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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate panel summons employers of maltreated house helper

Senate panel summons employers of maltreated house helper

Published Aug 22, 2023 06:12 am

The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights has approved the issuance of a subpoena against the members of the family who was said to have abused their household helper.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, chairman of the panel, approved the motion of Sen. Joseph Ejercito Estrada, who made the motion to subpoena household helper Elvie Vergara’s employer Pablo Ruiz, his wife France and their children Jerry and Danica to attend the next scheduled hearing.

Estrada made the motion to subpoena the Ruiz family after the panel was informed of their absence due to a medical condition, as indicated in their supposed “excuse letter.”

This irked Estrada, and prompted him to subpoena the Ruiz family.

The Senate initiated an investigation into Vergara’s case after reports about her condition became viral online.

Vergara became partially blind allegedly due to the physical abuse, which reportedly started in 2020 in Occidental Mindoro.

“Bilang pangunahing may akda ng Batas Kasambahay, ako ay lubos na nalulungkot na 10 taon pagkatapos na maisabatas ang Batas Kasambahay, mayroon na naman pang-aabuso at pagmamalupit na nangyari sa isa nating kababayan na kasambahay, si Aling Elvie Vergara, sa kamay ng kanyang naging amo na kapwa ding Pilipino (As the main author of the Batas Kasambahay, I am deeply saddened that 10 years after it was enacted, there is yet another abuse and cruelty that happened to one of our compatriot, Elvie Vergara, at the hands of her former boss who is also a fellow Filipino),” Estrada said during the hearing on Tuesday, August 22.

“Gusto kong itanong bakit nangyayari pa rin and pag-aabuso at pagmamaltrato sa ating mga kasambahay? Ano pang amyenda ng Batas Kasambahay ang dapat gawin upang higit na maproteksiyonan ang ating mga kasambahay? Kailangan bang bigyan ng mataas na parusa ang mga abusadong employer? (I want to ask why abuse and mistreatment of our housemates still happens? What other amendments to the Batas Kasambahay should be made to further protect our maids? Should abusive employers be heavily penalized)?” he lamented.

“Sa huli, ang hangad ko ay mabigyan ng hustisya si Aling (In the end, I only want to give justice to Mrs.) Elvie Vergara…Aling Elvie deserves justice,” the senator reiterated.

Related Tags

household workers jinggoy estrada batas Kasambahay
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