PARENTS and teachers were alarmed when reports surfaced that two young girls had allegedly been kidnapped in Los Amigos on February 19, 2025.
However, it was later proven that they had lied, as they had simply run away and wandered around.
The alleged kidnapping incident began when the parents of the two girls, who are students at Los Amigos National High School, reported to the police that their daughters had not returned home by 7 p.m. on February 19.
The parents became even more worried after receiving a message in a group chat claiming that their children had been abducted and taken in a white van in front of the school.
There were also reports that the two girls had been seen in Mintal, prompting the police to take immediate action to locate them.
The parents' concern escalated further when they received a text message saying, "Ma, gi-bira mi sa puti nga van ug gigapos among kamot apil among tiil. Ug naa pud mi lain kauban nga batan-on nga gi-lahi sa amoa (Ma, we were forced into a white van, and our hands and feet were tied. There are other young people with us, who were separated from us)."
At around 11:30 p.m., a teacher was able to contact one of the students, who admitted that they were at a 7-Eleven store in Mintal.
When the police arrived at the location, they rescued the girls, who later confessed that they had gone to Vista Mall at around 1 p.m. to have fun without informing their parents. In the evening, they walked near a resort and whiled their time away.
When rescued, the minors were found to have some injuries on their bodies but they admitted that they had done it to themselves to make their fabricated story more convincing.
"Ma’am, nahimo namo tong pag-ingon nga gi-kidnap mi kay aron dili mi maka-sab-an nila mama ug papa kay gabii na mi nakauli. Ug usa pa, ma’am, wala na mi pamasahi ug nahadlok na mi mubaktas pauli kay gabii na kaayo. Nagsabot mi nga samad-samaran namo among kamot gamit ang bato nga hait para ingnon nga gi-gapos jud mi (Ma’am, we were able to say that were kidnapped so that we would not be castigated by our parents since it was already too late to go home. Aside from that, we had no more money for fare and we were afraid to walk home because it was already too late in the evening so we agreed that we would inflict wounds on our hands using sharp stones so that it would be believable that we were indeed tied tightly)," one of the minors said.
The police coordinated with a social worker from Barangay Balingaeng, Tugbok District, to provide assistance to the children.
It was also suggested that the girls temporarily undergo modular classes to focus on their well-being.
Meanwhile, the police are investigating the source of the false information about the kidnapping incident due to the panic it caused to the public.
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) stated they would file charges against the individuals responsible. JRN
