Pictures of another ‘taped’ baby surface

CEBU, Philippines - Fifteen days after the alleged taping incident of a newborn baby at Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity House Inc., another parent posted a photo of her two-day- old baby whose mouth was taped with plaster to hold in place a pacifier in her Facebook account last Saturday.

Chesiel Lyka Arsua, 22, who gave birth to a baby girl last February 22, said she posted the photo of her baby after finding out that the maternity house denied any of their personnel taped the mouth of the baby last May 9.

“Wala ko’y intention nga ipaapil sa kaso ang akong baby, pero gi-deny man gud nila. And mismo ako, nakakita sa incident,” she told The FREEMAN.

Last May 9 social media lit up with comments after couple Ryan Noval and Jasmine Badocdoc posted photos of their baby, whose lips were sealed with plaster at the same maternity hospital.

“Mas grabe gani to ilang baby kay ang lips gyod ang gi-tape-an,” Arsua said.

She said her baby had to stay for a week at the nursery of the maternity house because her baby could hardly breathe.

Arsua admitted that she was worried at first because there was also an oxygen hose connected to her baby’s nose.

She said she even saw other babies who were also taped to hold a pacifier in place during that time but she did not mind it because she thought that it was a common practice of the maternity hospital.

“Akong gipangutana ang nurse nganong gi-pacifier kay wala pa gani ko naka-breastfeed sa akong baby, unya gi-pacifier na. Giingnan ko na kay sige man og hilak akong baby,” she said, adding that it was done for two days.

Arsua said that one of the nurses accused in the incident was the one she saw who allegedly removed the tape from her baby’s lips without using water or anything to make sure the tape came off easily.             

“Gidiritso ra gyud pagtangtang ang tape sa akong baby, nipuwa man gani iyang cheeks,” she said.           

She said she has no plans of pursuing a case against the hospital since her baby is now safe and it would cost time and money.

Cornelio Mercado, legal counsel of  the maternity hospital, again questioned the substantiality of the latest photo. He already did this with the photo of the couple’s baby.

“Sayon raman gud kaayo mo-picture og bata unya i-post lang dayon sa Facebook,” he said.

Mercado also asked why the mother didn’t report the incident to the management instead of posting the photos in Facebook.

“Kutob lang diay ta ani sa Facebook?” he asked.

Arsua denied she staged or fabricated the photo.

“Mag-effort nalang gyud ko og plaster-plaster sa akong baby? Actually, gi-video man to nako. Ako lang gi-screen shot sa Facebook,” she said.

Meanwhile, Noval commented in Arsua’s post regarding the taping incident of another baby.

“I hope you’re more than willing to come forward with your incident at maternity. I AM Ryan Noval and this is my son…they are trying to make us look crazy about our issue...please help all the babies/families become aware of this practice,” his comment read.

In a separate interview, Noval said he was discouraged after knowing that the parents of the baby said they will not file charges against the hospital.

“Sayang. Na-discourage gyud ko kay daghan naman diay ang incident nga pareha sa among case, pero dili lang sila maglangas,” he said.

Noval said that if parents will not fight for the case, the “practice” will continue and might hurt another baby.

“Bahala’g ako ra ang maglangas-langas kay para nako, dili na pwede. Kon dili ta mopadayon ani, murag okay ra nga giingon ato akong anak,” he said, adding that their affidavit is now ready.

He said he is more confident right now after knowing that similar cases are now slowly being revealed.

“Karon, dili na gyod sila kaingon nga isolated case ni among kaso,” he said.

He said he is ready to meet the maternity officials today for the second day of the fact-finding investigation regarding the case.

“Ugma, naa na gyod among abogado. We are more than ready na gyud,” he said.

Meanwhile, The Department of Health-7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas said the incident has to be verified first.

“We again have to ask the chief hospital and doctor in charge why… that (pacifier) is not being advised by DOH and World Health Organization in our advisory on mother-baby friendly hospital policy,” Bernadas said.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)