SINGAPORE – Filipina domestic helper physically abused by employer. But justice was served when the Singaporean employer will serve one week in jail because of his cruelty.
She was hit and slapped a couple of times, Miezel Cagas Limbaga, suffered a lot from her employer Vidya Jayasankarr and her husband Janardana Jayasankarr. Both pleaded guilty for allegedly slapping and grabbing the neck of the Filipina January last year.
Two counts for the husband over voluntarily causing hurt to their employee and one count for the wife. They will both be sentenced next month.
According to the court documents, Limbaga was accused of stealing food after they caught her opening the fridge and the microwave, January 20, 2015. The husband grabbed Limbaga by her T-shirt and forcedly dragged her to the bedroom. The husband and wife then took turns in hitting the helpless domestic helper. She was slapped in the face, punched in the stomach and was grabbed by the neck. Feeling too much pain, Limbaga fell to the ground and couldn’t stand up. Limbaga was also maltreated several times before the incident.
Vidya Jayasankarr (left) and her husband.-globalnation.inquirer
Luckily, another Filipina in Singapore saw the bruises in Limbaga’s body and filed police report last Jan 22. Officers went to the employer’s house to check on Limbaga, and she was immediately sent to the hospital.
The couple negotiated for compensation amounting to $1000 (P33, 274) but the prosecution took its stand that the amount is insufficient because Limbaga stopped working since January 2015. Instead, they were asked to pay $4,800 (P159, 719).
Limbaga is being paid $400 (P13, 309) per month for working as a domestic helper. The male employer will get his sentence this Feb. 19.
