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    Date: 2020-10-07 23:51:36.804876

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    Date: 2020-10-30 01:31:15.061848

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    Date: 2020-10-30 01:36:39.271560

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Investigation Into Ms. Helen M. Gascon

Requested from DFA by G. Graciadas at 11:51 PM on Oct 07, 2020.
Purpose: Public Interest
Date of Coverage: 09/01/2020 - 10/07/2020
Tracking no: #DFA-596469356646

Graciadas 11:51 PM, Oct 07, 2020 

It has come to my attention that multiple complaints were filed against Ms. Helen M. Gascon. However, PCG-HK appears to be ignoring these complaints.

Ms. Gascon was witnessed by PCG-HK officials to be “furnish[ing], dispos[ing], or deliver[ing] a passport to any person, for use by another or other than the person for whose use it was originally issued or designed” which is a violation of Section 19, Part D, Item 3 of Republic Act No. 8239.

Thus, I would like to know if there is any official policy to protect illegal lenders and retaliate against victims of criminal syndicates?

Officer 01:31 AM, Oct 30, 2020 

October 30, 2020

Dear Grace A.,

Thank you for your request dated Oct 07, 2020 11:51:36 PM under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch, for Investigation Into Ms. Helen M. Gascon.

Thank you.

Respectfully,

FOI Receiving Officer
FOI Officer


Dear Ms. Graciadas,

Thank you for your requests logged via the FOI ePortal on 16 October 2020 on information for the following items: 

policy of HK-PCG in handling criminal complaints of Filipino nationals; 
policy on the protection of victims of illegal lending syndicate from the retaliation of illegal lenders; and policy or document of HK-PCG advising OFWs that they should not report suspected violations of Hong Kong SAR Law to the Hong Kong Police Force;

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is constrained by law from issuing copies of the aforesaid documents to the public. The Freedom of Information (FOI) provides that “exceptions to the right of access to information” include the following:

Item 3. iv. – “Information concerning law enforcement and protection of public and personal safety: unjustifiably disclose investigative techniques and procedures”; and 

Item 4: “Information deemed confidential for the protection of the privacy of persons and certain individuals such as minors, victims of crimes, or the accused.”

On Ms. Helen Gascon , the DFA, through the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, is verifying her alleged involvement in an illegal lending syndicate  in Hong Kong. Should a link to the supposed illegal lending syndicate be established, the Consulate General is ready to cooperate with the Hong Kong Police.

If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to oscr.div2@dfa.gov.ph. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011).

Thank you.

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