Couple accused of torturing maid yield to NBI officials
By Erika SaulerPhilippine Daily Inquirer
The couple who went into hiding after their housemaid accused them of maltreating her until she became blind turned themselves in Monday at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In a statement, Analiza Marzan said she and husband Reynold decided to surface to air their side regarding Bonita Baran’s allegations against them.
The couple have been charged with serious illegal detention in the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. Analiza also faces a separate case of attempted homicide and serious physical injury.
Analiza said they felt a mix of dread and sadness when they saw Baran show her scars during her appearances on television.
“We were sad because she was like family to us and we entrusted our three children to her care during her four-year stay with us,” she said.
“I wouldn’t have hurt her the way she said I did because I’m a mother who fears that the same would happen to my children,” Analiza added.
George Jularbal, NBI National Capital Region director, said the couple went to the bureau accompanied by their children and a lawyer. The NBI-NCR was tasked by the Senate to arrest the Marzans after they failed to attend several legislative hearings on Baran’s case.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada personally appeared at the NBI to take the couple into Senate custody.
The Marzans said they hope they would be given a fair trial because they felt that the case against them was railroaded.
Baran was even reluctant to go back to her province because her father was abusive and beat her up when she was still a child, Analiza claimed.
She said Baran had received a call from her sister informing her that their mother had their father jailed when she couldn’t take the abuse anymore.
Baran, who was in a wheelchair, also appeared at the NBI with lawyer Persida Acosta of the Public Attorney’s Office.
“She can’t lie about abusing me. She burned my face with an iron then punched me in the eye until I went blind. My [left] ear is deformed because of too much pinching,” she said, referring to Analiza.
Baran added that she would not drop the charges against the Marzans, adding, “I want to get justice for what they did to me.” With a report from Cathy
Yamsuan
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Tags: Human rights , Metro , News , torture
