Baby Kidnapped Inside Benguet General Hospital Rescued And Returned To Parents

The three-day-old baby boy who was kidnapped last Tuesday inside the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) in La Trinidad has been rescued and returned to his rightful parents. The parents, in the company of relatives, confirmed the report when they appeared at a local radio station (Bombo Radyo Baguio) to thank everyone who helped in the recovery of their son. The family thanked the local police, the Benguet Provincial Office, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the BeGH, the local media, all the concerned citizens who helped in the search, and the person who tipped the police about the whereabouts of the suspect.

According to a Bombo Radyo report, the La Trinidad police was alerted by a concerned citizen who saw the suspect somewhere in Puguis, La Trinidad. The suspect was immediately arrested and the baby boy rescued. The family of the boy was called to the police station and they confirmed that the boy is indeed their missing son. The baby was brought to a nearby hospital for medical check-ups. The name of the suspect has not been released. The motive behind the kidnapping is yet to be known.

It can be recalled that the boy was taken from the BeGH ward by a woman who posed as a doctor. The woman reportedly entered the ward, took the baby with the pretense that she'll be taking him for weighing and other routine tests, stuffed the baby in a bag, then immediately left the hospital premises. CCTV cameras installed inside the hospital showed the woman exiting the building. Screenshots from the footage were released and circulated online for possible identification of the suspect.

Due to the incident, netizens are calling for stricter rules inside the BeGH especially in the maternity ward. Many were alarmed by how easy the woman walked away with the baby.

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6 Year Old Boy In La Trinidad, Benguet Accidentally Shoots Himself Dead

A 6-year-old boy in Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet died after he accidentally shot himself with a home-made gun. These types of firearms are commonly referred to in the local vernacular as "paltik". The incident happened last Wednesday (September 24).

The young victim has been identified as Clezar Jones Mangoyao. He was a grade 1 pupil at the Central Buyagan Elementary School. According to a police report, the accidental shooting happened at the apartment where the victim and his mother, Leticia Mangoyao, 45, were staying.

The boy was reportedly playing inside his room when he saw the gun, mistook it for a toy, and started playing with it. That's when it went off and struck him on his chest. He was rushed to the nearby Benguet General Hospital but he passed away.

According to the mother, she doesn't own the "paltik". She said that it's owned by someone named Dave Denver Tindo who is from Bakun, Benguet and that it was given to her for safekeeping.

La Trinidad, Benguet

Leticia is currently separated from her husband Clifford Mangoyao. The La Trinidad police are investigating if there's any foul play involved in the boy's death. The police are also mulling which case to file against the owner of the "paltik". [Sources: ABS-CBN, Pilipino Star Ngayon]