Woman who took baby from Taguig hospital: I only wanted to be a mom

After having two miscarriages last year, Roseman Mañalac was desperate to be a mom. This, she said, was why she kidnapped the one-day-old son of Johnerel and Cherry Pañero from the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital on Feb. 13

 

Mañalac was caught on CCTV as she was leaving the hospital with baby Francis John in her arms. 

 

She admitted to the crime in an exclusive interview with GMA News. 

 

“Yes, I took the baby,” Mañalac said. “When the doctor said that I had [a] polyp and can no longer bear a child, I made a desperate move.”

 

She said she also wanted to make her family happy.

When Mañalac lost her second baby last July, she did not tell her husband and relatives. Because she was plump, she said they all believed she was still pregnant. And so when Mañalac came home with baby Francis John, the family thought she gave birth. 

 

P/Supt. Celso Rodriguez, officer-in-charge of the Taguig City Police, said nurses of the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital identified Mañalac when she was arrested at her house last night.

A tipster helped authorities locate her after the kidnapping was aired exclusively on "24 Oras". 

 

"She insisted the baby was hers until such time that the nurses and doctor came", Rodriguez said. "She could no longer deny the crime." 

 

After seven traumatic days, baby Francis John and his parents were reunited. 

 

Fake DSWD ID 

 

Mañalac, pretending to be a DSWD social worker with the help of a fake ID,  had little problem entering the hospital. She targeted the OB-gyne ward and found baby Francis John with his mom Cherry. 

 

“She introduced herself as a DSWD personnel,” Cherry said. “She even had a chart and knew the patients' names. She said she would have my baby undergo newborn screening.” 

 

After buying diapers, Cherry had her husband follow Mañalac. "When my husband followed, he said he couldn’t find them. I said ‘Okay, she’s going to return the baby anyway.’” 

 

But two hours passed and there was no sign of baby Francis John or his kidnapper. Cherry and Johnerel alerted the hospital staff and soon found out the horrible truth. 

 

“I thought I was going to go crazy,” Cherry said fighting back tears. “I just gave birth to my son and I lost him.” 

 

Dr. Prudencio Sta. Lucia, chief of hospital of the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital, said the 24-year-old Mañalac was good at deceiving people.

“The supervisor on duty that time noticed her but believed she was a social worker because of her convincing spiel and ID.” 

 

Mañalac was almost caught, though, when a nurse stopped her and asked who the parents of the baby were. “I just said it was my sister’s and she [nurse] said ‘Ah, okay.’”

 

After taking a picture with baby Francis John, the nurse gave him back to Mañalac and walked away. 

 

Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano assured the public that the hospital was investigating lapses in security. She also said P250,000 would be given to the person who gave the lead to Mañalac’s whereabouts. 

 

'Baby for sale' 

 

Despite Mañalac’s admission, authorities are still exploring other motives to the crime, including the possibility that she intended to sell the baby.

Rodriguez said he received an anonymous call saying Mañalac was supposed to make P50,000 from the deal. 

 

The suspect was quick to deny this. “No, I had no intention of selling the baby; I love him,” she said. “After four to five days that the baby was with me, I felt guilty. My plan was to return him on Monday.”

 

Although behind bars, Mañalac said she did not regret becoming a mom. If she could have one wish, she said, she wanted to see baby Francis John one last time. 

 

Determined to make his son’s kidnapper pay, Johnerel said he would have none of it.

 

“What she did to us was very painful and she has no right to see him,” said Johnerel angrily. 

 

Mañalac faces life imprisonment for kidnapping. — JDS, GMA News