Thank Goodness!

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I am just so relieved and thankful that Matthew David Samudio is back with his parents.  Chu-chu, as he is called by his loved ones, was abudcted at a mall in Alabang only last Tuesday.  He was abducted in a video arcade by what police describe as an “impoverished” and “chubby” girl, who was caught on the arcade’s CCTV camera, luring the boy to follow her.  Yesterday, he was reunited with his parents.

The strange twist to the story is where the boy was found.  Following reports in the media, he was spotted in Laguna — begging for alms!!!

The police have ruled out kidnap for ransom, since no demands were made.  From the looks of it, the boy was victim of a criminal syndicate.

Needless to say, Chu-chu’s case is one major lesson for parents, to always be on the lookout for their kids particularly in public places. Kids should be trained or taught as well on what to do if they are approached by strangers.  And to think, many people have taken for granted the saying “don’t talk to strangers”!

I am suddenly more convinced about the appropriateness of the anti-mendicancy law, which makes giving alms illegal.   I’ve long been a believer of this law, although I’ve always felt a sense of guilt in not being able to give alms on the street (I prefer to course donations through the Church).  I used to think that syndicates with this kind of modus operandi were more of urban legends.  But we now have more proof about such illegal activity. Other parents should learn from this experience.

Follow up operations should continue.  The police, of course, have a good lead on the suspect because of the video.  Let swift justice be given to the family.  The Philippine National Police should pursue aggressive crackdowns on these kinds of syndicates.  Such groups have no place in civilized society.

All things considered, I still am just apalled, thinking that there are people out there who resort to such activity.  I think it appropriate for these syndicates to burn in a special spot in hell, just like in Dante’s Inferno.

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