2 Pinoy nursing aides detained in US over alleged patient assault acted in self-defense —group

The two Filipino nursing assistants detained in the US for allegedly assaulting a patient in a rehabilitation facility were just defending themselves, a group supporting Filipino migrant workers said.

"They were only defending themselves," said Migrante New Jersey, referring to Dhenmark Francisco, 28, and Jovi Esperanza, 31. 

According to the group, the 52-year-old patient the two Filipinos allegedly assaulted has a history of aggressive behavior. It said it was the patient who initially attacked Francisco.

"Dhenmark, who has an injury from a previous work-related incident, was assigned to this patient, who became aggressive when Dhenmark attempted to enforce the facility’s no-smoking policy," Migrante said in a statement. 

"The patient threw a table at Dhenmark in anger. Dhenmark tried to follow protocol to restrain the patient but struggled due to his injured hand. This is when Jovi stepped in to assist his colleague."

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested the two following the incident that took place on October 14.

According to Vice Consul Paolo Marco Mapula, the Supervising Officer of the Assistance-to-Nationals unit at the Philippine Consulate General in New York, the consulate is assisting and monitoring the cases of Francisco and Esperanza.

The consulate has also requested funds to help cover the two Filipinos' legal fees.

"We are helping them. We have also requested funds for them to help with their legal fees," Mapula told GMA Integrated News in a message.

Esperanza is currently detained at Strafford County Correctional Facility in New Hampshire, while Francisco has been transferred to an ICE detention facility in Massachusetts.

Francisco is under a work permit while Esperanza is undocumented.

According to Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, many of the Filipinos illegally staying in the US are now worried as President-elect Donald Trump is expected to fulfill his campaign promise of launching a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.

In an interview on Sunday, Romualdez advised Filipinos in America without "any kind of status" to voluntarily return to the Philippines or start working on their documents and not wait to be deported. —KBK, GMA Integrated News