A Filipina maid has alleged that police strip-searched her several times after she was arrested for allegedly stealing money from her employer in early January.
Margie Lotino, aged about 30 and who worked for a family in Pokfulam on Hong Kong Island, was giving evidence during her trial on theft charges in the Eastern Magistrates’ Court on Friday. She complained about a series of alleged strip-searches, sunwebhk.com reported.
Lotino was arrested on Jan. 2 for allegedly stealing HK$500 (US$63) from her employer. She pleaded not guilty and claimed she had been set up.
She said she found the HK$500 banknote on the floor when she was cleaning the master bedroom and put the bill on a cabinet top in the living room and told her employer about it that evening.
The employer reportedly thanked the maid, but reached to pick up the money with a towel, suggesting she did not want her fingerprints on the bill, the maid said. Not long afterwards, police came to the apartment and searched Lotino and her belongings.
During her arrest and the investigation process, female police officers searched Lotino on four separate occasions: first in her employers’ house, the second time at Western Police Station, the third time at Wanchai Police Station and the fourth time back at the Western Police Station, the court heard.
During two separate body searches in the toilet at her employers’ flat, Lotino said various officers took turns ordering her to strip down to her underwear. As one search took place at Western Police Station, a male officer entered the room while she was only wearing a bra and panties.
She claimed an officer told her to admit the crime and she would be sent to the Philippines. As she was cold, hungry and under intense pressure from the repeated body searches and interrogation, Lotino said she signed a cautioned statement admitting the offense.
She identified five female officers who conducted the body searches and one male officer who signed the custody search document during an identification parade at Wanchai Police Station on April 13.
The six officers were called in to give evidence on Friday and four of them answered “disagree” or “I can’t recall” when asked the same questions about the strip-searches. They all told the court they only searched the outer clothes – the Level One stipulated in police guidelines.
Deputy magistrate Simon K F Ho ordered both parties to make written submissions when the hearing resumes on May 6 and extended the defendant’s bail.
I hope our President Duterte will come to know about this and will do something. If this will not be given attention, it will possibly happen again. To my fellow kungyan who is suspected of alleged theft, just be strong, you know yourself if you did not do it, woe to your employers who set you up.
i think our consulate here in hongkong need to be aware with this situation and the employers name. para di na mauulit pa ito sa ibang pilipina.
Jha Jha Dollente Stop victim blame??? gaano ka kasigurado na biktima sya? wala namng nakakalaam sa atin ng totoo.. ang mali lang namn nya kasi pumirma sya para akuin ang mali kung hindi nga talaga nya ginawa.. bat sya pumirma? dapat nanindigan sya.. sya na rin nagdiin sa sarili nya
Watta stupid polis officer of that ? Putang ina 500 dollars lang dapat pa bang i body search yan,at bakit cya pipiliting umamin, nagyayabang kang mga hayop na mga pulis na yan,ang cheap naman ng halagang ipinapaamin sa kanya 500 dollars,kung ako sau kabayan ireklamo mo mga yan hindi makatarungan ang mga ginagawa nikang ganyan sa ating mga ofw,sana may assasin sa pinas din na patayin lahat ng mga dayuhan na mahuling magkasala,bakit mga pinoy pinaprusahan sa ibang bansa kung magkasala or napagbintangan,grabe ang bulok ng sistema
So si kabayan pa may kasalanan
#stopvictimblame
Nakita naman ang pera d b?ginamitan lang ng filipina ng face towel para kuhanin at ibigay sa amo. Bakit tunawag ng pulis ang amo? Ganun ang pagkakaunawa ko po..wala naman nawalang pera.
That’s against human rights. The employer was abused the helper.
Dapat magkaisa tayong isulong na 8 hours lang ang trabaho habang si tatay Digong pa ang Presidente natin. Kadalasan sa mga amo Di sumosunod Ng 24 hours holiday.
It’s not the first time they advise innocent Filipina to admit a crime they did not committed just to lessen their stay in prisonment. How many victims more before they stop doing this? Where is justice now a days?
Mga buang na sila
call +638888 duterte hotline yan sabi nya nong nandito sya sa hk last april 12..
Strip searching for what even? All this over 500 HKD? If I were the police officer and someone called me to say their helper stole 500 HKD, I’d say don’t waste my time. Frivolous and abusive.
let us pray for them. both employer and helper.
kasalanan din naman nya pumirma sya.. kahit anong pilit sayo kung wala kang ginawa bat mo aakuin??? hindi namn to kagaya sa ibang bansa na tinotorture ka para lang umamin..kawawa din namn talaga sya pero walang nakakaalam sa ating lahat nang totoong nangyari..
True.
Discrimination ….discrimination …..discrimination…. 4 times naked search is too much and can’t recall the search that means mantally ill or pure negligence of law and order.
Dolores Tangalin naintindihan mo naman ang Ibig nyang sabihin. Don’t sooo mean sa kapwa OFW.
Jonathan Villanueva hahahahahahahahahahaha
I believed na frame up xA . Sana matulungan xA NG ating consulado
Kung parte ng police investigation ang pagtatanggal o paghuhubad ng suspek, e bakit kelangan ng mga pulis na ideny o sabihing "can not recall". Tsk sk…..