Local police authorities clarified that most of the earlier reported missing persons were able to rejoin their families after having stayed for some time with their friends.
Police Lt. Col. Pablo Emmanuel Nead, chief of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) investigation and detective management unit, disclosed that from January to June 14, there were some 25 reports that reached their office on missing individuals which were immediately subjected to the usual validation and investigation to ascertain the circumstances that led to their being missing.
However, he claimed that 22 individuals who were earlier reported to have gone missing were able to rejoin their families within a certain period of time.
The police official disclosed that most of the reported missing persons actually asked permission from their parents for them to go somewhere to meet with their friends but they were not able to go home at night because they slept over in the residences of their friends that promoted their parents to already report the matter to the police where they considered the said youngsters as missing.
Nead pointed out that individuals are considered to be missing only after 48 hours that they could not be located to allow the police to be able to conduct the regular validation and assessment of the situation in close coordination with their family members and relatives who are aware of the circumstances of their being missing.
On the other hand, he revealed that there are only 3 reported missing individuals which are being subjected to the usual investigation and follow-up by the investigators.
Among the reported missing individuals include a 20-year old female from Bakakeng Norte, 1n 18-year Korean national from Baguio City and a 39-year old male from Taguig City who had gone missing after coming up to the city.
Nead assured the family members of the 3 missing persons that they are still alive based on the available proof of life that the investigators were able to gather based on their ongoing validation and investigation.
According to him, the police is in close coordination with the family members of the reported missing persons to be able to sustain their ongoing efforts in locating there whereabouts for them to be able to rejoin their families.
He advised the youngsters to make it a habit to inform their family members and relatives of their whereabouts and if they will not be going home at night as they will be sleeping over with their friends to avoid them from being reported as having gone missing.
Nead stipulated that one of the reasons for individuals being reported to be missing is because they are considered to have stowed away because of minor problems in their families.
Nead assured that public that the local police force is always ready to extend whatever assistance to individuals seeking their help to locate members of their families who have gone missing for various reasons because it is part of their duty to serve and protect the people.
