Baby switching incident in Cagayan confirmed by crossmatch DNA test

How strong is a mother's instinct?

In Cagayan, two moms were convinced that the children they've been taking care of are not their own.

The "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" team flew to Cagayan to learn more about the situation of the moms, Marissa and Trisha, and their kids JM and Liam.

According to the report, both women gave birth on December 6, 2019.

Trisha's mother-in-law, Beverly, claims that there was confusion from the very beginning when both families noticed that the towels they used to wipe their babies' beds were switched.

"'Yung pamunas d'un sa baby bed, kinuha ko. Sabi ko, ba't nandun sa kabila 'yung pamunas natin? Tapos sila naman, 'Bakit nand'un din 'yung pamunas namin?' sabi nila," Beverly said.

["I noticed that our baby's towel was on the other bed. So I asked, 'Why is our towel over there?' Then the other family also asked the same question."]

Trisha, however, was too drained from childbirth to realize anything was wrong.

"Saka lang po lumakas 'yung pagdududa ko nu'ng habang palaki na po siya kasi wala nga po siyang kamukha sa aming dalawa," she said. "Siya po singkit, wala naman pong singkit sa aming dalawa. Medyo malaki rin po 'yung tenga niya, wala rin naman pong gan'un sa amin. Saka po 'yung matangkad po siya."

["My suspicions grew as the child was growing up, I noticed that he didn't look anything like us. He was very tall and had small eyes. We didn't have those features."]

Unable to let go of her doubt, she sought out Marissa, the other mother she was with at the hospital that day.

The two made contact in August. When they saw each other's children, they were convinced about the switch.

Beverly said that JM, the child that ended up with Marissa, looked so much like her son Roderick.

"Talaga pong lukso ng dugo po," Beverly said. "Nu'ng nakita ko 'yung bata talagang tumulo 'yung luha ko sa kanya."

["When I saw the child, I felt like he was my child. I really cried when i saw him."]

"Tapos nu'ng nakita niya rin po ako bigla po siyang nagpakarga sa akin tapos hinalikan po niya ako," she added.

["When the child saw me, he hugged me and kissed me."]

Beverly and Trisha asked help from lawyers to communicate with the hospital.
Following their demands, the medical staff involved in the childbirths met with them.

"Sabi ko, 'Doktora, since po nasa inyo po ang negligence, kayo sana po ang mag-provide ng DNA,'" Beverly recalled. "E sabi po ng nurse sa akin, 'Hoy, misis! Huwag mo sabihing negligence dahil walang negli-negligence dito sa ospital!'"

["I told the doctor that they should be the one to shoulder the costs of a DNA test. But the nurse insisted there was no negligence on the part of the hospital."]

The lawyer urged Beverly and Trisha to file a case, but due to lack of funds, they decided to prove it themselves. After raising money for a blood type test, they convinced the other couple, Marissa and Ricky, to undergo blood type tests as well.

Results showed that each couple's blood type matched with the other couple's child.

Moreover, since Marissa and Ricky were both O positive, that means that JM could not be their child, because he's A positive.

At this point, both mothers were convinced that their kids truly were switched at birth.

In September, Trisha and Liam, and Marissa and JM, took DNA maternity tests.

All tested negative, confirming that the child Trisha and Marissa have been caring for were not theirs.

Now, they were taking new DNA tests to crossmatch and confirm their babies had been switched.

As seen in the "KMJS" episode, results show what they suspected all along: Marissa is Liam's mother, and Trisha is JM's mother.

Both women couldn't help but cry.

"Hindi ko po maikakaila na masakit talaga kasi nga po pareho na kaming napamahal sa mga bata," Trisha said. "Pati 'yung mga bata pareho na ring napamahal sa mga kinagisnang pamilya."

["It really hurts— especially for the families. We've come to love the child we took care of."]

The more pressing matter was the wellbeing of the children.

According to psychiatrist Dra. Joan Mae Rifareal, since the children were only three years old, they have not yet developed logical thinking.

"Ang best advice in this scenario ngayon is, number one, proseso siya... Huwag natin biglain ang ating mga anak. Ang concern dito is to protect the children," he said.

["Our main concern right now is to protect the children. This is a process and we have to guide them through it."]

"Ang payo is mag-work together ang both family. Halimbawa sa bahay nila magba-bonding. Minsan doon naman sa kanila. 'Yung hindi sila kaagad biglang ise-separate doon sa space na tingin nila ay doon sila safe. Kasi doon sila lumaki e," he added.

["Both families have to work together. For example, they can arrange bonding activities in the other family's home so the children won't be separated from what they've considered as a safe space."]

Lawyer Atty. Ramon Antonio Sabinorio meanwhile advised that the parents refrain from changing the kids' name as of now.

"I-maintain 'yung name ng bata para hindi mawala yung sense of identity nila," she said.

["The child's name shouldn't be changed so they won't lose their sense of identity."]

"Pagdating naman sa hospital, puwede kang pumunta sa regulation ang licensing department ng [Department of Health]," she added. "Mag-fa-file kayo ng formal complaint together with respect to the baby switching. Puwede ka mag-file ng gross negligence and revocation of license. May kaukulang accountability, puwede ka rin mag-file ng civil case. 'Yung civil ito naman 'yung damages dahil sa nangyari."

["They can proceed to the regulation and licensing department of the Department of Health to file a formal complaint. They can also file for gross negligence and revocation of license and can also file a civil case for damages incurred."]

Beverly and Trisha confirmed that they intend to file charges.

The hospital meanwhile released a statement through Dr. Rebecca Battung from the Provincial Health Office.

Battung said they will conduct an investigation and review the documents, processes, and procedures that happened that day,

"Noong araw na 'yun, wala talagang available na baby tag," she said. "So hindi talaga OK."

["There was no available baby tag on that day so that really was not OK."]

"Kami rin ay nakipag-ugnayan na rin sa DSWD or sa MSWDO para at least, kung ano man ang kakailanganin na mga intervention para sa mga bata ay maibigay," she added.

["We're also in close coordination with DSWD and MSWDO so we can provide the necessary interventions."]

The DOH said they will provide "technical assistance and advice."

"We are in continued coordination with the office of the Governor, the Provincial Health Office and the current Hospital Chief to resolve this amicably," said Dr. Mar Wynn D. Bello, Assistant Regional Director, DOH-Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development.

With the impending changes, Trisha assured that the two families would work closely together.

"Ipagpapatuloy namin ang pakikihalubilo sa kabilang pamilya para po sa huli is hindi na mabigla 'yung mga bata."

["We'll continue to communicate with the other family so the arrangement won't be a shock to the children."]

Marissa assured that the love they had for the children they raised would never go away.

"Pantay-pantay po 'yung pagmamahal namin sa kanila."
["We love them equally."]

—MGP, GMA Integrated News