72-year-old Filipino ex-domestic helper jailed in Singapore after overstaying illegally for more than 34 years
Two Filipino domestic helpers who overstayed in Singapore after their work permits were cancelled due to unpaid foreign worker levies were jailed and fined, with one woman remaining in the country illegally for more than 34 years before surrendering to authorities.
- Two Filipino domestic helpers overstayed illegally in Singapore after their work permits were cancelled due to their employers’ failure to pay the foreign worker levy.
- One woman remained in Singapore for over 34 years, while the other overstayed for about 16 years.
- Both pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to six months’ jail, with fines of S$3,000 and S$2,000 respectively.
SINGAPORE: Two Filipino women who entered Singapore as domestic helpers had their work permits cancelled after their employers failed to pay the required foreign worker levy, before remaining in the country illegally for years — with one overstaying for more than three decades.
Both women pleaded guilty to immigration offences and were sentenced on 23 December.
Overstayed for more than 34 years
According to court documents cited by Shin Min Daily News, 72-year-old Flordeliza M Cordeta obtained a work permit on 27 October 1989 and worked as a domestic helper in Singapore.
Her permit was cancelled on 30 July 1991 after her employer failed to pay the foreign worker levy.
Despite this, Flordeliza did not leave Singapore and remained in the country illegally for 34 years, four months and five days, Mothership reported.
She eventually surrendered herself to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on 5 December this year.
Flordeliza pleaded guilty to one charge of violating immigration laws and was sentenced to six months’ jail and fined S$3,000.
Second helper overstayed for about 16 years
Another Filipino woman, 49-year-old Jo Ann Querabu Balbin, also pleaded guilty to one charge of violating immigration laws on 23 December, Shin Min reported.
Investigations showed that Jo Ann obtained a work permit on 7 April 2009, which was meant to be valid for nearly two years.
However, her permit was cancelled on 15 May the same year after her employer similarly failed to pay the foreign worker levy.
She subsequently overstayed in Singapore for 16 years, six months and five days before turning herself in to the authorities on 4 December this year.
Jo Ann was sentenced to six months’ jail and fined S$2,000.
Sought leniency in court
The prosecution sought the maximum six-month jail term for both women, with caning substituted by fines of S$3,000 for Flordeliza and S$2,000 for Jo Ann.
During mitigation, both women — who were unrepresented — told the court that they knew they were wrong and asked for leniency, according to Shin Min.
Overstaying is a serious offence that carries severe penalties, the ICA said in a statement.
The authority reminded employers and landlords to exercise due diligence by checking the immigration status of foreign workers and tenants, including verifying the validity of work permits with the issuing authority.
Members of the public are also encouraged to report suspected immigration offences. Those convicted of negligently harbouring overstayers or illegal immigrants may face up to 24 months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$6,000, or both.
Chinese national sentenced to six months’ jail for 28-year overstay
In a separate case, a 60-year-old Chinese national, Yu Zefang, was sentenced on 1 September to six months’ jail and fined S$2,000 after overstaying in Singapore for over 28 years.
She had originally arrived in 1995 on a student’s pass. Following a 1996 drug arrest, her passport was confiscated, and she was issued a special pass, which she later violated by disappearing.
Yu chose to remain illegally to care for her daughter, who eventually became a Singapore permanent resident in 2008.
In December 2024, Yu surrendered to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, seeking to return to China.
