Abandoned newborn rescued from QC gas station restroom

An abandoned newborn was rescued at a gas station restroom in Quezon City.

According to a 24 Oras report by Mark Salazar on Friday, CCTV footage captured a pregnant woman entering the restroom of a gas station in Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City at around 8 a.m.

“Kinausap niya ang gasoline boy para kung saan ang CR. Pumasok siya sa CR ng babae… Nandun siya 15 minutes. Paglabas ng babae, umalis na,” said Quezon City Police Station 9 Commander Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Casiano.

(She talked to the gasoline boy to asked where the CR was. She entered the women’s restroom… She was there for 15 minutes. When she came out, she left)

The police was notified after another customer found the abandoned child in the bathroom later on.

“Sir, may bata nga… kaya pumasok na kami. Bumato agad kami sa radyo tapos yung buddy ko, kinuha na namin ang bata. Nandun pa ang placenta niya…” said responder Police Corporal Theodore Dalingay.

(Sir, there really was a child… so we entered. We immediately threw a report to our radio and then my buddy, we took the child. The placenta was still there…)

Based on information from QCPD Station 9, the woman allegedly passed through multiple gasoline stations before giving birth at the gas station right next to the Police Outpost.

“’Yung nanay siguro alam nya na malapit ang pulis dun, so doon nya iniwan ang bata at alam nya na mare-rescue ang bata. Siniguro nya lang na makakaalis siya kasi nilagyan nya ng tissue ang bunganga ng bata… kasi kung ibang nanay yan, pwede nya iwan sa basurahan, di ba? Iwan nya sa bangketa na hindi makikita ng ibang tao,” added Casiano.

(It’s possible that the mother knew that the police was nearby, so that was where she left the child and she knew the child would get rescued. She just ensured that she could leave because she placed a tissue in the child’s mouth… because if it was a different mother, she could leave it at a trash can, right? She could leave it at a sidewalk where no one could see it)

Meanwhile, authorities were able to identify the plate number of the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) ridden by the woman and three others, which was last seen driving towards EDSA.

“Pwede natin mafile-an ng kaso sa Revised Penal Code Article 276. Ito yung abandoning of [a] minor in relation to Republic Act 7610. Ongoing ngayon ang manhunt operation. Meron na tayong CCTV footage para ma-identify natin ang sasakyan na ginamit, tsaka identity ng kasamahan nya at mismong nanay ng bata,” the QCPD Station 9 commander said.

(We can file a case against her under the Revised Penal Code Article 276. This is the abandoning of [a] minor in relation to Republic Act 7610. The manhunt operation is currently ongoing. We currently have CCTV footage that could help identify the car that was used, as well as the identity of the accomplices and the actual mother of the child)

The newborn baby boy is currently in stable condition at the care of East Avenue Medical Center, while many individuals were said to have already called in to adopt the child. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/BAP, GMA Integrated News