A Filipino asylum seeker was told by a Hong Kong High Court judge that she could find a better future for her children in either her homeland or that of her ex-husband – Pakistan – and did not need to stay in Hong Kong with them.
Court of First Instance Judge Josiah Lam gave that advice on June 12 to Virginia Caramat, a torture claimant who faces deportation with her three children, after the Immigration Department’s Torture Claim Appeals Board rejected her application for non-refoulement, sunwebhk.com reported.
Caramat told the judge that she wanted her children, a 16-year-old daughter and two sons aged 13 and 18, to grow up in Hong Kong because it is safer there than in the Philippines or in her divorced husband’s country, Pakistan.
She claimed that her elder brothers were threatening to harm her children if they returned to the Philippines because they are Muslims, adding that she is afraid that Christian Filipinos would also harm them because of their religion.
She also claimed she did not want to return to Pakistan because women were not respected in that country and she could not work there.
Caramat said she married a Pakistani named Iqbal and converted to Islam in 1997. All three children were born in Hong Kong.
The couple divorced in 2010 and Caramat came to Hong Kong alone in 2014. Her former husband turned the children over to Caramat that year and she did not see him until August last year when their younger son had a heart attack and was in a coma. He returned to Pakistan in February.
Caramat said she relied on International Social Service allowances for her and the children’s food.
She told the judge that she would do anything to protect her children from harm from Christian communities, or her elder brothers.
“No, you have also to respect other countries, as they [the children] may also have a better future in other countries. While it is hard to find a better place for your children, it is right that you instill in their minds the right concepts,” the judge said.
He said the Philippines or Pakistan could still offer the children a better future.
That woman is a liar.. Philippines is safe. She just want hongkong people to feed her family.. Too ashamed to you. Your to much. 18Years or less is enough. Many Chinese people you can see in the streets begging to survive. Go back to Philippines and return the money to the needy Chinese people. Chinese money belongs to chinese people unless you work for it….to ashamed to you girl…
Kung maka comment kau WAGAS…sya po ay isang INA na gusto lang nyang maiayos ang mga anak…kahit sinong INA pag nasa alanganin na kalagayan ang anak ay magagawa nya maski labag sa kalooban nya…kayo kaya ang lumagay sa kalagayan nya..kung saan kau huhugot ng lakas pra ipaglaban ang karapatan ng inyong mga ANAK…mga ANAK po nya ang ipinaglalaban nya ng karapatan…SO JUST CALM MY FRIENDS AND JUST PRAY FOR HER AND HER KIDS…ok..marami pong salamat..!
Lumang rason na yan ng mga filipina o filipino na overstay..kung pag aaralan nila lahat ng asylum seeker yan lagi ang rason afraid sa safety nila sa sarili nilang bansa..
Sinasamantala nila ang kaluwagan ng HK while thousand of legal workers ng HK nagpapakahirap makakuha ng increase sa trabaho o sa gobyerno.
Ang daming Asylum dito sa HK na mas malaki pa sahod sa mga legal na worker ????????
Send her to KSA to make sure that is not A farmful country for Muslim’s.. Best wishes. ..
Nonsense reason!!!..nawili ka lang sa pamigay ng gobyerno ng HK…ibig sabihin tamad ka lang kumilos at kumayod para sa mga anak mo, ginawa mo pang rason ang pagiging muslim mo…bakit?..sa pinas ba walang muslim? Kung d mo mpanindigan pagiging muslim mo eh di magpaconvert ka ng d muslim! Malalaki na mga anak mo, sinong papaniwalain mong kayang saktan ang mga iyan?
Marie Eugenie Gimena hahahahha double bed double deck pareho lang un sis.
Whattt??? I am Filipino Muslim by blood but Catholic by faith. No body harm us.
Dami mung alibi…..gusto muh lg magstay d2 kc maynagsusuport sa lhat ng nids nyo…..tamad kah kc…..gusto muh lg kumain at humiga na hindi muh na klangang magbanat ng buto….shunga kah din anu……lhat nlg idadahilan para makastay kah d2 sa hk…..buti nga sau na nireject kah kc ang taas din ng lipad muh….ambisyosa na pig……????????????????????????
ambisyusa cya cguro
What a "STUPID" reason making bad impression for both country and religion in orde for her own good.Selfish! and Shameless.
Did anyone here heard Christian people harm Muslim people or in other way around.
In short she just wanted to stay in Hong Kong kahit hnd nmn kaya.
Alsisa sisco sorry next time would be appreciated if corrected,
Nosim Laranang Rhessie thanks misspell
Leni Kaew "prosecuting"
Obvious na excuse lang mga reasons nya na mag stay to sa hk kaso sa lapad ng tagiliran nya wla xang nagging mas mgandang reason kundi pasamain ang image ng bansang pinanggalingan nya, cano pa mukha nyang umuwi sa pilipinas Kung ganyan ang tingin nya na dxa mbubuhay ng maayus sa pinas? Sana nga wag xang hihiling ng anumang assistance sa gobyerno natin pra may silbi mga pinagsasabi nya.
So what about those Muslim brethrens living & earning a living in our place Baguio city and the nearby Cordillera provinces, are they persecuted? NO!!!
Persicuting?english pa more
in Philippines, Muslims are everywhere. Mixed with Christians and they didn’t mind it as long as you didn’t do anything wrong. If you say you were threatened by your brother, so don’t go home. There’s alot of places in the Philippines more secure than your home.
What a stupid reason,don’t blame anyone for your own failure.Nasa iyo kung paano mo pinalaki ang mga anak mo para magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan.
Just fight for your rights if you have rights la no need to use such a ridiculous excuse …..crazy woman!!!!!
Christian Filipino may harm ur children…. Common…. U r brain washed… First u come from a Catholic Country before marriage… And u think the country where u r born could harm ur children…. Doesn’t make sense…. Ur country Philippines is more safe and freedom then ur ex- husband country…. where they are famous for honour killing, acid attack and no women respect.