MANEBOY WILLIAM MONTERO v. TORTURE CLAIMS APPEAL BOARD / NON-REFOULEMENT CLAIMS PETITION OFFICE

CACV 379/2024, [2025] HKCA 334

On Appeal from [2024] HKCFI 2442

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF APPEAL

CIVIL APPEAL NO 379 OF 2024

(ON APPEAL FROM HCAL NO 1832 OF 2019)

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J U D G M E N T

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Hon Chow JA (giving the Judgment of the Court):

1.  On 11 September 2024, Deputy High Court Judge Reuden Lai made an order refusing to grant to the Applicant leave to apply for judicial review. The intended judicial review was against the decision of the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office dated 24 June 2019, whereby the Board dismissed the Applicant’s appeal against the decision of the Director of Immigration dated 1 February 2017 rejecting his non-refoulement claim.

2.  On 13 March 2025, this Court gave its judgment (“the CA Judgment”) dismissing the Applicant’s appeal against the Order of the Judge. The basic facts of this case and the Court’s reasons for dismissing the Applicant’s appeal have been set out in the CA Judgment and will not be repeated here.

3.  By Notice of Motion dated 19 March 2025, the Applicant applies for leave to appeal the CA Judgment to the Court of Final Appeal. In the Notice of Motion, the Applicant repeats his claimed fear of returning to the Philippines, and the factual basis of his non-refoulement claim. He also says that the possibility of relocation is nothing more than an exercise in futility, because an unknown Communist Party which he refers to as the “Unknown Group” and whom he fears will have no problem finding him should he return to the Philippines.

4.  In his written submissions dated 31 March 2025, the Applicant repeats what he says in the Notice of Motion.

5.  Pursuant to paragraph 3 of Practice Direction 2.1, we determine the present application for leave to appeal on paper without an oral hearing.

6.  Under s 22(1)(b) of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance, Cap 484, an appeal shall lie to the Court of Final Appeal at the discretion of the Court of Appeal or the Court of Final Appeal in any civil cause or matter if, in the opinion of the Court of Appeal or the Court of Final Appeal (as the case may be), the question involved in the appeal is one which, by reason of its great general or public importance, or otherwise, ought to be submitted to the Court of Final Appeal for decision.

7.  No question of great general or public importance involved in the intended appeal is identified in the Notice of Motion. We are unable to see any such question being involved in the intended appeal. The Applicant has not identified any error in the CA Judgment, or raised any viable ground of appeal against the CA Judgment. We are satisfied that the intended appeal has no reasonable prospect of success.

8.  There is also no basis to grant leave to appeal on the “or otherwise” limb in s 22(1)(b) of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance.

9.  Accordingly, the application for leave to appeal is refused and the Notice of Motion is dismissed.