$13 biscuit costs Pinoy $300

 

A $13 pack of Nutella biscuits that a Filipino construction worker shoplifted has cost him $300, not to mention hours off work, at the end of his theft case today at West Kowloon Court.

Prosecutors withdrew a charge of theft against J. Salcedo, 37 years old, after he agreed to a bind-over, or a promise not to commit the same offense for 12 months, or he will be fined $1,000.

Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui set the conditions for the bound-over and released Salcedo with a clean record.

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However, she deducted $300 from his cash bail to pay for court costs.

Salcedo found himself charged with violating the Theft Ordinance after police filed a complaint accusing him of picking up the cookies last June 17 at a Seven-11 store at level 5 of the airport Terminal 1 in Chek Lap Kok, Lantau and leaving without paying for it.

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Health Dept warns against using Z FIT slimming product

 

This slimming product was found to contain banned drug ingredients

The Department of Health urged the public Tuesday not to buy or consume a slimming product labelled as "Z FIT” (100% natural) after tests showed it contained undeclared controlled and banned drug ingredients.  

Acting on a tip-off the DH obtained samples of the product through a social media platform and upon testing at the Government Laboratory, they were found to contain sibutramine and frusemide, which are Part 1 poisons under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138).          

Sibutramine was once used as an appetite suppressant but since November 2010, pharmaceutical products containing the ingredient have been banned in Hong Kong because of an increased cardiovascular risk.

Frusemide on the other hand is a diuretic used in the treatment of high blood pressure, heart failure and oedema. Common adverse effects include feeling thirsty, dizziness, headaches and fast or irregular heartbeat.       

According to the Ordinance, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in the market.

The illegal sale or possession of unregistered Part 1 poisons is  criminal offence for which the maximum penalty for each offense is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.

The DH called on those who have purchased the slimming product to stop consuming it immediately. If they feel after consumption they should consult healthcare professionals immediately.

The public may submit the products to the Drug Office of the DH at Room 1804-1806, 18/F, Wing On Kowloon Centre, 345 Nathan Road, Kowloon, during office hours for disposal.

The DH advised everyone not to buy products of unknown or doubtful composition, or consume products from unknown sources.

People who want to lose weight should maintain a balanced diet and exercise regularly. They should consult a doctor before taking any medication for weight control.

For more information, they may visit the website of the Drug Office of the DH for "Health message on overweight problem and slimming products" and "Slimming products with undeclared Western drug ingredients.”

 

DH gets 10 months’ jail for conspiring to launder $1.2M

 

The hearing was held at Eastern Court

Another Filipina domestic helper was sent to jail today for money laundering after she admitted at Eastern Court that $1.2 million in crime proceeds passed through her bank account.

Marcela Awingan, 38 years old, was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment  by Principal Magistrate Don So for violation of the Organuzed and Serious Crimes Ordinance. 

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A police complaint dated June 14 accused Awingan of dealing with property that came from crime.

The charge was based on the flow of $1,231,539.07 into and out of her Standard Chartered Bank account between March 12 and April 13, 2023.

She did the offense “togther with persons unknown,” the complaint added.

It asserted that she dealt with the property which “… in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, represented any person’s proceeds of an indictable offense.”

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Jobless Pinoy charged for possessing fake $100 bills

 

West Kowloon Courts

A jobless Filipino was returned to custody after appearing Tuesday at Kowloon City Court to answer a case of possession of five fake $100 bills.

Ray Onate Jr., 35 years old and has no fixed address, is accused of violating section 100(2) of the Crimes Ordinance, which punishes the “custody of counterfeit notes or coins” with up to three years in prison.

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The charge arose arose after police officers on patrol accosted Onate while he was on Woo Sung St in Yau Ma Tei last July 10 and found the fake dollar bills in his possession.

Seized from him were three fake $100 HSBC notes  and two $100 Bank of China notes, which he had in his custody “without lawful authority,” the police complaint said.

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Stealing 6 letters, key gets DH 2 months’ jail

 

Taikoo Shing building where the offense was committed

A domestic helper who pleaded guilty last July at Eastern Court to stealing six letters and one key from her employer at Tai Koo Shing, was sentenced today to two months’ imprisonment.

Marijoe Baril, 27, received the sentence from Principal Magistrate Don So 20 days after he put off the sentencing to conduct a background check to determine why she stole the letters, using the key to open her employer’s mail box.

