Indonesia agrees to allow Mary Jane Veloso to go home

Mary Jane has been in death row for 14 years (photo from Veloso family) 

Fourteen years after being found with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage on arrival in Indonesia and being put on death row, Filipina Mary Jane Veloso is set to go home.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said in a statement today that his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto has  agreed to allow Mary Jane to return home.

“We managed to delay her execution long enough to reach an agreement to finally bring her back to the Philippines,” said Marcos.

He added, “Mary Jane’s story resonates with many: a mother trapped by the grip of poverty who made one desperate choice that altered the course of her life. While she was held accountable under Indonesian law, she remains a victim of her circumstances.”

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However, it remains unclear whether the 39-year-old mother of two will be set free on her return or transferred to a Philippine prison.

Yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippine and Indonesian governments have discussed the potential transfer of Mary Jane to a detention facility in Manila, but gave no other details.

However, DFA spokesperson Eduardo de Vega said President Marcos could extend her executive clemency once she is returned home.

Migrante International, which has maintained for years that Mary Jane was a victim of human trafficking and should not be punished, immediately released a statement thanking both the Philippine and Indonesian governments for pursuing diplomatic and political solutions to her case.

It added a call for the Marcos government to grant Mary Jane immediate clemency on her return home on humanitarian grounds, and because she should be regarded as a victim and not a criminal offender.

Mary Jane was arrested in 2010 on her arrival at Adisutjpto International Airport in Yogyakarta after the drugs were found in her luggage.

Veloso has maintained that she was unaware of the contents of her luggage as it was only given to her by her recruiters whom she identified as Julius Lacanilao and Maria Kristina Sergio.

Veloso worked in Dubai as a domestic helper for 10 months before returning to the Philippines in January 2010, claiming her employer had tried to rape her.

In April 18 of the same year, her friend Maria Kristina Sergio or “Tintin” of Talavera, Nueva Ecija offered her a job as a domestic worker in Malaysia.

Two days later, the two flew to Malaysia, where Tintin told Mary Jane the job was no longer available, but that she could still find her another job.

A few days later, Tintin sent Mary Jane to Indonesia for a supposed seven-day holiday, and promised to let her go back to Malaysia for employment afterwards.

On her arrival in Yogjakarta, Veloso was arrested by Customs and Excise authorities after the drugs were found in the luggage she was carrying.

She was sentenced to death on October 11, 2010. Since then, the Philippine government has sought to get her released in response to appeals from various non-government organizations and migrant support groups, to no avail.

Meanwhile, her alleged traffickers were convicted of large-scale illegal recruitment in a separate case by a Nueva Ecija court on Jan. 30, 2020, and sentenced to life in prison.

 

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DH jailed 8 months for money laundering

 

Another Filipina domestic helper was sent to jail today for allowing her bank account to be used in money laundering, the latest in the growing number of Filipina domestic helpers getting ensnared in the crime.

Asteria Pinili, 41 years old and DH in Hong Kong since 2019, pleaded guilty in Eastern Court to dealing with crime money, and was sentenced by Principal Magistrate Don So to eight months in prison.

In a complaint filed by police last July 30, Pinili was charged with dealing with $641,086 of “any person’s proceeds of an indictable offense” through 16 deposits into her Mox Bank account from 7 to 21 June last year. 

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In another case today, Magistrate So rejected an offer of $20,000 in cash, in a bail review for another Filipina domestic helper charged with money laundering.

Instead, he remanded Charity Joy Paculio, 45 years old, in jail custody and set another bail review for Nov. 26.

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He also affirmed the case’s adjournment to Jan. 28, which had been set earlier to finalize its transfer to the District Court.

Paculio is accused of dealing with proceeds of crime in her Standard Chartered Bank account, for deposits and withdrawals between 22^nd and 28th of February in 2023, which totalled $2,751,387.98.

 

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DMW official to hold reintegration seminar in HK

 

The talk should answer questions of OFWs planning to go home for good

Are you an overseas Filipino worker thinking of going back home for good, but are unsure as to what you can do when you retire, or what benefits, if any, you can avail of from the government?

Here is your chance to find out.

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On December 1, Sunday, Department of Migrant Workers’ Assistant Secretary for Reintegration, Francis Ron C. de Guzman will speak about the government’s reintegration program for OFWs.

His talk will be held from 9am to 12 noon at the City University of Hong Kong on Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon.

Anybody who wishes to attend is required to register by scanning the QR code in the poster above.

