The SUN HK : Filipina acquitted of theft gets back at accuser with labour claim

By Vir B. Lumicao

Liberty worked for the socialite employer for just 2 weeks

Liberty is her name, and that was what she won after four long months spent behind bars for a crime she did not commit.

Filipina domestic helper Liverty Narcelles, who was acquitted on Jan 28 of a charge of stealing a $100,000 ring from her socialite employer in Stanley, says she is set to pursue a labor claim for all the money owed her, while slowly getting her life back to normal.

Narcelles, now on a six-day visitor visa, said she will file a claim against her employer, Chua Eh Fong for $6,000 as one month’s salary in lieu of notice, unpaid wages for eight days, plus a return air ticket.

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Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of Mission for Migrant Workers, said her organization will help Narcelles pursue her claims at the Labour Department.

On the second day of her release from prison following her acquittal at Eastern Court, the 35-year-old Ilocana worker went to the Mission’s office at St John’s Cathedral on Garden Road to discuss her next move.

A day earlier, she spent half the day collecting her belongings at Chua’s house at Regalia Bay, Stanley, with the help of police escorts, who drove her afterwards to the Immigration Department headquarters in Wanchai to apply for a visa.

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After about three hours at the Immigration, Narcelles was issued a six-day visitor’s visa. Then she was fetched in a car by her former employer and friend, Portia Cheung, and taken to the latter’s house in Saikung where she would stay for the time being.

“Wala pa po akong tulog, naninibago pa ako,” (I haven’t slept, I am still getting used to life outside), the worker said as she savored freedom after four-and-a-half months detained in Tai Lam, and then Lo Wu, while her case was pending in court.

The prosecution had objected to granting her bail while she was in custody despite Cheung offering to bail her out since the worker’s first hearing in Eastern Court.

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Cheung also visited her regularly in prison, and even bought her a change of clothes for her court appearance. Three of her closest friends also saw her during her darkest days.

But that is all behind her now.

“Sobrang happy and blessed. God is always good to me,” Narcelles said when asked how she felt after her court victory against her wealthy accuser.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

The feeling contrasted sharply with the despair she felt when Chua claimed she found her tourmaline-adorned ring in the helper’s luggage at mid-day on Sept 9.

Chua gave police spliced CCTV videos of the alleged theft

“Shocked po ako syempre at bakit may ring sa gamit ko,” Narcelles said. (I was shocked of course, because why was there a ring among my things?)

What was clear from the video submitted to the police and played in court on the last day of her trial on Dec 31 was it was Chua who bended down to point out the ring among a handful of trinkets Narcelles held on her open palm.

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The helper said she was already in the process of returning all her things in her bags after Chua’s inspection, when the ring suddenly appeared.

Asked how the ring ended up in her box of trinkets, Narcelles said, “I honestly do not know.”

Regalia Bay in Stanley, where the employer's family lives

Narcelles cried so much when the CCTV was played in court that Magistrate David Cheung to call a 10-minute recess so she could calm down. She cried again unabashedly on Thursday after the verdict, but this time it was tears of joy over her vindication.

She said the first thing she did after getting hold of a phone yesterday was to call her 61-year-old mother and 65-year-old father to tell them about the good news. “Kahapon ko pa sila natawagan at sobrang happy po sila,” she said. (I called them yesterday and they were overjoyed).

This Sunday, she will go to church with her surrogate mom in Hong Kong, Remie Nidoy, one of the people who had always believed in her innocence. Narcelles is also thankful to

her cousin Izy Valdez and “kumare” Beverly for their help during her ordeal, and to Cheung who went all out to support her.

Narcelles said she hopes to sign up with a new employer after her labor claims are settled so she could continue to work in Hong Kong.

But she said it won’t be a bad idea either to return home and be back with her loved ones if she finds a decent-paying job there. Her husband is gainfully employed, and before coming to Hong Kong, she worked as an agent for the transfer of land titles.

While she is now ready to move on with her life, Narcelles couldn’t resist sending out a message to people who followed her ordeal.

“Sa lahat po ng taong nag-judge na guilty ako na hindi pa alam yung story, God bless po. At sa lahat ng naniwalang inosente ako at nag-pray para sa victory ko, thank you so much.” (To everyone who judged me guilty without knowing the real story, God bless. And to those who believed in my innocence and prayed for my victory, thank you so much).