Every employer-employee relationship is unique in its own terms. While we mostly hear cases of abuse on the news, there are still some who truly are concerned for the welfare of their employee, as seen in certain situations.
However, in cases where the law is violated, even if the employer gives credited defence to their employee/s, fairness and due trial must be observed, still.
Man Gives Emotional Plea to Employee’s Defence on Illegal Work Charge
A local man who stands as a co-defendant of a Filipina domestic helper charged of breaching her condition of stay by running a guesthouse illegally questioned a judge’s decision for charging his maid for his own mistake, as shared in a report by the Sun HK.
However, the impassioned plea of Tse Wing-leung was dismissed by Magistrate Peter Law, who also gave a warning to the employer to consider his statements in relation to the case since this would go to trial.
Both Tse and his domestic helper, Pamela Mae Soriano, pleaded not guilty to a charge of illegally operating a guesthouse last March 4.
Prosecutors filed two counts of breach of condition of stay and one count of operating a guesthouse without a license against Soriano.
However, Tse, who owns the guesthouse, was only charged with operating it without a license.
As per prosecution charges, between May 2 and 3 last year, Soriano violated her condition of stay as Tse’s domestic helper by co-managing a guesthouse in Hong Kong. Soriano allegedly committed the same violation in July of last year.
As the magistrate was about to make his statement, Tse snapped in court exclaiming, “I made the mistake here, but they charged her,” referring to Soriano.
Furthermore, the emotional Tse explained, “She is only my employee. I have the responsibility over Pamela. You can charge me, you can brand me, you can even punish me. But never charge Pamela because she is stressed,” the employer stressed in fluent English.
And as Tse explained Soriano’s situation whose father passed away recently, and that she now has to solely provide for her mother and 5-year old daughter, Magistrate Peter Law quickly stopped him in his train of thought.
Law reminded the employer that Soriano has a professional lawyer, and that riding on his personal sentiments for his account on the case, may do him even worse than what was charged.
The trial was set on April 24-25, and Tse was instructed to submit all his documentary evidence on court by April 10.