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According to recent news reports from the Philippines, funds for the government’s national reintegration program for OFWs have been doubled under the term of President Ferdinand Marcos, r.

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said that as a result, he expects the beneficiaries of the department’s reintegration program to double to 5,000 this year, from the previous 2,500.

He said there are several programs and activities under the National Reintergration Center for OFWs, including the BPBH, Livelihood Development Assistance Program, Sa Pinas Ikaw ang Ma’am, Sir, Training on Livelihood, Skills, Techical and Professional Skills, Tulong Pangkapital, and many more.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, an attached agency of DMW, has even more beneficiaries, as about 10% of the OWWA Fund is set aside for reintegration.

Administrator Arnell Ignacio said OWWA is now thinking of a new reintegration program specifically for OFWs who are into farming. He said this will not only help returning workers but will also support the food sufficiency programs of the current administration.

 

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Filipino gets 15 months’ jail for allowing illegal worker to use his ID to get job

 

An attempt to make money out of his Hong Kong Identification Card (HKID) as a permanent resident has resulted in a Filipino being jailed for a total of 15 months.

Ricardo de Austria, 53 years old, pleaded guilty today at Shatin Court to allowing another person to use his HKID to get a job, and for allowing his bank account to be used as depository for the salary earned from that employment. For that, he admitted getting a $1,500 monthly reward for two years.

His offenses came to light in September 2022 after Immigration Department officers raided a Fairwood restaurant in an anti-illegal worker operation and arrested Mohammad Shah, an Indian holding a recognizance form, for illegally working in the kitchen.

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Shah turned out to have used de Austria’s HKID to land the job.

His salary was also paid into de Austria’s Hang Seng Bank account from Aug. 6, 2020 to Sept. 7, 2022, amassing a total of $414,781.33. This became the basis for de Austria’s money laundering charge, for which he was jailed for 12 months.

De Austria’s second case, transferring an identity card to another person, resulted from lending his HKIC to his co-defendant in the case, Leila Fonte, 55. Shah, her Indian live-in partner, cannot be employed legally in Hong Kong because he is a holder of the recognizance form and subject to deportation.

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De Austria was sentenced to 12 months for each of the charges. However, Acting Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong ordered that only three months of the second sentence be added to the first, with the rest being served concurrently.

For her part, Fonte was sentenced earlier to a total of 36 months in jail after being convicted of eight charges, including money laundering, conspiracy to use de Austria’s identity card, and transferring an identity card to another person.

Aside from Shah, Immigration also arrested over 20 overstaying foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) working as cleaners in the same restaurant.

“After in-depth investigation, it was discovered that the arrested FDHs had all used others' identity cards during job seeking. They would also borrow the rightful holders' bank accounts for receiving salaries. The rightful holders would provide their ATM cards for the FDHs to withdraw the salaries every month in return for a reward of around HK$2,000,” Immigration said. These salaries totalled $2.5 million.

Aside from Fonte, five people had been jailed for 12 to 15 months, it added.

“The case is still under investigation, and the Immigration does not rule out the possibility of further prosecutions,” it said in a press statement.

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DH gets 2 years’ jail for money laundering

 

The case was heard at Tuen Mun Court

For allowing her two bank accounts to be used for money laundering, a Filipina domestic helper will spend two years in jail, in one of the harshest penalties to be imposed for such a crime.

Jereza Baylon, 42 years old, was meted the penalty at Tuen Mun Court today after she pleaded gultty to two charges of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offense, a violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

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Baylon pleaded guilty to handling $1,352,305 of crime proceeds that flowed in and out of her Hang Seng Bank ATM account between July 31 and Aug. 29, 2023.

She also pleaded guilty to handling $788,470  of crime money deposited and withdrawn from her CITIC Bank account between July 5 and July 20, 2023.

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Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang sentenced her to 18 month imprisonment for the first charge, and 12 months for the second charge,

However, he ordered that half of the second sentence be served at the same time as the first sentence, resulting in a total sentence of 24 months.

This is the most severe penalty ever imposed on a FDH convicted of money laundering in Hong Kong so far. 

The only Filipina to beat the record was a resident, Ester Ylagan, former proprietor of Emry's employment agency, who was jailed for 32 months in February this year for laundering $5.7 million which she collected by offering non-existent jobs in Canada to Filipinos.

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DH jailed 16 months for jewelry theft

 

Providence Bay in Tai Po, where theft happened (Google Maps photo)

A domestic helper was jailed for 16 months today after she admitted stealing 32 pieces of jewelry from her employer over a one-month period.

