Woman faces raps for abusing teen maid

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim yesterday directed the police to file charges possible against a woman who allegedly physically abused her 17-year-old maid, whose body bore bruises, welts, and bite marks.

Lim said he was shocked when he visited the victim in her room at the Jose Abad Santos Mother and Child Hospital in Binondo and gave her food and financial assistance.

Lim was accompanied by hospital director Dr. Teodoro Martin, social welfare department chief Jay de la Fuente, barangay chairman Vicente Tan and Gandara police community precinct commander Chief Inspector Christian de la Cruz.

After learning how badly the victim had allegedly been treated from the start, Lim called up Manila Police District Station 11 chief Superintendent Ernesto Tendero Jr. with a directive to extend all the necessary assistance to the victim and file appropriate charges against the employer identified as Rosa So, 62, a resident of Sunshine Condominium in Binondo, Manila.

Charges of physical injury and forced labor, both in relation to Republic Act 7610 or anti-child abuse law, were filed against So, who is out on a reduced bail of P40,000.

De la Fuente said that last May, the victim left her hometown in Cotabato City after having been recruited to work as a housemaid in Manila by the Nilo Industrial Manpower Services, which made it appear that she was already 18 years old.

Since she started working at the So household last June, the victim had allegedly been physically abused and her P2,500 monthly salary was never given, De la Fuente said.

“She is locked in the bathroom, hit with power cables every time she gets an order, is fed rice with salt only once a day, and has to sleep in the bathroom,” he said.

Last Oct. 11, a concerned neighbor heard the victim’s cries and sought the help of Tan, who immediately called for police assistance.

Accompanied by policemen dispatched by De la Cruz, Tan took custody of the victim. He had her undergo a medical checkup and later brought to the police station for her statement.

So was also taken to the police station for investigation.

The victim told police that before Tan’s group rescued her, she was sleeping when So poured hot water on her face to wake her up and then repeatedly whipped her with a cable wire all over the body until she was prone on the floor.

Despite her pleas, So allegedly kicked her in the face, hitting her right eye, and then in the hip before punching her and hitting her face with a drinking glass. Her employer told her she would get hurt all the more if she would not stop complaining, the victim said.

When So took a hammer, the victim said she grabbed So’s hand to deflect the blow but So pinched her chest. When the victim let go of So’s hand, So bit the victim’s right hand and hit the victim’s right cheek with the hammer.

As the victim became dizzy, So again poured hot water on her and told her to clean her daughter’s room and then sleep in the bathroom.

The victim said she had just fallen asleep when Tan and the police team came and rescued her.

Lim said he could not believe that So’s latest attack came about because she reportedly was upset when the victim ate two pieces of pan de sal from the refrigerator without her permission. –Sandy Araneta, The Philippine Star