Mother pleads to kidnappers, cops: ‘Bring my son back’

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines – “Kung sino man kumuha, maawa na sila. Isauli na sila.” (Whoever got them, please return them.)

This is the cry of Edna Beltran, 26, of Barangay Wawa, Taguig City. Her son James, 3, has been missing for a month.

“Hindi na namin alam kung saan maghahanap. Maawa naman sila. Isauli na sila. Hindi naman nila mapapakinabangan ang mga bata eh,” said a teary-eyed Beltran. (We do not know where to look anymore. I beg whoever got my son to return him. They can’t get anything from him.)

Beltran still remembers the day she last saw her son. It was the morning of Holy Wednesday and her son was playing in front of the barangay hall. “Mga alas-nuwebe, lumabas pa ako. Nakita ko pa si James, kumakain ng biscuit. Paglabas ko ng alas diyes, hindi ko na makita,” Beltran said. (At around 9:00 am, I went outside the house and saw James eating a biscuit. When I went out at 10:00 am, he was no longer there.)

They started searching for James and his playmate at 10:00 am. Hours became days and days turned into weeks, they were unable to find either of the boys.

“Nagpa-photocopy kami ng pictures kung sakaling may nakadampot. Kahit tirik ang araw inikot naming ang buong Wawa. Wala pa rin,” Beltran said. (We photocopied their pictures in case someone witnessed the abduction. We went around the whole town even under the scorching heat of the sun.)

Slow police action?

Beltran admitted her disappointment at the seemingly slow action of the police. Nearly 24 hours after the incident, Beltran and her relatives went to the municipal office to ask for updates. They did not get any.

“Iyon yung ikinasama ng loob namin…inalarma na namin nung gabi pero sabi nila kapag may nawawalang bata…within 24 hours. Kapag hindi pa nakita ang bata, tsaka i-rereport sa pulis,” said Beltran. (That’s why we were disappointed…we alerted them already the night after the incident but they said they only search for missing children after 24 hours. That’s the only time they are considered missing.)

“Nag-imbistiga lang after one week na,” she added. (They only started investigating after one week.)

The differing accounts of the witnesses did not help. Some say that the kids were abducted by a lady, while some say they were taken and brought to a white van.

“May witness na magbo-bote. Nakita daw yung dalawang bata umiiyak…nakita talaga niya na bitbit yung mga bata,” Beltran said. (A certain bottle collector is our only credible witness. He saw the two boys crying…he saw them being taken away.)

A growing problem

Last Monday, April 29, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), held a consultation with different sectors on missing children. The consultation was aimed at crafting possible solutions.

Police Supt Emma Libunao, PNP-CIDG Women and Children Protection Division chief, acknowledged that the number of cases of missing children is growing throughout the country. She said that just last week, 5 children from Cagayan de Oro were returned to their parents. The children were supposedly used as beggars by a syndicate.

Libunao, however, said there are different kinds of typologies for such cases. She cited some reasons why children go missing:

• Taken by one of the parents
• Eloped with partner
• Products of dysfunctional families
• Abducted by a group
• Infants abducted by women
• Mendicants 
• Parental issues

When asked about the police procedure for missing children, Libunao confirmed the 24-hour rule and admitted that the typical operation is slow. She, however, said it is difficult to determine the status of the child. “The crucial question is ‘when do we consider a child missing?’” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Libunao already proposed different procedures for children from different age groups. “For children aged 14-18, we would first consult with the parents once they are reported missing. But when the missing kid is 14 years and below, we should immediately look for them,” said Libunao.

A multi-sectoral solution?

DSWD Undersecretary Parisya Taradji called for the involvement of different sectors like the media and civil society groups to help mitigate the cases of missing kids.

Taradji advised that the parents should be capacitated and informed about the processes that they have to undergo when their children are missing. “Let us also look at the functionality of the barangay system,” she added.

Libunao, on the other hand, said there is good news. Task Force Sagip Anghel had been effective in searching for the missing children. According to Libunao, in 2012, all the 22 cases of missing children in Metro Manila were resolved and the children were reunited with their families.

“It’s just a matter of time before we find these kids,” Libunao added in Filipino.

A mother’s plea

As for James and his playmate, Police Inspector Kim Monlas of the Taguig City Police Station said in a phone interview that the investigations are still ongoing. 

There is also another case of a missing kid in Parañaque. According to Monlas, both cases are being investigated by the task force.

Meanwhile, Beltran continues to plead for her son’s kidnappers to return him. “Tatlong taon lang kasi anak ko. Hinahanap niya pagkalinga ng ina niya,” Beltran cried. (My son is only three years old. He needs his mother’s care.)

“Maawa kayo. Ibalik niyo na.” (Have mercy. Bring him back.) – with reports from Elizabeth Cabiling and Haiko Magtrayo/Rappler.com