Police had charged Baril with theft for stealing the six letters and one key between last May and June at her employer’s house in Taikoo Shing.

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Her duty lawyer told the court after her plea that Baril underestimated the severity of the offense.

Since she has been detained since last month and deducting holidays from her jail term plus discount for good behavior, Baril should be free anytime soon.

Her criminal conviction, however, would likely result in her being deported back to the Philippines after here release, and prevent her from working again in Hong Kong. 

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Appeal Court rejects bid of Filipino who lied about threats from ex-girlfriend

 

The Court of Appeals hearings are held at the High Court

A Filipino tourist who claimed to have fled to Hong Kong to escape his girlfriend and her family who wanted to kill him, has failed to get the Court of Appeal to overturn a decision to reject his application for asylum.

Benedicto Pimentel Jr. had claimed that “he would be harmed or killed by his former girlfriend and her family due to the former girlfriend’s affairs with some other men,” the Court of Appeal noted in its decision dated July 31, 2024.

Pimentel arrived in Hong Kong as a visitor on June 26, 2015, and overstayed after his two-week limit of stay.

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He was arrested by police on Aug. 10, 2015. He applied two days later at the Immigration Department for non-refoulement or protection from forcible return to his country of origin.

Three years later, on Nov. 16, 2018, the Director of Immigration dismissed his claim on all applicable grounds, among them the risk of torture, death, and persecution.

Pimentel appealed the to the Torture Claims Appeal Board, which confirmed the Director’s decision on May 9, 2019.

Not only did it rule that his claim did not meet the requirements for giving asylum, it also noted that “his claim (is) nothing more than a fabrication” and described his “evidence (as) unreliable and at times, even absurd.”

On May 21, 2019, Pimentel went up to the High Court to apply for leave to apply for judicial review.

Deputy High Court Judge K W Lung refused on April 3, 2024 to grant such leave, saying there is no valid “ground to challenge the Board’s Decision.”

After he raised his case to the Court of Appeal last April 8, Justices of Appeal Thomas Au and Anderson Chow ruled: “The Applicant’s appeal has no merits, and is dismissed.”

“(Pimentel) has failed to identify or show any error in the Judge’s decision of 3 April 2024, or raise any viable ground of appeal against the Order,” the decision explained. 

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Diwa’t Kabayan to teach baking, meat processing

 

The poster for the baking lesson on Aug 11

Fancy baking your own bread, and partnering it with sardines in oil you made yourself? 

If you relish the idea, you may want to join either or both of the two livelihood seminars that will be held on two upcoming Sundays by one of the longest-serving migrant organizations in Hong Kong, the Diwa’t Kabayan Benlife Society.

The first whole-day seminar scheduled on August 11, 9am to 6pm,  will focus on bread making, with pandesal, pizza, ensaymada and biscuits among the end-products.

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A fee of $520 to be collected from each participant will be used to buy lunch for all participants, ingredients and kitchen tools that will be used for the tutorial, and for renting the venue in Taipo. All items baked by the participants can be taken home.

A non-refundable reservation fee of $100 will be collected from each participant to secure their place in the training seminar.

Meat processing is one of Diwa't Kabayan banner projects

On the next Sunday, Aug. 18, 10 am to 6pm, another seminar will be held  by the group to teach food and meat processing. The food items to be produced will include different kind of longanisa, tocino, sardines in oil, and tinapa.

A reservation fee of $100 will be collected from each participant, with the total amount of contribution for the other expenses to be determined on the day itself.

All participants who signed up will be fetched at the Taipo Market MTR station.

Earlier, the all-OFW group also provided training on how to create wedding accessories out of mesh stockings. The half-day seminar was held on July 28 at the Metrobank conference room. Admission was on a first come, first served basis.

Diwa’t Kabayan which has all along been headed by its founder, Naty Manalo, has been teaching OFWs various livelihood skills for the past 25 years.

For additional information on their livelihood seminars, please visit the Facebook page, "Diwa't Kabayan Benlife Society."

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Beware of money lenders asking for bank accounts as collateral

 

This text exchange shows the money lender wants control over borrower's bank accout

A Filipina domestic helper has reached out to warn others about a group that purports to extend a loan to those who are about to go back to the Philippines after their employment contracts were terminated prematurely, and then get them involved in money laundering without their knowledge.

