Maid poisons, robs 2 more Tsinoy families

The Manila Police District (MPD) is reiterating its warning against employing undocumented maids following reports that a newly hired maid poisoned and robbed two Chinese-Filipino families in Sta. Cruz and Sta. Mesa.

The same woman may have poisoned the two families, and two other Chinese-Filipino households earlier this year, Meisic police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut said.

“There is a distinct similarity in the commission of the crime, which could have been perpetrated by only one person,” Yabut said.

The police have a photo of the suspect caught by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera at a building rented by one of her victims.

Yabut advised families to ask walk-in applicants for a police clearance to prevent the same incident from happening again. “The suspect is still on the loose, waiting for another opportunity to strike,” he warned.

On Aug. 5, Vina Sy hired a certain “Linda” as a housemaid. When she left her house in Sta. Cruz, her other maid, Ruisa Soverano, 36, suffered stomach pains after eating the food prepared by Linda. She was rushed to the hospital, leaving Linda tending the house.

By the time Sy arrived, she said Linda was gone and had taken with her P200,000 worth of cash and jewelry.

On Aug. 19, Benito Tan accepted a maid brought by a security guard to his office in Binondo. He brought “Girlie” to his residence on Santol street in Sta. Mesa. Tan’s wife, Elena, was rushed to the hospital due to stomach pains after drinking a glass of juice prepared by Girlie. When Tan arrived in the house, the newly hired maid was gone and a boxful of jewelry was missing. Tan said the box contained only fancy jewelry.

“Ailah,” a maid hired by Walter Ngo, 35, last March for his mother, Estrella, employed the same modus operandi.

Before leaving their house in Sta. Cruz, Walter asked Ailah and their 19-year-old maid, Criselda Batua, to clean his room. While cleaning, Ailah offered to make coffee for Batua. After a few sips, Batua experienced nausea and vomiting, prompting her to leave the room.

Ailah allegedly forced open Walter’s writing desk and took more than P200,000 worth of cash and valuables.

Last January, five members of the Pua family from Binondo were poisoned by a newly hired maid who gave her name as “Gelyn.”

Gelyn, on her first day of work, prepared adobo for the Pua children, who experienced dizziness and vomiting after eating the food. Three Pua housemaids also suffered the same symptoms after drinking coffee prepared by Gelyn, who allegedly took P45,000 and fled as the victims were rushed to the hospital.