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PHL upgraded to Tier 1 with increased trafficking conviction, prosecution
The Philippines was upgraded to Tier 1 of the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report of 2016 released on June 30. Ambassador Jose Cuisia, Jr., who led the advocacy work for the Philippines’ anti-trafficking in persons campaign in the U.S. and who officially steps down today as the country’s top envoy to the […]
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Peter Locsin charged in scheme to steal identities and engage in bank, credit card fraud
NEWARK, N.J. – A resident of the Philippines has been charged in connection with a large-scale and sophisticated identity theft scheme targeting high-profile victims, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced on June 24. Peter Locsin, 35, of Talisay City, Philippines, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of bank fraud conspiracy and […]
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In Orlando, a reminder of how far hate would go
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. On Sunday, the 12th of June 2016, the American population and the rest of the world were awakened by a humongous nightmare. People from coast to coast were alerted by another apparent act of terrorism, dubbed as the “deadliest mass killing” in the history of the United States. While mankind […]
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$76K judgment for trafficked physical therapist; 3 staffing agencies charged with coercion, fraud
Three staffing companies were hit with a $76,000 judgment in a lawsuit which claimed that they violated the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act by luring a Filipino man to the United States with false promises of a highly paid full-time job, according to the website Pechman Law Group PLLC. The […]
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A strange encounter at a fundraising gala
By Cristina DC Pastor My Friend, who shall not be named because of an ongoing federal investigation, called early morning today. He does not usually call at 7 a.m. unless it’s an urgent matter or I phone him and I am expecting a callback. Friend met a couple of a people at the recent Pan […]
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Twin brothers indicted in duplicate hit-and-run charges
Two Long Island brothers may go down in New York State history as twins indicted in identical crimes. In October 2013, Benedict Bacayon, a technology professional from West Babylon, was arrested for “fleeing the scene” of a hit-and-run offense while he was driving his 2006 Mercedes Benz CL500. He is in his 30s. Just recently […]
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Mom of missing Seton Hall student pleads with son: ‘Let us know you’re OK’
By Ninia Fernandez Ninia Fernandez’s son John – known as JP or Japes – vanished without a trace on December 13, 2015. He left a suicide note but no body has been found despite search efforts by police, the family, and volunteers. The police have made a decision to end the search until new evidence […]
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Family of Queens hit-and-run victim Jose Beof Sr. urging witnesses to come forward
By Cristina DC Pastor Five days before turning 79 on February 16, retired merchant marine Jose Beof Sr. was hit by a brown van in front of his house. On his birthday, his family plans an early morning serenade of ‘How Beautiful is the Morning’ by his hospital bed, as doctors mull the likelihood of […]
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Police baffled in case of missing Seton Hall student: If suicide, where’s the body?
By Cristina DC Pastor John Fernandez, the Seton Hall student who went missing since December 13, 2015, has been the victim of bullying from high school all the way to college, according to his mother Ninia Fernandez. John – also called JP by family and close friends – was reported missing by Patch.com, quoting township […]