Baby (not her real name),  said she commented “How po” to a post she found in a Facebook page about the loan offer. Almost immediately, someone got back to her and said her group could extend a loan of up to $2,000, but in exchange, the helper needed to submit control over her bank account.

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Baby showed a series of text messages between her and another Filipina who said this was her boss’ requirement prior to extending the loan. The Filipina specified an account in either HSBC or Hang Seng Bank.

When Baby said she did not have an account in either bank, the other Filipina suggested she could set up an appointment for the helper to open one, but she must be able to leave her employer’s house on a weekday to do this.

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“Mag open ka na lang po, tapos kuhanin namin sa yo,” said the Filipina in a chat message.“Book kita ng appointment, gusto mo?” (I will book an appointment for you, if you want).

When Baby balked some more, saying she does not get to go out even during Sundays as she is looking after a sick elderly employer, the person she was chatting with said, “Ay sayang, ano po ba ang off mo? Di ka ba pwedeng mag off ng Sabado? (Pity! When is your day off? Can’t you take a Saturday off?)

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The overly friendly staff caused Baby to feel uneasy that she immediately consulted a migrant support group on whether the deal sounded like it involved money laundering, and she was immediately told yes, and that  she should immediately cut off contacts with the person she was chatting with.

In a long list of cases involving FDHs who lent or surrender control over their bank accounts which were then made funnels for criminal proceeds, the account holder is the one that is normally arrested, and without fail, jailed.

Magistrates routinely impose a jail term of nine months if the accused admits guilt, 12 months or more if they opt to go to trial, and are convicted.

However, the prescribed maximum jail term is 14 years, and a fine of up to $5 million.

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It’s a double gold for Caloy and the Philippines at Paris Olympics

 

It's an unprecedented second gold for Caloy, and a source of pride and joy for the country

As the announcer put it, the first gold was a dream, the second was a fairy tale.

Surmounting big odds, 24-year-old Carlos Edriel Yulo won another gold medal for the Philippines at the Paris Olympic 2024 for the second day in a row, dominating the men’s vault final late on Sunday night. He secured his slot in the finals after placing sixth in the qualifying round.

Yulo won his first gold in the men’s floor exercise only the previous night.

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His back-to-back victory raised the country’s gold medal haul in the Olympics from the one won by weightlifter Hidylin Diaz in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, to three practically overnight.

 I owe this to the One above, says Caloy

Yulo also has the distinction of being the first Filipino to win multiple golds in the world’s premier sports meet. 

His first vault was a picture of power, grace and artistry, earning for himself a score of 15.433, the highest given in the competition.

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A slightly imperfect landing caused his score in his second vault to dip a bit, giving him a score of 14.800, but it was still enough to earn him the top place on the podium, with an average score of 15.116.

The Philippine flag was raised and the national anthem played
 for only the 3rd time in Olympic history

Armenia’s Artur Davtyan who won the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics, again took the second slot after finishing his routine with an average score of 14.966. Britain’s Harry Hepworth, whose score of 14.949 initially put him in the lead, took bronze.

The Philippines is now assured of four medals in the Paris Olympics, with female boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas each assured of at least a bronze medal after their winning bouts also on Sunday.

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This ties up the number of medals won by the Philippines in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021), and boosted its haul highlighted by Yulo’s two gold wins.

Since it began taking part in the Olympics in 1924, the Philippines has won a total of 15 medals, eight of which were from the two immediate past quadrennial games.  

After winning his first gold medal, Yulo was assured of huge rewards from both the Philippine government and various private enterprises.

Under a law passed in 2015, an Olympic gold medalist is to be rewarded with a “financial incentive” of P10 million, while the House of Representatives has pledged to give an additional P3 million.

The athlete will also receive an Olympic Gold Medal of Valor from the Philippine Sports Commission, as well as a house and lot. In addition, a private developer has pledged to give him a condominium unit, like what Hidylin Diaz received after her win three years ago.

What is unclear if the rewards will be doubled now that Yulo has won two gold medals.

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Immigration formally opens Tseung Kwan O headquarters

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki presides over  formal opening of new Immigration headquarters

The Immigration Department today formally opened its new headquarters in Tseung Kwan O, almost two months after transferring its operations from its Wanchai base.

The Immigration Headquarters, which started operation last June 11, is located at 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O.

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Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki, who officiated at the opening ceremony, said the transfer was planned by Immigration Department and Government Property Agency officers during his tenure as Immigration director.

He said the new headquarters was built near both the Tseung Kwan O and Tiu Keng Leng MTR Stations and is easily accessible by other modes of public transport, to make it convenient for the public to use its services.

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 “Every process of the project, from design to preparation and implementation of the relocation plan, was carried out with meticulous attention to detail to ensure that the services and operation of the department would not be affected by the relocation,” he said. 

“The new headquarters have commenced operation without hiccups, and credit must go to all colleagues in the ImmD for their commendable efforts.”

For his part, the current Immigration director, Benson Kwok, said: "The Immigration Headquarters… represents the image of the Immigration Department that places equal importance on service provision and law enforcement, and symbolizes the department's firm commitment to serving the public and striving to maintain the stability and prosperity of the country and Hong Kong."

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Information on public transport services for travelling to the Immigration Headquarters and the opening hours of its offices, can be found at: www.immd.gov.hk/eng/imm_hq.html

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Carlos Yulo wins gold for the Philippines in Paris Olympics

 

Yulo screams for joy after his winning score was announced (GMA News photo)

Carlos Edriel Yulo delivered the Philippines’ first gold medal in the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and the second ever in the Olympic games.

PINDUTIN DITO

Yulo, 24, clinched the gold in the final of the men’s artistic gymnastics floor exercise final at Bercy Arena on Saturday, Manila time.

Here's a  link to his golden moment at the Olympics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54mDfHpJax0&t=2s

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He scored an impressive  15.000 points in a near-flawless performance, sufficient for him to win the top slot, ahead of Israel’s Artem Goldopyat (14.966) and Britain’s Jake Jarman (14.933). 

Following the announcement of his score, Yulo roared and pumped up his fists, certain he came out on top.

Medal standings in the gymnastics' event that gave the gold to Yulo, and the Philippines

Yulo became the second Filipino to ever win a gold medal in the Olympics, after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz brought one home from the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

He delivered an almost impeccable performance that showcased his signature high-flying tumbles and intricate spins. 

The routine’s difficulty level, combined with his exceptional execution, secured him the top spot on the podium, and paved the way for the Philippine national anthem to be played for only a second time in Olympic history.

Basahin ang detalye!

Yulo will have a chance to bring home another gold for the Philippines when he competes in the vault apparatus competition tomorrow, Sunday.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, two fencing athletes brought home the gold from the Paris Olympics, Vivian Kong and Edgar Cheung Ka-long, who defended the first gold he won at the Tokyo Olympics.

Swimming champion Siobhan Haughey won two bronze medals, one in the 100m and another in the 200m freestyle events, to add to the two silvers she won in Tokyo. She now stands as the winningest Olympic athlete in Hong Kong's history.

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Feeding pigeons could get you jailed and fined up to $100k

The law against feeding wild pigeons will be enforced in both private and public areas

Starting this month, the maximum fine for the illegal feeding of feral or wild pigeons has gone up to $100,000 which is 10 times higher than the $10,000 set previously.

The new penalty is provided for under the Wild Animals Protection (Amendment) Bill 2023, which also provides that the offence can be discharged by paying a fixed penalty of $5,000 on the spot.

PINDUTIN DITO

In announcing the stricter law, the authorities said there will be a grace period of until Aug. 31, when offenders will be issued with just a warning. After this period, violators will be meted appropriate penalty without prior warning.

Officers from various government departments, including the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Housing Department, and Leisure and Cultural Services Department, are empowered to enforce the law on both public and private premises.

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The harsher penalty is aimed at reducing the feeding of wild animals and address associated nuisances and sanitary concerns like the birds shedding feathers, dropping poop and pestering people for food, while potentially transmitting viruses.

Being fed by people in these areas is seen to have served as an incentive for the pigeons to forage and gather in increasing numbers.

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To promote the revised law, government officials held an outreach event at Hang Hau Station on Sunday to inform people about the stricter rules. They also called on citizens to report any violators to make the new law more effective.

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Wala kang day off kasi may alaga kang matanda? Busy sobra sa amo wala nang oras sa sarili pati pagbili ng load ng SIM eh hindi mo magawa? Eh di wow! 

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Kung naka 4 months data ka, eh di $37 kada buwan na lang ang internet mo. Ang mura! Eh di WOW! 

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