Senate probe on tortured maid: Woman employer a battered wife herself

Senate President Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada

MANILA, Philippines –The wife who has been accused of maltreating a house maid was herself a victim of physical abuse by her own husband.

Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, chairman of the Senate committee on labor, made this disclosure at the resumption of its investigation on Wednesday into the case of Bonita Baran, who was allegedly tortured until she went blind by her employer, Analiza Marzan and husband Reynold.

Estrada said there was a warrant of arrest issued against Reynold in connection with the case filed by the wife for violation of Republic Act 9262 known as an “Anti-Violence Against Women” before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 225 in 2008.

Analiza confirmed that she filed the case without her husband’s knowledge. But she said she did not pursue the case.

“My husband did not know that,” the wife told the committee in Filipino. She declined further to elaborate saying this issue was personal to them.

But when asked again if she had been beaten by her husband, Analiza finally admitted she was hit by him only once.

The alleged physical violence inside the house of the Marzans was confirmed by their house maid, Baran.

“Nang dumating po sa kanila , nagbubugbugan na po talaga sila (They are really hurting each other),” Baran said.

It was the first time that Baran and the Marzan’s faced each other at the Senate, which has custody of the couple.