Richelle Ann Britanico, 36, agreed with the facts of the case and then pleaded guilty after it was read to her at the Fan Ling Court before Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung Chi-wai.

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The case was filed earlier today by the Tai Po Police, shortly after arresting Britanico on a complaint of her employer.

Britanico was accused of stealing five pairs of gold earrings, one pair of Chanel brand gold and silver earrings, one gold baby pendant, one gold necklace with pearl, two silver bracelets, one gold bracelet, two gold necklaces, four rose-gold necklaces, one gold baby necklace, one gold baby anklet, two pairs of wedding bracelet, one gold necklace with box, one jade pendant and one gold pendant with necklace.

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The theft happened from Aug. 20 to Sept. 19 this year at the employer’s flat in Providence Bay, Tai Po, police said.

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IBP Cebu to hold law seminar, legal clinic at PCG

 

Poster on the free legal seminars and consultations with IBP lawyers

The Consulate, in cooperation with lawyers for Cebu City Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, will hold a free seminar and legal consultation with Filipinos in Hong Kong on  Nov 24, Sunday, from 9am to 5pm.

After welcome remarks by Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan, the three-part seminar that will tackle issues on the Philippines' Family Law, Property and Contract Law, and Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) Law, will be held until 12 noon.

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In the afternoon, eight lawyers from IBP Cebu City will conduct a free legal clinic with Filipinos who wish on consult on any legal matters in the Philippines may consult them one-on-one, in private.

The seminar is part of the “Juana Knows” program of the Consulate, while the legal clinic is a continuation of its regular “Idulog Mo Kay Atorni” project with the IBP.

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To pre-register for both the seminars and the legal clinic, please scan the QR code on the poster above, or click on the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSebWtLckGXcc9O02YdB85A5RzRvbUZCK-EAJpiyqaPEubhGZQ/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawGmSVdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHd--V2f4o0YuzAwYSUvim_efSkP9k6aMLBioc7aE1fhav2ztJ3k0GP0mFA_aem_YXY_vet5mLBAMuyH8SdUgg

 

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Consumer Council warns against using laundry scents

 

Samples from products tested by Consumer Council

Adding scent boosters to one’s laundry can make clothes smell better, but can also cause allergic reactions and harm the environment, the Consumer Council has warned.

“… consumers are reminded to consider the necessity before purchase,“ it said, since they can add from $3 to $21 per load to the cost of washing clothes, without any effect on cleaning.

The council issued the advice after testing 12 brands of the scent boosters, half of which claimed fabric softening properties, and found that all contained varying types and concentrations of fragrance allergens, with one having the most number of types at eight.

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“Except for 1 model with only 1 type of fragrance allergen, the remaining 11 models had 3 to 8 types of fragrance allergens. The test also revealed that models with two-colored scented granules generally had more types of fragrance allergens, averaging 6 types compared to almost 4 types in single-colored ones,” it added.

Hong Kong has no legislation mandating the labelling of fragrance allergens in household cleaning and laundry products. But under the European Union’s Detergents Regulation, products containing any of the 26 fragrance allergens at concentrations exceeding 0.01% must be labelled to alert consumers and help prevent allergic reactions and related symptoms.

“Over 80% (10) of the models were detected with specific fragrance allergens at concentrations exceeding 0.01%, reaching the level set out in EU’s labelling requirement. However, only 1 model listed such information on its label, without specifying the type of the fragrance allergen,” it said.

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According to a report published by the American Contact Dermatitis Society, laundry products are a significant contributor to the development of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).

Other reactions such as asthma, migraines, respiratory and skin problems, and even rashes can also be triggered by the use of strongly-scented laundry products. These reactions may also affect others.

The test results also found that four brands contained HHCB, a musk compound added into some products to help the fragrance bind to textiles, at levels ranging from 0.14% to 0.73%, reaching the EU labelling threshold.

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HHCB is commonly used in products such as air fresheners, cleaning products and laundry detergents. A risk assessment report by the US Environmental Protection Agency estimated that over 90% of HHCB, not readily biodegradable and highly toxic to aquatic organisms, is released into municipal wastewater.

“Given the widespread detection of HHCB in wastewater in many countries, the potential environmental impact of using HHCB-containing products should not be overlooked,” it added.

