Baby’s parents to file case against hospital; More revelations made

Jasmine Badocdoc and partner Ryan Noval submit a blown up photo of their newborn son Yohannes with a tape on his mouth in the hospital nursery. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Surprising revelations were made by hospital staff in what turned out to be the last day of a fact-finding inquiry into the face-taping of baby Yohannes yesterday.

“You place the tape on the upper lips or lower lips, but not both,” said nurse Kamile Neri, to “anchor a pacifier” in a baby’s mouth to keep him from crying.

Neri demonstrated with her hands how the tape would be applied, a procedure she said was done if the “doctor” orders a pacifier for the child or special handing is needed for a premature born infant.

In her four years in the Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity House Inc., Neri said she’s done this “four times” on infants, but not on baby Yohannes.

Nurse Kamille Isabela Neri demonstrates how to apply plaster on the upper or lower lip of a baby to “anchor” a pacifier. She and nurse Arianne Mae Pacula said they have done this two or four times before in the Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity Hospital if a doctor orders it. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

MORE TO SURFACE

With no apology or admission from the hospital about the handling of baby Yohannes on May 9, the dispute will have to be resolved in court.

The decision to file a case in court was announced yesterday by the lawyer of parents Ryan Noval and Jasmine at the end of the inter-agency government hearing.

The couple told Cebu Daily News later that “more parents will come forward” to expose similar experiences in the hospital nursery. Their hopes were buoyed by a mother who posted photos of her three-month-old baby girl Blaire on Facebook, to show that the mouth-taping was not an isolated case. (See related story on page 2).

“My clients had no plans to file a case. All they wanted was an apology and an explanation of what happened,” said lawyer Haidee Orbeso yesterday.

“But what happened recently (in the hearing), being accused … that’s the reason we will file a case.”

The couple got fed up hearing more denials from nurses and the medical director of the private maternity hospital. What pained them most, however, was being questioned by the hospital lawyer for posting their complaints on Facebook, their intentions in going public and possibly “lying” about some details.

Almost two weeks after the controversy broke out, the Board of Trustees of the 91-year-old institution led by president Florencia Streegan, issued a statement yesterday expressing “regret” over the past events.

The board said “fortunately, no injury was sustained by the babies”. It acknowledged both baby Yohannes and “Baby Blaire Arsua” without admitting that anything illegal had taken place while the they were in the nursery.

The board said it would”abide by the outcome and decision” of the “ongoing, indpenent investigation.”

With the parents’ decision to go to court, the panel chairman, Dante Jadman of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR-7), declared yesterday’s was the last hearing of the seven-member investigation and that the group’s resolution would be completed in 15 days.

Jadman said the couple was free to go to court, and should not have to wait for the panel’s results.
He asked if there was “any chance for a settlement” by the parties.

Hospital lawyer Cornelio Mercado, who was the one who asked to defer the committee’s next hearings , said “we are always open” and that the couple “can always come to us.”

The couple’s lawyer said “at this point of time, it is very difficult” for baby Yohannes parents to stand down.

Janice Badocdoc, wiping away tears, said, “Amicable settlement? No, we already tried that and gave the hospital one week (to take action). It’s been very long but what happened was disappointing.”