ConGen: Stop enticing Filipinos to report protesting HK employers

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Tejada spoke at the Filcom meeting on Sunday (Nov. 3)

 

Philippine Consul General Raly L. Tejada has called for an end to the campaign encouraging Filipino domestic workers to rat on Hong Kong employers who join anti-government protests.

Speaking at a Filipino community leaders’ meeting on Sunday (Nov. 3), Tejada said he would raise the issue with HK police commissioner Stephen Lo or even with Chief Executive Carrie Lam when he meets her next month as it endangers the jobs of Filipino helpers.

Former HK Chief Executive CY Leung had voiced his support for the leaflet campaign, which entices foreign domestic workers to report protesting employers in exchange for a monetary reward.

“I am calling for an end to this kind of encouragement of our countrymen because we are in good standing. I don’t want a wedge forming between employers and our workers,” Tejada said at the leaders’ meeting held at the Philippine Consulate General in Admiralty.

“The relationship of workers and employers should be harmonious,” he added.

Local media had reported that photos spread on social media of fliers that encouraged foreign domestic workers to report their employers if they join protests or have protest paraphernalia in their homes.

The fliers–reportedly written in Chinese, Bahasa, and English–urged domestic workers to report their employers to the police or to a website that had been linked to Leung.

Tejada urged Filipino domestic workers to be cautious about reports spreading in social media.

“These are mainly from Faceboook so let’s be careful. It may be a campaign to use social media to influence what is going on. We should be very careful,” Tejada said.

“Our workers are smart. Please protect yourselves (from) these kinds of encouragement, especially from social media,” he said.

“This is something to be concerned about and perhaps I will have to raise this at a level that is appropriate. I will be meeting with the police chief, I think, next week. So, this is something that we need to convey. And also, if appropriate, to the highest level,” he added.