Zamboanga: Authorities are investigating the recent disappearance and subsequent reappearance of four minor girls from Zamboanga City, along with the identification of individuals involved in the case. In a statement, the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) reported that the girls were found safe on Thursday in Ipil, the capital town of Zamboanga Sibugay.

According to Philippines News Agency, all the minors, residents of barangays Maasin, Labuan, and Limpapa in Zamboanga City, disappeared on July 5. Initial investigations revealed that the girls reportedly left their homes voluntarily and were taken to Ipil by a woman named Paloma, who is believed to be from Palawan. The minors were located at a hotel in Ipil with the assistance of their families through social media and short text messages, as stated by Nejib Yusup, chairperson of the Barangay Maasin Committee on Peace and Order.

Yusup mentioned in a radio interview that the girls traveled to Ipil with a friend. The families reached out to ZCPO Stations 8 and 10, which collaborated with the Ipil police to safely recover the girls. Authorities are now investigating whether the minors were potential victims of human trafficking. The ZCPO confirmed that the girls are currently under the care of a government agency for appropriate assistance and further assessment.

Meanwhile, police authorities have urged parents and guardians to closely monitor their children's activities, following the ZCPO's record of 56 crime-related incidents involving minors since January this year. Lt. Col. Paul Andrew Cortes, ZCPO Deputy Director for Operations, highlighted that the majority of these cases involved vehicular accidents, including at least 30 incidents where underage individuals were driving motorcycles without a license or riding without the required crash helmets.

Cortes noted that other offenses included rape, sexual assault, and theft, with minors either as offenders or victims. He emphasized that some of these cases might have been avoided with proper parental guidance and increased supervision. Cortes expressed concern over the high number of incidents involving minors and encouraged the public to cooperate with authorities by reporting incidents of unsupervised minors and supporting community-based programs aimed at promoting youth safety and crime prevention.