Domestic helper denies colluding with employer to make Filipina admit theft

Justice Harris and Rosiene

A Filipino domestic helper denied in court today that she framed up her compatriot when she accused her of stealing $3,700 in their employer’s home at The Peak.

Rosiene C.C. testified at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts and denied that she framed up her fellow helper, Marites P.C., so that Marites’ predecessor, Indonesian domestic worker Jemini, could come back and work again for their employer, High Court Justice Jonathan Harris.

She also denied that she worked together with the justice to convince Marites to sign a document saying that she took money from the Harris household.

“Hindi ko gawain na ipahamak ang bagong kasama (It’s not my way to put at risk a new colleague),” Rosiene told Magistrate Cheung Kit-yee.

Rosiene told the court that Jemini was now back in the Harris household but insisted that it was her employers who wanted her back.

“I’m happy but I did not want that. It was my employers’ choice,” she added.

Rosiene earlier said that she lost $3,700 of her personal money, which she had kept in a while envelope, to the defendant.

Rosiene said she found the envelope, which had gone missing, under the defendant’s pillow after Marites was terminated on January 13.

Marites was earlier charged with stealing the wallet of Justice Harris between January 9 and 12 inside his home on Mount Kellet Road, on The Peak, but prosecutors dropped the charge in February.

However, they pursued the case against Marites for the alleged theft of Rosiene’s money.

Barrister Mohammed J. Shah, Marites’ lawyer, countered that Rosiene was framing up Marites so that Jemini, who had gone back to Indonesia, could return to work in the Harris household.

He added that Rosiene also got “jealous” after Marites told her about her farm and house in Cavite.

“I put it to you that after the defendant left, it was at that point that that you put the envelope in the pillowcase, called your employer, and exclaimed, “I found it!'” Mr. Shah said.

Rosiene replied: “No sir.”

Rosiene also denied that she forced Marites to sign a document saying that she took the $3,700, the judge’s wallet, $500 from Jemini, another $200 from Rosiene, and $100 from the justice’s wife.

“I did not force her because she had her own decision,” Rosiene said. “She said she did not take them and then she cried.”

The trial of Marites will continue next month with the Japanese wife of Justice Harris set to testify for the prosecution.

Mr. Shah said he was reserving his right to ask the court to also summon the justice to the witness stand depending on the results of his wife’s testimony.