Lingayen: A newborn child abducted from Lingayen District Hospital in Pangasinan has been safely returned to his family on Tuesday. In a radio interview over Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan, Edmar Carpio, the child’s cousin who posted about the incident on social media, said he was contacted by the abductor.
According to Philippines News Agency, the suspect contacted Carpio claiming she was the one who wore a scrub suit and took the baby from his mother, allegedly for PHP5,000 at someone else’s request. The suspect expressed remorse and a desire to return the child without police involvement. Carpio agreed to meet her while secretly coordinating with local police, leading to the child’s retrieval and the suspect’s arrest.
Lt. Col. Junmar Gonzales, Officer-in-Charge of the Lingayen Police Station, stated in a press conference that they are consolidating evidence. Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III announced plans to enhance security in the 14 provincial government-run hospitals, including more closed-circuit television cameras, stricter visitation rules, and improved procedures to prevent such incidents in the future.