Suspect eyes lesser offense for maid abuse

MANILA, Philippines - A woman accused of detaining and physically abusing her former housemaid has offered to plead guilty to a lower offense during a pre-trial hearing yesterday on the serious illegal detention case filed against her and her husband.

During the hearing before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77, suspect Annaliza Marzan – through lawyer Joel Ferrer – offered to plead guilty of violating Article 247 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), or compelling minors to offer services under compulsion in payment of debt.

Marzan and her husband, Reynold, were charged in court for allegedly detaining Bonita Baran from 2009 to 2010 in their home at Las Villas del Cielo on Visayas Avenue.

Baran was a minor at the time of her alleged detention and maltreatment. A separate physical injuries case is currently being tried before a separate court.

During yesterday’s hearing, Ferrer said the elements of the crime for which Marzan was charged are necessarily included in committing Article 247 of the RPC. 

He said Annaliza is willing to plead guilty to committing the lesser offense, which is punishable with imprisonment from four months to two years.

The offer to plead guilty to a lesser offense is part of plea bargaining during the pre-trial proceedings. Baran earlier asked for more than P1.9 million in damages from the couple allegedly responsible for her blindness.

Reynold is out on bail after he posted a P150,000 bond set by the court.

Judge Francisco Germano-Legaspi scheduled the next hearing on July 29 to allow the parties’ plea bargaining.