Gabriela party extends aid to woman who lost baby in hospital

MANILA, Philippines — The Gabriela Women’s party list group has taken up the cudgels for the mother of newborn baby boy taken from her side at the Sta. Teresita General Hospital, and said any insinuation that the kidnapping had been a farce must be retracted.

Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus, who has met with the mother, Ces Delos Santos, said she was convinced that the latter was telling the truth when she said her baby was taken from her without her knowledge.

Earlier, another media outfit reported that the “kidnap me” angle was also being investigated in connection with the baby’s disappearance.

“After having a thorough conversation with Ces, we have enough reasons to believe that she is a victim and has no capacity to stage a plot at the expense of her child,” De Jesus said in a statement.

De Jesus and other Gabriela officers visited Delos Santos at the woman’s house, after the mother had sought the partylist’s support. The Gabriela officers also met with officials of the Sta. Teresita hospital to get the hospital’s side.

According to the group, a hospital official admitted that there had been a security lapse at the hospital.

Gabriela said the tendency to blame the victim in this baby snatching case would steer attention away from the real issue and would free the hospital from accountability.

It said the kidnapping of Delos Santos’ child must be swiftly and impartially investigated, and any irresponsible accusations against the victim must be stopped.

Gabriela also said it would keep an eye on the case and vowed to give Delos Santos the support she would need.

Delos Santos earlier said her infant son was taken from her side at dawn on Tuesday by a women who claimed to be a doctor and who told her baby was supposed to undergo a newborn screening test.

It was only when a nurse asked about her child that she learned that the woman who took the baby was not from the hospital.