Maternity told to improve services

CEBU, Philippines - The inter-agency fact-finding committee that looked into the ‘taping’ controversy at the Cebu Puericulture and Maternity House, Inc. recommended five things the hospital can do to live up to standards.

The recommendations include a 20-hour lactation management training, a separate seminar on child development to understand children’s behaviors and learn how to handle these behaviors, employing a supervisor to oversee operations at the nursery (trained neonatologist, pediatrician, nurse), create and implement a child protection policy to ensure the physical and psychological safety and security of the babies, and ensure that the hospital staff  is made aware of and adhere to the institution’s values, beliefs, policies, and procedures.

The recommendations form part of  the supplemental report that support the committee’s 15-page findings, which stated that the hospital and concerned medical personnel are liable for taping the baby’s mouth and failed to follow protocol and hospital operations standards.

Committee on Human Rights-7 lawyer Dante Jadman said the report will be forwarded to the Council for the Welfare of Children. It will also be furnished to couple Ryan Noval and Jasmine Badocdoc, parents of “taped baby” Yohannes.

National Telecommunications Commission-7 lawyer Alan Felix Macaraya said the recommendations focus on best practices.

CHR-7 and NTC-7 are members of the RSCWC along with DOH-7, DSWD-7, DOJ-7, CCPO, DSWS of Cebu City, WCPU-VSMMC, and NBI-7.

The couple was pleased with the results, saying it supports their own research and claim that the hospital did their newborn son wrong.

“I already see that coming. I have done my research and asked lawyer Jadman before for possible results. I already expected that. As I have always been saying, we will let the law take its course,” Badocdoc said.

“I haven’t read the entire report yet but the results indicated that they did their work. They really did their work in investigating the incident. Time pressure is of essence but we will take our time in making sure that our case is solid. Di mi ganahan nga mahilaw. Kinahanglan hinog gyud,” Noval said.

The couple confirmed they will press charges against the hospital for taping the mouth of the baby. They said they will deal with the settlement and falsification issues after.

“We will give our lawyer enough time. If she finishes this week, we will file the case this week. If she needs more time so be it.

Asked to comment on the results of the investigation, Mercado said “let it be” and that they will face the case in court.

As to the reported “settlement of dispute” allegedly entered into by Badocdoc and CPMHI lawyer Cornelio Mercado, the mother of the baby showed to members of the RSCWC and to the media a sample of her signature.

“Atty. Jadman had me affix my signature to compare with the alleged settlement document and it clearly showed the difference,” Badocdoc said.

Macaraya first showed the piece of white paper that had four signature specimens of Badocdoc comparing with the “settlement of dispute” paper allegedly signed by her and the hospital management.

“Jasmine (Badocdoc) said she did not sign any settlement document,” Jadman said.

Mercado, sought for comment, said the couple should “stop lying.”

“What are they talking about? We are a democracy and they are free to say what they want. They can hire a lawyer and file a case. We will face it. People are being lured to believe them. When will these stop? We are all in search for truth,” Mercado said.  “The fight is not to exacerbate anyone. The settlement was supposedly to end things and be laid to rest. This is supposed to end the dispute. Are they asking for more attention?” Mercado added.

At the Cebu City Hall, Councilor Gerardo Carillo said that the desistance of the mother deals only with the civil aspect of the case and will not affect the investigation into the criminal and administrative aspects.

“But somehow it will (affect) in sense that the criminal action is based on a conviction beyond reasonable doubt, so, any taint or iota of doubt will certainly in the outcome of the case,” Carillo said.

Carillo, a lawyer, hopes that the evidence and findings of the inter-agency task force will be substantial enough to precede the criminal and administrative action of the case.

Carillo himself attended the May 23 inter-agency task force where he questioned the two nurses allegedly involved in the taping incident.

He asked one nurse if a pacifier is prohibited in the hospital or not and if taping is not a practice in the hospital.

He also asked the nurse if she had the incident recorded to let her supervising nurse know what happened. However, the nurse hardly answered his queries.

Carillo and Noval are friends and both are bike enthusiasts.—  (FREEMAN)