BATANGAS ABDUCTIONS
This past week has been a crucial
and stressful week for parents of young children in Batangas, Philippines
because of separate cases of abduction that have been reported and spread
around the province.
Up to this day, 4 children are
still missing but it’s still not confirmed whether they have really been
abducted or if they went missing because of other reasons.
CHILDHOOD MYTHS ON ABDUCTION
During my childhood days and even
way back before that, parents and other adults would usually use imaginary
stories of strangers abducting children who are seen roaming around the streets
to prevent those children from loitering around.
Children would usually get scared
and heed their parents’ warnings. As a result, they would usually stay home or
never go out without an adult companion.
I have grown up hearing those
kinds of warnings from adults to children, especially when a child is really
rowdy.
Now that I am an adult and a
parent myself, hearing news reports and stories about children being abducted
by van-riding criminals have become a big concern for me.
If I used to ignore the stories before,
it seems to be very different now. The imaginary stories have become real
stories of crime and concern.
ABDUCTION RUMORS
The latest child abduction
reports in Batangas are not the first of their kind when it comes to this kind
of crime here in the Philippines.
Many cases of abduction have also
been reported before. It’s just so unusual how the cases of missing children in
that particular province have continuously increased in just a week’s time.
If it is indeed true that the
children have been abducted, it is really a major cause of concern not only for
parents but also for the local officials and authorities of the province.
As a mother, I cannot afford to
see my child go missing in any way at all. I would go crazy thinking about what
happened to my child if it would ever happen to me.
Immediate action and vigilance
should be implemented to prevent any further case of abduction, not only in
Batangas but in other provinces as well.
If in case this abduction reports
are just being made up by people to cause fear and panic among the public, the
malicious people who are doing this should also face charges with the terror
they are causing to people.
ILLEGAL ORGAN TRADE
There have been numerous stories
and reports before about syndicates abducting people, most especially children,
women and the homeless for interest of their internal organs. These organs are
sold for big amounts of money through illegal organ trading.
These cases of abduction had been
spreading from Metro Manila to the provinces, and even the province where I
lived in wasn’t spared of abduction stories which have caused a significant
alarm on the people of our community including me.
I cannot confirm if this case was
true or not but the reason why child abduction alarm reached our area was
because of an alleged report that a child from a neighboring town, who has gone
missing for 2 weeks was found dead 2 or 3 towns away from the child’s place of
residence.
The most alarming thing about the
report was the alleged state of the body when it was found. The child’s body
had been dissected and his major organs were missing. In place of the organs that
were removed was a certain amount of money tucked inside the child’s body.
When local community folks and
parents heard about the child’s story, the residents and local officials of our
place coordinated to increase the security of our community. The local
community police have been advised to be more alert and stricter when it comes
to unknown individuals with vehicles entering our area.
More stories of abduction were
spread around after that. In my case as a parent, I made sure my child never
went to school & went home alone. Even his playing area was restricted to
only the confines of our backyard. I never let him out of my sight.
VIGILANCE AMONG COMMUNITIES
Whether these stories of
abduction are true or not, they have definitely become a cause of fear for many
individuals. It is still our prerogative to implement extra caution in our
daily lives and activities.
Child abduction is something
which should not just be taken aside. Some stories are plain hoaxes, while some
are genuinely true.
It is my call for the concerned
authorities to help alleviate the fear from people’s minds by showing vigilance
and action on this matter. It is my hope that these child abduction and illegal
organ trade syndicates would soon be caught and given due punishment by law.
Spreading of false stories
should also be looked upon and given due attention. Having a loved-one go
missing with the thought of being abducted is no joke. People spreading plain
rumors should have the heart to put themselves on the shoes of the real victims.
Instead of becoming a source of
alarm and terror, why not become a source of strength and motivation for
families who are really experiencing the pain of having a family member
abducted or missing?
As a parent, my heart breaks for
the parents of the children who are still missing up to this day. I hope
answers and justice would soon be served for them.
On the other hand, as responsible
individuals and citizens of our community, it is my call for everyone to take
necessary actions of caution and concern for each and everyone.
Let us unite as members of our
respective communities and become watchdogs of each and everyone. If we see
someone who is unfamiliar and acting suspiciously, even if we’re not the ones
who are potentially going to be affected, it is our duty to report our
observations to the proper authorities.
ESSENTIAL SAFETY TIPS TO REMEMBER
I am not an expert when it comes
to this kind of matter but let me end this post with some precautionary tips
that most of us have always known but need to be reminded of sometimes:
1. Always remember the old saying, “Don’t talk to
strangers.” It is always a no-no to entertain conversations
from people we don’t know especially if they look suspicious. It is true that
we shouldn’t judge people basing on how they look but it pays to be a little
careful nowadays. "Don't talk to strangers" is a phrase that has been a constant reminder for children from way back when. This phrase has remained very useful up to this day.
2. Believe your gut instinct. We have
a natural gift of sensing if something is not going right or if something bad
is going to happen. Even animals have that kind of instinct. Usually our
instincts are right so always trust them. It wouldn’t hurt to listen to your
inner self especially if you’re sensing danger around you. It is important to teach our children to learn how to identify what a "gut feel" is and teach them to trust that instinct.
3. Make sure you go out in groups. Most
people become victims of crime when they are alone. We tend to become
vulnerable when we are alone especially when the criminal is stronger, armed or
from a group. Same with children; parents should make sure that their children are always with a group of trusted friends whenever they are out of the home or school premises.
4. Learn self-defense. It would
be a good idea to try learning techniques in protecting yourself to help you
escape from danger. I find self-defense as a must for us today especially since
criminals seem to be increasing with time. There are a lot of self-defense programs that are also being offered to children. Self-defense not only helps in defending oneself but it is also a good way of learning a high degree of self-control and self-discipline.
5. Be alert. If in case you end up being
abducted, it is important to keep your mind in order. I know it is not easy to
avoid panic but keep a strong spirit and keep an alert mind as much as you can.
That way, you can think of ways of escaping from your abductors.
6. Have an escape plan. It is
also essential to have an escape plan in mind so that you would have something
to fall back on when you come face to face with an abductor.
7. Pray! When all else fails, leave everything
up to Him. In all the situations we encounter in life, it is the greatest thing
we can rely on. Pray and lay everything up to the Lord.
Images courtesy of Pixabay
Did
you like this post? Feel free to share it on your social media accounts,
bookmark it or subscribe to this blog to get a regular dose of my opinions and
ideas on the pressing issues of today. You can also express your thoughts on
the comment section of this post. I would gladly welcome your comments. Have a
great day ahead of you! J
Posts
