Philippine celebs decry death of single mum with Covid-19 symptoms who waited 5 days for bus home

MANILA (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Philippine celebrities have joined calls to bring justice for a mother who died stranded along a highway in Metropolitan Manila, waiting for five days to no avail for a bus ride home to her family in Camarines Sur.

As #JusticeforMichelleSilvertino trended on Twitter, several of the country's entertainers, along with netizens, called out the government for what they refer to as its incompetence which led to the woman's untimely death.

Ms Michelle Silvertino, who died after being stranded for five days at a footbridge in Pasay City waiting for a bus to bring her home to Calabanga, Camarines Sur, was picked up by policemen twice, just hours before her death.

The 33-year-old single mother who worked as a maid was declared dead on arrival at the Pasay City General Hospital (PCGH) at 5.26pm on June 5. The death certificate issued on Monday (June 8) said that the victim, who left behind four children aged three to 11, was a probable severe new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) case.

Actress Agot Isidro, a staunch critic of the current administration, lamented how Ms Silvertino was left for dead and urged the public to speak up on such issues.

"The lives of the poor are considered cheap and small now," she posted on Twitter on Wednesday. "Can you still sleep soundly? Can you still eat without thinking of this? Philippines, are you still not angry?"

Director Antoinette Jadaone likewise lamented Ms Silvertino's death and urged the public to never get tired of speaking out.

"Every morning, there is just this new thing that you need to fight for as a Filipino. It is tiring to get mad anymore, but do not ever get tired. #JUSTICEFORMICHELLESILVERTINO," she said on Twitter.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Deanry Francisco, assistant Pasay police chief, confirmed to the Inquirer on Wednesday that Ms Silvertino was picked up at the footbridge by police corporals Jumie Josue and Emerson Ilac of the Malibay police substation six on the night of June 4.

"They said they were bringing her for treatment to the barangay hall (community hall) but there was no one there so they took her to the police precinct to let her rest. But upon validation, they saw she had Covid-19 symptoms so their commander told them to bring her back to the barangay hall. But (Silvertino) insisted that she was OK so they returned her to the footbridge," Lt Col Francisco said.

He added that after two hours, at around 4.30am on June 5, they received a call, this time from a concerned citizen about an unconscious woman at the footbridge.

A separate police report said that the woman, who turned out to be Ms Silvertino, had a "high fever" and was having "difficulty breathing".

Lt Col Francisco said the same policemen went back to the footbridge and took the victim to the hospital.

As for her relatives' claims that Ms Silvertino's money totalling 6,000 peso (S$166) was missing, Lt Col Francisco said he had yet to verify the information.

But the day before she died, Ms Silvertino did not sound sick, said Mr Jhimbo Mojica, a pavement clearing operative under the city's environment and natural resources department.

Mr Mojica, who met the victim on the morning of June 3 while clearing the footbridge of street dwellers, was moved by her plight and posted her plea for help on social media, which went viral.

Ms Silvertino told him that her employer had taken her to a bus terminal in Cubao on May 31, thinking she would be able to go home to Bicol region the next day under the general community quarantine. When she learnt there were no buses, Ms Silvertino said she walked to Pasay City to find a ride.

According to Mr Mojica, he talked to the victim on the phone at around 8pm on June 4.

"She was excited and happy. She told the street dwellers there that finally, she would see her four children. I did not notice that she was sick. I told her many would like to help her after reading my post and Sir Adrian Martinez would help her go home. I told her to prepare and wait for me on June 5," he said.

Mr Martinez of the city youth development office who was in charge of making arrangements for stranded people in Pasay City, had already arranged for Ms Silvertino to undergo a swab test on June 6 for her trip back home to Bicol region through buses provided by the office of Vice-President Leni Robredo.

Mr Mojica said that at around 9.30pm on June 4, Mr Josue texted him to say they were taking the victim to the police precinct as it was raining hard. The policeman also told him to fetch the victim at the station the following day in preparation for her trip home.

Later, Mr Mojica said he was informed that the police had taken Ms Silvertino back to the footbridge before dawn because she was "crying and could not breathe".

"I was shocked because I thought she was safe at the police station. I asked the police what happened. They told me they sent her back around 2am but she already had a fever," he told the Inquirer.

Ms Silvertino was buried at a public cemetery in the city on June 7 with the consent of her sister. The social and community welfare department paid for her burial and hospital expenses.

In a radio interview, Calabanga mayor Ed Severo said he was dismayed upon learning about the incident while Councilor Levi Sta Ana Jr said he would write to Pasay mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano.

According to Ms Rubiano, members of the city's disaster risk reduction and management office went to check on Ms Silvertino after being advised by the police that she was staying at the footbridge. Her temperature and vital signs were normal and although they offered to take her to a hospital for a check-up, she refused.

Ms Rubiano said that when they went back in the next days to check on Ms Silvertino, she could not be found, possibly because she frequently moved from one place to another.

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque told reporters on Thursday that Ms Silvertino's death could have been avoided.

"If we could move back time, the village officials should have recognised that she was stranded and was already living on the sidewalk. They should have done something, other than reprimanding her. They should have informed city hall or the Welfare Ministry."

He said government vehicles had been dispatched to areas around bus terminals to pick up those who were stranded and attend to them.

"We will not let anyone die on the street because they can't go home," said Mr Roque.