2 nurses, midwife to surface in Cebu investigation today

Two nurses and a midwife on duty when a newborn’s mouth was found taped in a nursery will appear in today’s investigation at the Department of Health (DOH) in Cebu City.

Medical director Dr. Raida Varona of the Cebu Puericulture and Maternity Center Inc. will also be there, said the hospital’s lawyer Cornelio Mercado.

“We will cooperate with the inter-agency committee. We have committed to finding out the truth here,” he told Cebu Daily News last night.

He said the hospital was sent an “invitation” by the panel of six government agencies headed by Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7 Regiona Director Dante Jadman.

Mercado said he prefers having the inquiry open for media coverage “so that everyone can follow what’s happening.”

“Let the media observe,” he said.

This would be the first time identities of the nursing staff present during the May 9 incident involving baby Yohannes would be made public.

A senator and the Cebu Provincial Board have weighed in the controversy.

Sen. Nancy Binay is calling for a Senate inquiry “in aid of legislation”.

Taped Baby senate resolution by CebuDailyNews

Her resolution was filed last Monday citing the State’s duty to defend the right of children and Republic Act 7610 or the Specia Protection of Children.

In Cebu, the PB suggested that all hospitals in the province install closed-circuit television cameras, particularly in nurseries.

The proposal of PB Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy was approved in last Monday’s PB regular session.
He said a still-unidentified person “taped an innocent’s child’s lips with plaster after seeing him crying too loudly and was always asking for milk.” .

“None of the staff would disclose information about the incident and there were no traces of evidence that would suggests the person responsible for the crime.”

The CHR-led inter-agency panel will convene for its second session at 2 p.m.

“We invited the nurses to shed light so the investigation is not one-sided. We are giving them a chance to speak, due process. They have the right to be informed of the accusation,” said Jadman of the CHR.

“There are about three nurses. It’s the hospital’s obligation to divulge the names otherwise they can be charged with obstruction of justice.”

On Wednesday, the panel said it was “not satisifed” with the “instituional report” of the medical director because it contained a “mere denial” that any of the nurses were involved in taping the face of the infant or that a pacifier was used.

The other day, the baby’s parents Ryan Noval and Jasmine Badocdoc appeared before the panel to submit the digital images of a cellphone and laptop computer where photos of the baby’s taped face were stored.

Noval said they’re confident that the authenticity of the pictures taken by hiw partner’s camera phone will be upheld by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

“We’re actually very excited to see the outcome of the authenticity of the photos because that’s being challenged heavily by the opposing side,” Noval said in an interview at the office of Councilor Gerardo Carillo yesterday.

Noval met with the councilor to discuss what City Hall could do to help them seek justice for their son. Carillo earlier said the city government could extend financial and legal aid to the family.

“The city has a P1 million legal aid fund that may be tapped to help them pay for a lawyer,” Carillo told CDN but the guidelines for the use of the fund have not yet been approved by the City Council.