Starving maid admits killing employer

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have arrested a housemaid for killing her employer, who refused to let her eat for five days in Caloocan City last month.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco identified the suspect as Nancy Panes, 18, of Calachuchi street, Tanza, Navotas.

Panes, who faces charges of robbery with homicide, was presented to reporters at the NBI headquarters in Manila yesterday.

During the press conference attended by NBI Assistant Director Lolito Utitco, Panes admitted having killed her employer Or Dyok Tuan, 80, at the old woman’s residence at Unit 501, Howard Tower, 6th Avenue, Caloocan City. She had been working for her Chinese employer for five days.

Panes claimed her employer was abusive in the short period of time she worked for her. On April 15, Tuan allegedly shoved her while the maid was cleaning one of the rooms.

"Nagdilim na po ang paningin ko matapos niya akong tinulak habang ako ay naglilinis sa kwarto niya," Panes said.

Panes said she rushed to the kitchen and took a chopping board, returned to the room and hit Tuan on the head with the object. After the woman fell to the floor, Panes allegedly strangled her with an electrical cord.

Investigation conducted by the NBI-National Capital Region showed that the victim’s body was found inside her room with her hands and feet bound by an electrical cord. Police also found the chopping board beside the victim’s body.

The body was discovered by Tuan’s daughter Helen Natividad and son-in-law Lino, who paid her a visit in her condominium later that day.

Prior to the discovery of the body, the couple told probers that when they arrived at the condo unit, the door was opened by the maid.

The couple went inside, but were told to wait at the sala because the old woman was still taking a bath. The housemaid then left the condominium unit, telling them she needed to get the old woman’s clothes from the adjacent unit. After the maid failed to return, the couple decided to check the victim’s room and found the body.

Several pieces of victims jewelry and other valuables were missing. Last May 1, NBI agents arrested Panes at a neighbor’s house in Navotas and recovered the stolen jewelry from a pawnshop in Malabon City.

When the woman was brought to the Department of Justice for inquest, she was ordered released and instructed the bureau to file the case at a local court. On May 21, a Caloocan City judge issued a warrant of arrest against Panes, prompting the bureau to arrest her anew.