SINGAPORE — A domestic helper who was allegedly assaulted on several occasions by her employer told a court on Monday (Sept 2) that she endured it because she had to earn money for her family back in the Philippines.

Ms Zeny Aquino Landingin, now 47 years old and a mother of six, also took handwritten notes of the alleged abuse as she thought that one day, she could use it as evidence against Tan Bee Kim.

Tan, 53, is contesting 12 charges of causing hurt to Ms Landingin when the foreign domestic worker was hired under three contracts between 2012 and 2017. One other charge was stood down for the trial, which began before District Judge Christopher Tan on Monday.

The charges relate to separate occasions when Tan is accused of pushing Ms Landingin’s head, slapping her, hitting her chest, and hitting her head with a ladle, a mobile phone and the heel of a high-heel shoe, among other items.

Ms Landingin was the first prosecution witness to take the stand. Besides her, prosecutors will call an investigation officer.

‘I CAN NO LONGER TAKE’

Through a Tagalog interpreter, Ms Landingin testified that she began working for Tan around September 2012. Tan worked as a sales director then, while her husband worked as an in-flight supervisor.

Ms Landingin had earlier worked for short periods for several other employers, after first arriving in Singapore in January 2010.

She told the court that her duties included cleaning Tan’s Tampines flat, washing the family car, preparing family meals and taking their daughter to and from school.

She worked for the family until August 2014, when her first contract with them ended. She said it was during this time when Tan hit her head with a ladle, and hit her head twice with a cup.

Ms Landingin told the court that she went back home to the Philippines after her contract ended, partly because her mother was ill and could no longer look after her children.

“And also, what ma’am has been doing to me, I can no longer take,” she said through the interpreter.

However, she eventually returned to work for Tan and her family from April 2015 till March 2017.

When Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhamad Imaduddien asked Ms Landingin why she returned after the alleged abuse, she said she had promised them she would continue working for them.

“Sir and ma’am told me that I will work for them for another two years. They have spoken to me,” Ms Landingin added.

‘WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD BE PAINFUL’

DPP Imaduddien took Ms Landingin through the handwritten notes, which listed some “common mistakes” she made that Tan allegedly asked her to write down.

They included using the day’s newspaper to cover the top of the dining table during meals. If Ms Landingan made such mistakes, she said that S$10 would be deducted from her salary.

The prosecutor questioned her over some of the alleged instances of assault as described in the notes.

On Dec 6, 2015, Ms Landingin wrote that Tan “knock my head six times and slapped my left face using her right hand and tap my chest five times”. This allegedly happened at noon, after the maid met Tan at Giant supermarket and went back home before Tan.

“She got angry, asking me why I did not prepare breakfast for (Tan’s daughter) before leaving… that’s when she hit me. First on my head, hitting me left and right. My hair was scattered all over my face. She wanted to make sure it would be painful,” Ms Landingin testified.

When the DPP asked why she did not say anything in response, she replied: “I never answered back, never thought of saying anything. I will just continue working because for me, at the end of the day, I still have my salary and my salary is the most important thing for me.”

Ms Landingin claimed that Tan hit her again a few hours later, when she asked Tan if she wanted her to mop the master bedroom.

“She did not say anything. She just hit me four times on my head…I felt dizzy because I ate so late, and also, I was only given instant noodles.” 

Ms Landingin repeated her feelings about the importance of her salary, when DPP Imaduddien questioned her about the cup incident.

“I have a very poor life… one time, my son was supposed to take an exam in school but he was not able to because we don’t have money. He came back crying, saying that no one wanted to lend him money. This is the reason why money is so important to me, because life is so difficult when you don’t have money,” she told the court.

“When I transferred to (Tan), I promised myself I would finish my contract with her. It's so difficult to keep changing employers because I have to keep on paying the agent,” she added.

The trial continues on Tuesday.

The maximum penalty for causing hurt is up to two years’ jail and a fine of up to S$5,000. Employers of domestic helpers, or those in their household, are liable to 1.5 times the punishment — so a maximum penalty of three years’ jail and a fine of up to S$7,500.