100 missing children reunited with families: police

MANILA, Philippines - At least 100 children reported missing by their parents have been brought back by the police to their families.

Chief Inspector Kimberly Molitas, spokesperson of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said Wednesday that the return of the 100 missing children to their parents is due to the formation of Task Force "Sagip Anghel".

Molitas said that once the police recover the missing children they immediately turn them to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

She said that majority of the children -- ages from seven to 11 years old -- were found to be just roaming around different streets in Metro Manila.

Molitas said they have already started coordinating with the DSWD for the conduct of rescue operations for street children.

"We will be intensifying our efforts to make sure that these children will be taken out of harm's way and attended to by their parents," said Molitas.

Molitas said NCRPO chief Director Leonardo Espina has ordered his men to focus on street children who are either begging for alms or involved in petty crimes.

Aside from the DSWD, the rescue operations on street children will also be the subject of the planned series of meetings with the local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila.

Last week, Molitas revealed that the NCRPO leadership was planning to meet with LGUs in Metro Manila for the revival of the strict implementation of curfew as part of the preventive measures against the reported spate of child kidnappings in the metropolis.

Molitas said the concern on street children is among the reasons for the curfew implementation being pushed by Espina.

"These children are supposed to be in the schools or in their homes, they should not be doing something else in the streets which are not safe for them," said Molitas.

It was recalled that there have been reports that some syndicates were behind the abductions of children who are being forced to be beg in the streets of Metro Manila.

The NCRPO has already reported 40 cases of missing children since January last year.

But Molitas said 37 of them have already been reunited to their families as most of them are cases that stemmed from marital problems.

The three remaining cases are the two children missing in Taguig and another one in Paranaque City.