Pinay testifies jewelry she is accused of stealing is hers

 

Place where alleged theft happened (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina domestic helper who was terminated after her employer accused her of stealing a gold ring and a gold necklace and had her arrested, testified in her theft case at Eastern Court that the jewelry in question were hers.

Lilibeth Fabros, 51 years old, was testifying Wednesday (Feb. 26) in a case filed against her by police, accusing her of stealing a gold ring and a gold necklace from her employer Linda Chan at her flat in Dragon Garden, Tai Hang, on Nov. 15, 2021.

Fabros said the confrontation began in the afternoon of Aug. 9, 2013, when Chan asked if she saw a diamond ring. “I said I did not,” she said. “I felt upset because she told me that if she proves I took it, she will report me to police and Immigration.”

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Two more confrontations followed.

A ring and a necklace were recovered by police from a pawnshop in North Point after Fabros confessed, in a subsequent confrontation that the employer secretly recorded on her phone, that she had pawned them.

However, the recovered items did not include the missing diamond ring Chan was looking for.

Fabros said in court that she made the supposed confession about pawning jewelry and offered to pay for her employer’s losses through monthly deductions from her salary, because she was in a panic and fearful of losing her job. 

She also said she found out about the recording only when her duty lawyer informed her about it.

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As a result of her testimony, Fabros’ lawyer asserted that the ring and necklace she admitted she pawned are not related to the case.

He also urged Magistrate Frances Leung to be very careful in considering the sound recording, which was earlier played in court, as part of the evidence as it would be unfair to Fabros. “It cannot be a confession,” he asserted.

Chan testified earlier, claiming ownership of both items, although they were not in the list of items she had reported to the police as missing.

She testified that she discovered that some of her jewelry were missing, including three diamond rings and a few gold necklaces.

 “I looked in drawers and handbags and did not find the items,” she said.  

That was when she confronted Fabros. “I asked her to help me find them,” she said. “I asked her, ‘have you taken them?’ She did not answer.“

Chan also denied threatening Fabros, who confirmed it when it was her turn to be questioned by the prosecutor.

Magistrate Leung adjourned the case to March 5. She freed Fabros on $5,000 bail.

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