Senate to order couple’s arrest in maid torture case

Senate labor chairman Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

A Senate committee is readying the arrest warrant for a couple who has repeatedly failed to appear in a legislative inquiry on the alleged torture of a domestic helper.

Senate labor chairman Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada said he has no choice but to route for signature a resolution to issue an arrest warrant for Reynold Marzan and wife Analiza for failure to appear in three committee hearings on their alleged maltreatment of helper Bonita Baran.

The maid appeared in the Senate in a wheelchair during the initial hearing two weeks ago.  Baran had deep facial scars supposedly from beatings by the couple.

She has also lost vision in one eye because of the assaults.

The Marzan couple already face charges of serious physical injuries and frustrated murder.

Husband and wife claim Baran put a hot iron to her own face.

Estrada has decided to open a Senate inquiry after Baran sought the  Senate’s help.

After the Marzans failed to show up during the first hearing, a second was set but the couple sent word they could not come.

Another hearing was scheduled yesterday but only the couple’s lawyer, a certain Atty. Fernandez, appeared despite assurances that he would bring his clients with him.

Estrada told the lawyer about the arrest warrant and ordered Fernandez to submit a medical certificate indicating Mrs. Marzan’s supposed illness on Tuesday.

The senator said Fernandez claimed Mrs. Marzan fainted and could not come to the hearing.

“But I doubt that … He does not even know the hospital where she went or who her doctor is.  In fact, he does not know where the couple is,” Estrada noted.