MANILA, Philippines – The missing young persons in Pasay City may have links to illegal activities like the drug trade, according to the city’s top cop.
Col. Bernard Yang on Tuesday said this theory is based on claims by neighbors of the seven individuals that some of them are either using or selling illegal drugs.
Yang also based it on closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage which showed that there was no resistance when the supposed victims entered the van that took them away.
“Kung makikita po natin dito sa video, wala pong reaction or pagpumiglas man lang ang mga kabataan na nawawala doon sa Pasay City, kusa po silang sumama sa mga ka-meet up nila,” he said in a press briefing of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
“Sa pagkuha sa kanila, mukhang kakilala nga nila, wala naman pong resistance na nakikita tayo… Merong mga nagsasabi doon sa kanilang community na involved sa droga ‘yong kabataang ‘yon (pero) naghahanap pa po kami ng mga additional na magbibigay ng salaysay,” he added.
(If we would look at the video, we can see that there is no reaction or resistance from the missing youth from Pasay City, they willingly went with those whom they are meeting with.)
(When they were picked up, it seemed that they even knew the people, there was no resistance… Some people from their community even say that they are involved in illegal drugs but we are still looking for other people who may give their statements.)
One of the suspects, Yang said, is involved in the online selling of shoes. Whether that is being used as a front for the drug trade however is still not confirmed as they do not have the evidence to back it up.
Last November 26, Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano asked the Pasay police to probe the disappearance of nine persons. The number was eventually brought down to seven, because the family of the two other children did not take their case with authorities, only posting it on social media.
A task force was created to investigate the incident — which many people speculated may be caused by a syndicate keen on harvesting the body parts of the missing people.
Senator Imee Marcos on Monday asked if the information on the alleged abduction of the seven are true or merely fake news.
READ: Pasay mayor orders probe of 9 reported disappearances
READ: Pasay police task force to probe 9 missing persons cases
According to Yang, they have traced the licensed plate being used by one of the vans that took the youngsters, and traced it to a Toyota Vios owner in Quezon City. The licensed plate’s original owner however said it has been lost since 2015.
“Tinutukan namin ‘yong van, ‘yong isa na na-identify na ‘yong plate number, subalit no’ng kami ay nagberepika sa LTO (Land Transportation Office), ito ay nawala no’ng 2015 pa, at meron pong napakita ‘yong may-ari na talagang nawala ‘yong kanyang plate number dito sa part ng Quezon City,” he explained.
“So ‘yong plate number na na-identify natin sa van, hindi po talaga ‘yon ‘yong nasa van,” he added.
(We are closely monitoring the case, one of the plate number was identified already but when we verified it with LTO, it was revealed that the original owner lost it back in 2015, and the owner showed documents that it was really lost.)
(So the plate number that we identified, it does not belong to the van involved.)
Tags: Philippine news updates, Philippine National Police, PNP, National Capital Region Police Office, NCRPO, Pasay City, missing youth, Col. Bernard Yang