3 Pinays guilty of illegal sale of beer

AN Eastern Magistracy judge found three Filipino women found guilty of illegally selling alcohol in Central in December 2016.

Magistrate Pang Leung-ting on Jan. 19 found R. Tanding, A. Baldoz, and J. Urbiztondo of selling liquor without a
license after trial.

Judge Pang sentenced Tanding to nine days in prison after she pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of liquor for sale without a license. The prosecution charged that Tanding had in her possession 333 bottles of alcoholic drinks. It was Tanding’s fourth conviction for the same offense.

“What I have in mind is sending you to jail…Imposing fine is not a deterrent at all because you would simply pay money and continue to run a bar,” Judge Pang said.

The jail term was suspended for 18 months, which meant that Tanding would not have to serve it if she would not commit any other offense in the period.

Judge Pang warned the Filipina, a Hong Kong resident and a divorcee, that should she commit the same offense again, she would be immediately sent to jail. He also imposed a $1,500 fine to Tanding, Baldoz, and Urbiztondo.

Baldoz and Urbiztondo, who were receiving subsidy from the International Social Service, said they would be able to pay the fine right away, but Tanding, 58, who said she was now working at a restaurant and earning some $13,000 a month, asked for two weeks to pay the fine. The other two defendants said they were receiving a monthly assistance of $3,200 each from ISS, but added that their boyfriend were also assisting them financially. Baldoz had no previous record, while Urbiztondo had one prior conviction, the court heard. The Filipinas had no lawyer to represent them during the trial.

The prosecution alleged that two policemen posed as customers at a karaoke bar in Central at about 6:25 p.m. on December 9, 2016. Upon entering the bar, the policemen were approached by Baldoz who told them that a bucket of San Miguel Beer would cost $160. One of the police officers gave two $100 banknotes, and then they saw Baldoz going to the cashier counter and giving the money to Urbiztondo, who in turn, gave the two $20 banknotes as change.

After giving them the seven bottles of beer in a bucket, the policemen signalled to their supervisor who went to the bar and arrested the two women. Tanding, meanwhile, said she owned the bar and that she had no idea why Baldoz
and Urbiztondo were there, saying she only had one staff member who helped her. Police officers searched the premises and saw bottles of beer in there. During trial, Baldoz said she was at the bar because she was waiting for a friend, while Urbiztondo said she was there to sing at the karaoke.