Filipino nursing aides charged with assault acted in self-defense, group says
Photo from migrantenewjersey/Instagram
Two Filipino nursing aides accused of patient assault in New Jersey acted in self-defense, according to advocates for Filipino migrant workers.
The advocates, including Migrante New Jersey, have called for the release of certified nursing assistants Jovi Esperanza and Dhenmark Francisco.
Esperanza, 31, of Beachwood and Francisco, 28, from Toms River have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a patient at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation Facility in Berkeley Township, Ocean County in New Jersey on Oct. 14.
They are now facing aggravated assault charges.
Migrante New Jersey has called for justice for the two nursing assistants, highlighting what it described as racial bias in the workplace.
On their website, the group claims Esperanza and Francisco have been arrested and charged “despite acting in self-defense.”
“The patient has a recent history of aggressive behavior. Dhenmark, who was already injured from another work-related incident that week, was assigned to this patient,” the group said.
“The patient became aggressive and threw furniture at Dhenmark in a fit of anger when he tried to uphold the facility policy about smoking.”
The group said Francisco could not implement the standard protocol to restrain the patient due to his injured hand, so Esperanza stepped in to assist him.
“Dhenmark and Jovi are assigned the most difficult jobs at Crystal Lake as temporary workers. As Filipino immigrants, they are just trying to make a living but instead face anti-immigrant and racial discrimination in the workplace,” the group said.
“They are now also being discriminated against by the racist criminal justice system and prosecutor of Ocean County, New Jersey, who are punishing them for defending themselves against physical attacks and doing their jobs. They are being described as ‘violent offenders’ when they were trying to defend themselves during a violent incident in their workplace.”
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Esperanza and Francisco were granted temporary release from Ocean County Jail.
However, upon their release, the nursing aides were immediately detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “and are now being shuffled between different facilities across various states,” added Migrante New Jersey.
The Oct. 24 court hearing was postponed as requested by the state attorney, citing the need to interview the patient.
Community support
Migrante New Jersey has launched a campaign calling for the nursing assistants’ release and exoneration.
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The organization has mobilized support through fundraising to help cover the nursing assistants’ legal expenses.
“It has been difficult to acquire a pro bono lawyer in New Jersey given the high level of need for legal representation for immigrants without status,” the group said.
In addition, Filipino human rights movement Malaya NJ has also launched their own fundraising efforts for the nursing aides’ legal defense fund.
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