They say immigration director must explain use of excessive force on mother, child
Lawyers have demanded the Director of Immigration explain why his officers used excessive force in trying to drag a mother and her 31/2-year-old daughter on to a plane in an effort to deport them.
The South China Morning Post revealed yesterday that Teresita Trumpo Failano, 39, had sustained deep bruises to her wrists and forearms that she claimed were inflicted when the officials dragged and pulled her by the handcuffs.
They also pulled her hair, punched her arm and kicked her in front of her daughter after separating the pair, she said.
It also emerged yesterday that the Queen Mary Hospital's doctors who examined the pair had also treated the toddler, Janine Shaina Ma, for an injury to her right wrist and swelling to the left eyelid.
Police are now investigating Ms Failano's complaints of assault occasioning bodily harm as well as assaults against her daughter.
The pair were on board a Cathay Pacific flight due to leave for Manila on Thursday when a Court of First Instance judge, Mrs Justice Verina Bokhary, issued an order restraining the director from deporting Janine - only minutes before the plane was about to leave.