In a gripping Senate inquiry, domestic helper Silvera “Elvie” Vergara faced her former employers, France and Pablo Ruiz, who stand accused of severe physical and emotional abuse that left her blind, disfigured, and emotionally scarred.

The testimony shed light on the harrowing conditions faced by domestic workers in the Philippines.

Vergara’s ordeal began in 2020 when she started working for the Ruiz couple in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro. Her employment took a nightmarish turn as she endured physical and emotional abuse that ultimately led to her blindness, sunken cheeks, and a dislocated nose bridge.

In her own words, Vergara described the horrific abuse, stating, “Yung amo ko pong babae, pag mainit po ang ulo, hinihila po ako. Minsan po itong ulo ko sa kaliwa, inuuntog ako sa lababo. Sinusuntok po ako… yun pong amo kong babae.”

The abuse did not spare Vergara’s children, as she also accused France and Jerry’s two children, Jerlyn and Jerome, of inflicting harm on her. The shocking revelations prompted Senator Francis Tolentino, chair of the Justice and Human Rights Committee, to investigate the cruelty Vergara endured.

Medical experts who examined Vergara’s condition presented the results of her medical tests during the inquiry, revealing skull damage, a dislocated nose bridge, sunken cheeks, and severely damaged eyes. These findings reinforced the gravity of the abuse Vergara suffered.

Despite the compelling evidence against them, France and Pablo Ruiz vehemently denied repeatedly harming Vergara. Nonetheless, they now face charges of serious physical injuries, illegal detention, and violations of the Domestic Workers Act (Republic Act 10361), which were filed with the Office of the City Prosecutor in Batangas City.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, one of the inquiry’s participants, expressed disbelief at France’s claims that Vergara’s facial injuries resulted from her refusal to bathe and her habit of scratching herself. Estrada cautioned the former employers, stating, “I am warning you. I’m warning both of you because if we prove that you are lying, we will imprison you.”

Estrada is the principal author of the Domestic Workers Act, known as the Kasambahay Law, aimed at protecting the rights and welfare of domestic helpers. The law was a response to the case of Bonita Baran, another domestic helper who was blinded, had her ears shattered, and her face disfigured due to abuse by her employers.

The Ruiz couple now faces the prospect of lifelong imprisonment if found guilty. Reynold Marzan, one of the employers in the Bonita Baran case, is currently incarcerated in New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City. His wife, Anna Liza Marzan, passed away on June 20, 2020, while in detention.

The Senate inquiry into Elvie Vergara’s case underscores the urgent need for stronger safeguards and protections for domestic helpers in the Philippines and serves as a stark reminder of the brutality that some domestic workers endure in silence.