Emry’s owner snubs court cases anew

The shuttered Emry's office in World Wide House in Central (file photo).

ESTER Ylagan, the owner of the shuttered Emry’s Employment Agency, was a no-show on January 20 at a hearing on 21 criminal cases filed against her at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts.

Ylagan was charged with 21 counts of “receiving payment other than the prescribed commission”, but she sent no representative or lawyer to appear in court.

A clerk of court said they had adjourned the cases’ hearing to a later date, but did not say when.

“There was no representative,” the clerk of court said.

These cases were the first criminal charges filed against Ylagan who was accused of receiving commission from more than 200 Filipino domestic helpers so they could get employment in the UK, and Canada.

In the Small Claims Tribunal, there are about 200 cases against Ylagan, and claimants are seeking to refund between $5,000 and $20,000 from her.

In a hearing on November 3, 2016, a representative of Ylagan submitted a letter to Principal Adjudicator Anthony Chow Siu-wo, asking that the cases be transferred to the District Court.

Asked by Judge Chow where Ylagan was, the representative, who identified herself as a friend and a staff member of Mike’s Secretarial Services, said the Emry’s owner was in the Philippines for an eye operation and some psychiatric treatments.

Judge Chow set the hearing of the cases to February 2, 2017.

Ylagan had insisted to officials of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office that she did not intend to dupe the jobseekers and promised that she would refund the applicants. She also said that the suspension of Emry’s was done without due process.

Emry’s office in World Wide House in Central has been closed since June 2016.