MANILA, Philippines--Former Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja Jr. said on Sunday he was shocked by the civil suit filed by his former househelp and strongly denied her allegations that his family was engaged in trafficking and forced labor.

In a phone interview, Baja said that he had no idea why Marichu Suarez Baoanan filed the civil complaint against him, his wife Norma and daughter Elizabeth Baja Facundo and the Baja-owned Labaire International Travel Inc., before the New York Southern District court.

The 39-year-old Baoanan filed the complaint last June 24 before Judge Victor Marrero accusing the Bajas of engaging in trafficking, forced labor, peonage and racketeering.

Baja confirmed that Baoanan was employed as a domestic helper in his household when he was still the head of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York in January 2006. He also confirmed that the maid left his household after barely three months of service.

"I don't know her from Eve," he said of Baoanan, noting that an acquaintance of his wife recommended Baoanan for the job.

And Baoanan was recruited in "accordance with the rules" for hiring domestic staffing, said Baja who added that was the reason why she was provided a red passport and a US visa.

"So there was no human trafficking," he insisted.

Baja also denied that Baoanan was given a measly salary, saying that he had papers to show that she was given $200 a month and that she remitted the money to her family back home.

Baja said he kept copies of acknowledgement and receipt of the salaries.

On her allegation that she was working long hours for the Bajas, the former ambassador said that Baoanan was working less than eight hours and "all she did was household chores."

"And that included cooking, washing the dishes and clothes," he said, as he noted that doing the laundry was not a problem because they had a washing machine and his suits were just being dry-cleaned.

"She also stayed on the same floor of the house, as we did," he said, in reply to Baoanan's claim that she slept in the basement and used a thin blanket to ward off the cold.

"Her room was well- provided for. It had central heating and television," he added.

It was also not true that Baoanan served as a nanny to his grandson, said Baja who said it was a pity that she dragged his grandson into her complaint.

He said he did not know why Baoanan left the household barely three months after arriving from Manila. But Baja said he reported her departure to US immigration authorities.

Baoanan might have found a more lucrative job and left, Baja speculated.

More than two years after the incident, Baja said he was shocked by the civil complaint and clueless on why she did it.

"But there's nothing to worry about. We have all the papers to back us up in saying there is no basis for her charges," Baja said.

Still, he said the "initial perception" that resulted in the filing of the complaint made them look bad.

He said his lawyer Salvador Tuy would answer the complaint, as they had 20 days to do so.

Baja said they have been studying the option of filing a case against Baoanan, seeking moral damages for maligning the family, "later or together with the answer to her complaint."'

For now, he could only see two reasons why Baoanan filed the complaint.

"It's either because she's looking for monetary considerations since she filed a civil suit where she can seek back wages or she's trying to prolong her stay there (in the United States)," Baja said.

The diplomat said that when he spoke to his lawyer, the latter asked if it was possible that somebody prodded Baoanan to file the case "as on her own, she would probably had no courage to do so."

"For all my friendliness, maybe there are people who don't like me," said Baja.