4 children missing, believed kidnapped in Batangas

(Updated 8:35 p.m.) Four children are missing and suspected to have been kidnapped in separate incidents that happened about an hour apart last August 27 in Batangas, provincial police told GMA News Online on Friday afternoon.

Police Inspector Hazel Parian Luma-ang, Batangas police spokesperson, said task group Batang Anghel has been investigating three suspected kidnapping cases, including the August  27 incident, wherein four children were abducted in Bauan, Batangas.

Interviewed on TV, Region 4a police chief Richard Albano said the four are not officially considered kidnapped pending the results of their initial invesgation.

"Hindi pa natin nakikita kung may abduction nga, so ang report natin ay missing," Albano said in an interview on GMA News TV's "QRT." "Wala pang na-establish na nagkaroon nga ng abduction."

He said all the information pertaining to the alleged abduction so far are hearsay, although they are already talking to a witness who can shed light on the incident.

Initial report

According to Batang Anghel's first progress report, an eyewitness said three children went missing in the parking area of a convenience store in Bauan after an unidentified man on a black Kawasaki motorcycle went after them.

The fourth child, while riding a passenger jeepney on his way home, was accosted later at about 11 p.m. by an unidentified man who forced the child to board a waiting black van. The police report did not give other details about the van.

All four children are jeepney barkers at the parking area near the convenience store, Batangas police said. Three are residents of San Pascual, Batangas. One is a student at the San Pascual National High School while two are pupils at the San Pascual Elementary School. One of the four is a resident of Bauan.

The police posted a missing persons image of the four missing children on Facebook.

Two more incidents

Two other incidents of suspected kidnapping attempts are under investigation. 

One of the two occurred on September 3 at around 3 p.m. when  17-year-old girl was “snatched in Barangay Kumintang Ibaba in Batangas City," but she was able to escape in Lipa City “when (the) abductor urinated and (the) driver let her go.”

The other incident also took place on September 3, involving a five-year-old girl who was walking with her mother “when an unidentified person with a bonnet grabbed the arm of the victim.” Police said the child was not harmed.

Police Senior Superintender Omega Jireh Fidel, the Batangas provincial police director, said in his report to the PNP chief that the task group Batang Anghel is gathering closed-circuit television footage while Bauan police have been tasked to find the jeepney driver who last saw the fourth child who was abducted on August 27.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group field office in Batangas has also been mobilized.

Police Inspector Luma-ang said 15 officers have been assigned to the Batang Anghel task group, which is led by Police Superintendent Dennis Esguerra.

False alarm


Don't panic

Amid these reports, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos appealed to Batangueños, especially the parents, not to panic, saying the local government and the police are on top of the situation.

In a separate interview by GMA News TV's "QRT," Santos said she has been receiving requests from parents from worried parents to suspend classes following the reports on children abductions.

"Hindi po ito gan'un kalaki, ang importante po ay magtulungan tayo," she said. "Kung meron man [kidnappings] we are not taking it sitting down. We are here to help you."

She added that the local government has set up a hotline — 723-9350 — for those who want to report about kidnapping or those who have information about the whereabouts of the four missing children. She said the hotline is open 24 hours.

Santos, however, appealed to the public not to use the hotline for practical jokes. —KBK/ELR, GMA News