

Cris was cited during the awards for the “sustainable and responsible manufacturing process” of the business she started in her hometown of Lucnab, Baguio, during one of her trips back home in 2015.

Initially, Inabel was just a place where Cris’ friends, mostly fellow Filipinas in Hong Kong, could get some native outfits made to order. Cris took limited orders for small items like bags, wraparound skirts and jewelry made of ethnic fabrics and precious stones which she designed, sewed or assembled by herself.

But even then, she said, her dream was to dress and make her fellow Cordillerans proud, by designing contemporary outfits for them using their native fabrics and materials.

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After joining the Baguio Craft Fair in 2018, she said she was struck by how relevant and unique her creations were. “I was different from the local vendors,” she said.

With help from family members, especially her younger sister Vicky who was herself a former overseas Filipino worker in Hong Kong and Singapore, Cris expanded Inabel. They began buying more fabric, taking more orders from customers, and joining trade fairs.

In the near future, Cris plans to go home for good so she could concentrate more on the business and her passion for promoting Cordillera arts and fashion.

Cris with Vicky at Inabel's workshop in Baguio City

But for now, she is still busy co-organizing projects for Guhit Kulay, an all-migrants art group she founded in 2017. Apart from holding art exhibits in Hong Kong, the group has collaborated with foreign filmmakers in producing a documentary that was shown in various countries, and continues to hold free art workshops for their fellow migrant workers.

Cris, who started her community involvement as a contributor to The SUN, also founded Rhapsody Hong Kong, which promoted reproductive health care among migrant workers.

The idea of applying for the Go Negosyo award was brought up with her by a 2022 Inspiring OFW awardee, Elpedia Abel, who thought she had what it took to get the same recognition.

Cris was reluctant at first, but one week before the application deadline, decided to give it her best shot. On February 23 she received an email saying that her business was shortlisted, and she was overjoyed, thinking that it was enough recognition for her years of hard work.

But just a  few days later, or on March 5, she received another email, informing her that she made it to the final list, and asked if she could make it to the awards rites at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay, which were a scant four days away. Of course, she went.

The awardees were led by Robina Gokongwei-Pe, who received the Woman of Legacy Award.

Also awarded were Allyn Joy Cabarles of Kaulayaw Coffee, Annette Patdu of Diaspora Farm, Camille Escudero of Lily of the Valley, Czarina Sevilla of Avocadoria PH, Emilyn Kabor of Jireh Food Products, Katrina Blanca de Leon of Genteel Home, Maria Rafaella Louise Sol of Nuevo Ystilo and Marica Peñalosa of Ate Rica’s Bacsilog.

Marie Joyce Co Yu of True Blends & Coffee, Frances Uma Espinosa of The Original Paeng’s, Jonnah Garcia of Punique Handicrafts, Marjorie Barcelona of Healthy Lemon, Leah Marie Ayeng of Prestige Paper Products, Anna Melissa Nava of 1Export Trade and Services, Anna Magalona of But First Coffee and Denise Caranto of Konu also received recognition.

Prominent women from various fields also graced the event, which was co-presented by celebrity host Gretchen Ho and actress Iza Calzado-Wintle.

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Couple fined $5,000 each for having sex in public

 

Couple leaves court hand in hand

A Filipino couple charged with indecency in public were fined $5,000 each today at the Eastern Court after they admitted having sex at midnight in a playgroud in Sai Wan.

FA, 43 years old and a bartender; and CRV, aged 32 and a domestic helper; were arrested by police after midnight of Oct 30, 2023 at the Third Street Playground in Sai Wan, Hong Kong.

A witness living in a flat overlooking the playground was closing her window for the night when she saw the two in action at 11:16pm on Oct. 30 and called police.

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Two officers arrived at 12:10am and arrested the two on a charge of "committing an act outraging public decency," in violation of Section 148(1) of the Crimes Ordinance.

In mitigation, their defense lawyer attributed the act to impulse.

Magistrate Stephanie Tsui acknowledged the lawyer’s assertion that the two pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, that they were in a relationship, that they have expressed remorse and that they promised not to do the offense again.

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So, Magistrate Tsui added, “I’m willing to give you a second chance” and chose fine as a penalty. The law includes imprisonment of up to six months for such offense.

The two stood side by side as they listened to Magistrate Tsui’s decision. She gave them until 4pm to pay the fine.

After the hearing, they proceeded to the cashier’s office on the 7^th floor to pay the fine.

They were holding hands when they left the courthouse.

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