The art exhibit is ongoing at the basement of The Centre building in Central An art exhibit entitled "Path to Well-Being," focusing on the theme Mental Health of Migrant Domestic Workers, is ongoing at the basement of The Centre building in Central, and can be accessed through its entrance along Des Voeux Road Central. The exhibit showcases the winners of an art competition in visual art, photography and poetry, conducted by MDW Recharge Hub, a project of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. PINDUTIN DITO “We each have our own mental health journey as we overcome different ch ..read more

  A Filipino permanent resident came to Eastern Court for a hearing on a summons for possession of more than one Hong Kong ID card. When he left the court, he was facing four more charges and his bail had been raised from $2,000 to $5,000. Mariano Ang, 54 years old, was originally issued a summons after police found another person’s HKID in his possession in a flat on No. 4 Fortress Hill Road in North Point on Aug. 26, 2021.  A local whose case was heard before Ang’s, pleaded guilty to a similar charge and was given a sentence of three months in jail, suspended for 24 months. P ..read more

Money seized by police from an unrelated scam and money laundering case Is your ignorance about the transfer of illegal funds into your bank account a valid defense against money laundering? This is the question that is raised yet again in the money laundering case brought against two Filipina domestic helpers who both denied knowing how their bank accounts were used to siphon off money from an elderly local who fell prey to a romance scam. Leonida C. Manlunas, 40 and Nora Antonio Reymundo, 47, appeared at Eastern Court yesterday, expecting to hear Magistrate Jeffrey Sze hand down his ..read more

  Court did not accept defendant's offer of proof of her good character A Filipina was jailed for four months today after she pleaded guilty to beating up a fellow domestic helper with whom she has had a feud that dates back to when they were both in the Philippines.   Juliet Balacuit, 47 years old, presented a letter from her employer and a contract renewal as proof of her good character, while her lawyer said her victim, Rodelia Dangayo, was no longer keen to pursue the case as they sought to convince Eastern Court Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui to give her “a last cha ..read more

  Mabatid confronts OFW complainants and the police during her last HK trip in June 2023 United Filipinos in Hong Kong has called on the Philippine government to immediately file charges against Prisca Nina Mabatid, who was named in sworn statements by no less than 22 migrant workers as being behind a student visa scam that defrauded them of some $400,000 (Php3 million). In a statement issued today, Apr 17, Unifil-Migrante HK chairperson Dolores Balladares said: "It’s (been) almost a year since the OFWs in HK were victimized by the visa scam of Nina Mabatid, yet the justice they ..read more

  OFWs, including those in HK, will get more for their dollar when they send money home The peso has further lost its value versus the US dollar, dropping to as low of 57.29 to the greenback today, Wednesday, before ending the day at P57.18, still the lowest since November 2022. The peso first breached the 57-level mark for the first time in 17months yesterday, after shedding 19.2 centavos from Monday’s 56.808. The peso last dropped below 57 to $1 on Sept. 6, 2022. In Hong Kong, the exchange rate with the peso is now HK$1-30, as the city’s currency is pegged to the US dollar.&nbs ..read more

  Slimming product that contains banned ingredients Hong Kong's Department of Health (DH) has warned against consuming a slimming product because it contains undeclared controlled and banned drug ingredients. Honey Q Level Up, purchased online during the DH's market surveillance and tested by the Government Laboratory, was found to contain sibutramine, benzyl sibutramine and fluoxetine, which are Part 1 poisons under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance. Sibutramine was once used as an appetite suppressant. Since November 2010, pharmaceutical products containing sibutramine have b ..read more

  The victims were locked up in a container in Pat Heung after being kidnapped in Pokfulam (File) A 45-year-old jobless man was sentenced to nine years and four months in jail at the High Court yesterday for kidnapping a Filipina domestic helper and her 20-month-old ward more than two years ago. Ho Lin-chun admitted abducting the Filipina who was 39 years old at the time, and the toddler, on Dec. 8, 2021, with intent to demand a ransom for their release. In sentencing, Deputy High Court Judge Amanda Woodcock praised the helper for her bravery as she managed to free herself and t ..read more

Bernandino was fined for the lighter offence of careless driving   A Filipino who hit a pedestrian with the car he was driving, causing injuries that required hospital treatment, got off with a fine of $4,000 after he was acquitted of the charge of dangerous driving. Instead, B. Bernandino, 63 years old, was convicted of careless driving -- a charge to which he pleaded guilty last Jan. 11 when originally asked how he would plea, but was rejected by the prosecution. In his verdict today at the Shatin Court after a trial held in March, Magistrate David Chum gave weight to the opini ..read more

A friend who left her saddled with debt led the defendant to steal from her employer, the court heard   A Filipina domestic helper was jailed for 16 months today after admitting at Eastern Court that she stole 11 jewelry items worth $259,000 from her employer. The lawyer of Mary Ann Manalo, 35 years old, said this was out of character. since arriving in Hing Kong in 2012, she did not steal from her two previous employers but was driven to stealing from her last one because she was under pressure to pay a loan taken in her name by a friend, who absconded. But Principal Magist ..read more