HongKong drops case vs Filipino arrested over protest
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2019 13:42:27 +0000
THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday reported that the Hong Kong government dropped the case of unlawful assembly filed against a Filipino who was arrested in August.
“The decision was made during a court hearing at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court on November 26,” the DFA said in a statement. It did not elaborate.
The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong had sought the release of a Filipino who was arrested on August 3 in Mong Kok on suspicion that he took part in the protest action in the area.
The consulate had provided assistance to the unidentified Filipino who was arrested for allegedly joining the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.
The DFA said that the Filipino was detained at the North Point Police Station (NPPS) and investigated for “unlawful assembly” in line with his alleged participation in the rallies.
The Filipino categorically denied that he was taking part in the protest, and insisted that he was just in the area to buy food, passing through the side streets, knowing that protests were ongoing in the main streets, the DFA said.
“However, protesters were also on the side street where he was, and the former started running as they were chased by riot police,” the DFA said in a previous statement.
The Filipino said that he was accosted by police “in the belief that he was one of the protesters” because he was wearing a black t-shirt.
The consulate has repeatedly advised Filipinos to avoid areas with scheduled demonstrations and to refrain from wearing black or white t-shirts or carry anything that could mistakenly identify them as part of the protest action.
Most protesters wear black t-shirts and face masks. Mong Kok is one of Hong Kong’s commercial districts and tourist spots for its shopping streets, stalls, and malls.
There are currently over 234,00 Filipinos in Hong Kong and more than 215,000 or 92 percent are household service workers (HSWs) who take their day-off mostly on Sundays. BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO