HONG KONG: The Hong Kong government yesterday approved three grants totalling about $634,580 to three relief agencies for providing relief to victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The approval was made after the government has accepted the advice of the city’s Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee which hoped the three grants - one of HK$3m to Adventist Development and Relief Agency, China, one of HK$1.244m to CEDAR Fund and one of HK$674,000 to Social Workers Across Borders - could help provide relief to the typhoon victims in the Philippines. The grants came as supplement to three disbursements totalling HK$12.557m made earlier to three relief organisations, thus bringing the total grants for typhoon victims in the Philippines to HK$17.475m. “To ensure that the money would be used for the designated purposes, the relief agencies would be asked to submit evaluation reports and audited accounts on the use of the grants after the relief projects have been completed.”
Korean hurt in knife attack
MANILA: A Korean man was rushed to the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay City after he was allegedly stabbed by his Filipino driver early yesterday at the Blue Wave Commercial Center along Diosdado Macapagal Avenue. Case investigator SPO1 Genomar Geraldino said the victim, Young Jun Lee, was taken to the hospital by a passing taxi driver after he was seen crossing the boulevard bleeding at about 4.50am. Young, a resident of the Solemare Parksuites condominium in Paranaque City, is now in stable condition after sustaining stab wounds in the right chest and left arm. Geraldino said a bloodied 9-inch fan knife was found by police inside the victim’s black Toyota Fortuner sports utility vehicle (UJQ-459). Police are now tracking down the suspect, the victim’s driver identified as Froilan Escarmoso.
Chinese drug mules get life
MANILA: Two Chinese siblings were convicted of up to 30 years in prison and were ordered to pay a fine of P10m after a Quezon City court found them guilty of transporting more than 330kgs of shabu into the country in 2001. In a 41-page decision dated December 12 and released to the media yesterday, Regional Trial Court Branch 79 Judge Nadine Jessica Corazon Fama found Edwin Chua and William Chua guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972. She sentenced them to reclusion perpetua, or at least 30 years in prison, after which they become eligible for pardon. The violation was filed in connection with the 1972 law – and not the more recent Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law of 2002 – as the arrest happened on November 15, 2001 in Zambales.
Agencies
