‘Be honest’, PCG exec tells OFWs in ‘passport loan’ case
Philippine passports and mobile phones were among those recovered by the Hong Kong police from the suspects.
“TELL the truth.”
This was the advice given by Vice Consul Alex Vallespin to Filipinos who would be interviewed by police about the group allegedly taking Filipino helpers’ passports as collateral for loans.
“Ang sinabi namin sa kanila, huwag na silang magsinungaling kasi kapag nagsinungaling sila, tatandaan pa nila ang pagsisinungaling nila at kapag specific ang sinabi nila at pinaikot-ikot na sila, at
kung mahusay ang imbestigador, mayayari sila,” Vallespin said in an interview.
“Sa mga may passport, sabihin nila kung sinangla o kung kumita sila, sabihin nila kung may role sila o wala,” he added.
Vallespin refused to say whether those who pawned their passports could be liable under Philippine laws, saying that it would be up to the Passport Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs to determine that.
Following the arrests made by the Hong Kong Police, Vallespin noted a drop in the report of cases of missing or lost passports to the consulate.
“Tahimik ngayon. May nagrereport pa rin naman weekly ng nawawalang passport. Pero honestly, kung hindi dito sa breakthrough na nangyari, we have no way of knowing,” Vallespin said.
In the last week of March, at least three Filipinos arrested by Hong Kong police involved in alleged illegal lending activities preying on domestic workers have sought a meeting with the Philippine Consulate General.
At least 10 persons arrested, eight Filipinos and a Chinese couple, in connection with illegal lending activities have been released on police bail and they were told to report to the police station by
mid-April. Along with the arrests, police seized, among others, 242 Philippine passports.
Vallespin had said those who used their passports as collateral would only be able to recover them once the police wrapped up their probe on the matter.
On Mar. 14, police said persons behind the loan shark syndicate were estimated to have profited at least $2 million from the illegal activity.
Chan Hon-ming, superintendent of Organized Crime and Triad Bureau of Hong Kong Police Force, said the syndicate gave loans to more than 1,200 borrowers between March and October 2016.
All the borrowers were Filipino domestic workers.
Arrests were made on Mar. 12 after passports were passed on by a Filipino female to the couple. Raids were also conducted at various premises.