Products tested by Consumer Council

Should such products be really needed, the Council offered the following tips: 

• Avoid frequent use and be mindful of the dosage. As a precaution, avoid using on clothing and products for babies and toddlers, or people with eczema or skin allergies;
• Check the product claims when choosing laundry products. For example, if the laundry detergent already has softening function, avoid using additional in-wash scent boosters that claim to have a softening effect to prevent unnecessary product overuse;
• Most products are designed for machine washing. Load them directly into the drum of the machine instead of the drawers for detergent or fabric softener to avoid clogging due to incomplete dissolution;
• Avoid using wash cycles with less water or shorter durations, to avoid leaving excessive amount of detergent and/or scent booster residue on clothing;
• Maintain good ventilation during washing and drying to avoid build-up of fragrance from the scent boosters which can deteriorate indoor air quality;
• Some laundry scent boosters look and smell like candies. Parents should store them in places inaccessible to children to avoid accidental ingestion;
• If the purpose of use is to remove bad odours, try soaking clothes in diluted baking soda or vinegar before considering the use of scent boosters.

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Appeals court affirms rejection of ex-NPA’s asylum claim

The High Court, where the Court of First Instance holds its proceedings 

A Filipino who claimed his life was in danger if sent back to the Philippines because he left the new People’s Army and was now being hunted by his former comrades, has failed to convince the Court of Appeal to review the rejection of his claim to asylum.

The non-refoulement application of Ariel Arellano, 57 years old, was earlier denied by the Immigration Director and then, on appeal, by the Torture Claims Appeal Board. He then went to the Court of First Instance to apply for judicial review but was similarly rebuffed in a ruling by Deputy High Court Judge K. W. Lung.

In a decision dated last Nov. 12, Court of Appeals Vice President Carlye Chu and Justice of Appeal Godfrey Lam said: “The applicant’s appeal is … dismissed.”

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They explained: “… the applicant has not been able to demonstrate any error in the decision of the Judge or advance any viable ground of appeal against the Judge’s decision.  We are not satisfied that there is any error in the Judge’s decision.”

Arellano entered Hong Kong on Nov. 1, 2016 as a visitor. He never left after his visa expired on Nov. 15, 2016. He surrendered to the Immigration Department on Dec. 6, 2016 and raised a non-refoulement claim 10 days later. 

In a decision on July 10, 2018, the Immigration Director found that his claim failed to meet the international requirements for granting asylum: that he faced the risk to life, persecution risk, and torture risk.

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The Board, on the other hand, accepted his claim that he was involved with the Kabataang Makabayan and later the NPA in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. 

But in its decision on May 10, 2019, the Board found “multiple significant anomalies… vagueness and inconsistencies” which raised doubts about his claims, such as surrendering to the Philippine military in 2016 when he could not have been with the NPA beyond the 1990s and, as a result, “pursued by Commander Alvin or others of the NPA to be harmed or killed.”

The board concluded: “There was in fact no real risk of harm if the applicant returned to the Philippines, because … the people of the NPA or the Philippines government or military would not be interested in the historical involvement of the applicant with the NPA in the 1980’s and 1990’s.”

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Judge Lung concluded in his decision issued last April 30: “There is no valid ground from the applicant to challenge the Board’s Decision. There is no reason for the Court to interfere with the Board’s Decision.”

The appeals cöurt concurred: “If no viable ground is put forward to reverse the judge, the appeal should be dismissed.  It is not the role of this Court to examine the decision of the Board afresh as if the appeal were a fresh application for judicial review.”

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China to allow passport-free entry for some residents at 2 border crossings

For HK travelers, passport-free entry can only be done at Shenzhen Port initially 

Starting next Wednesday, Nov.  19,  certain groups of  travelers  from Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland will be able to cross two border checkpoints into the mainland without showing their passports.

According to the National Immigration Administration, the scheme which will initially be on a trial stage, is meant to make travel more convenient for residents of the  three places, as well as making border clearance more efficient.

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The trial will be implemented at self-service gates at  the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and the Gongbei crossing  between Macau and Zhuhai.

Those qualified for the easier entry and exit from the three places are travellers who are 14 years old  and above, and are either mainland  residents who travel frequently for private reasons, or non-ethnic Chinese permanent residents in HK and Macau who have a mainland travel card.

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Chinese authorities said in an announcement that residents who agree to go through the border inspection agency for the collection of facial information, fingerprints and other information for verification can choose to use the “document-free’ channel at the two border crossings.

But to be safe, they said all travelers should still bring their travel documents with them in case officials decide to check them after they cross the border.

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The authorities said the scheme would gradually be expanded to cover other border crossings, as well as children aged below 14.

 

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