Battered maid sues recruiter, Princess’ assistant

by Jerico Javier
from People’s Tonight

THE lawyers of the 17-year-old housemaid who was beaten up by actress Princess Revilla, sister of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, included the recruiter and the actress’ girl Friday in the charged sheet.

This after volunteer lawyers Yvonne Gaddi Festejo and Irene Alogoc filed charges against Ruth Bajas, recruiter of the housemaid and Ethel Avenido, the assistant of Princess, before the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office late afternoon yesterday.

The lawyers said charges of violation of Republic Act 7610 (Child Abuse), and Republic Act 9231 (Child Labor), and physical injury charges were also filed against the two.

The same charges were already filed against Princess.

Meanwhile, Princess failed to appear before the Pasig court yesterday as her lawyer represented her and asked the court for a five-day extension to file her counter-affidavit.

On the other hand, the mother of the housemaid who was accompanied by her lawyer Atty. Cirilo Avila also appeared before the prosecutor’s office to file manifestation in intervention asking the court to transfer the custody of the child to her mother.

Avila, said they are asking the court to disallow and not authorized the DSWD and the victim’s lawyers to represent the housemaid due to an alleged unauthorized representation.

The earlier questioned the sudden appearance of the victim’s mother apparently to convince her daughter to withdraw the charges against the actress.

Atty. Alogoc, also believed that there are influential people who want to get their hands on this case and are giving too much pressure on the lawyers and the officials of the DSWD who are now protecting the victim.

“This battle is against a prominent family, which makes it difficult for the victim and us. We need all the support we can get. We hope that this case will not have the same fate as the previous cases filed against Revilla, where the maids did not appear on the scheduled hearings for unknown reason,” Atty. Alogoc said.

Alogoc was reacting to the incident that happened last July 14, 2008 during the preliminary investigation of the criminal cases filed against Revilla before the office of Piscal Dennis Pastrana at the 7th floor of Pasig City hall of Justice.

Alogoc said that the victim’s mother Herminia Arota, 56, suddenly appeared and rushed to her side and grabbed the victim with two arms by the neck.

“Huwag mo ng ituloy ang kaso laban kay Princess. Umuwi na tayo ng Samar,” the mother reportedly shouted in Waray to her daughter.

However, the victim also shouted in Waray saying: “itutuloy ko ang kaso hindi ako uuwi ng Samar hangga’t hindi tapos ang kaso.”

Alogoc said that the mother even prevented her daughter to take her oath on the supplemental complaint as she prevented her from standing up and repeatedly saying to withdraw the case against Revilla.

Contrary to the claim of the mother and her niece Mary Bacayo,31 that they were treated as criminals when they tried to talk with the victim, the lawyer disclosed that it was the mother and Bacayo who started the commotion when they tried to grabbed the victim from the DSWD possession.

The lawyer said that they doubted that someone is instructing the mother and Bacayo to cause disturbances during the hearing and make the DSWD appear as aggressors.

Atty. Alogoc was also skeptical where the victim’s relatives took their money in going to Manila as they all know that the victim was coming from a poor family.

However, Atty. Avila explained that a non-government group was financially supporting the victim as he was also not asking for any fee from the victim’s mother.