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by Paul Vincent del Rosario
December 30, 2017
photo credits to CNN Asia
PNP considers social media ‘a big help’ on finding missing persons
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Social media has been a helpful platform to raise awareness on some cases of missing persons, registering the last week’s successful recovery of 17-year-old Patricia “Ica” Policarpio, who went missing in Muntinlupa City.
Policarpio's case conjured more citizens to use social media to help find their missing loved ones.
Numerous concerned netizens took their own initiatives to join helping find missing persons through social media by creating lists of missing persons.
Commission on Elections Spokesperson James Jimenez was among the concerned citizens who took to social media to help missing persons. He proposed that all Twitter users retweet missing persons notice using hashtag #StillMissing.
Existing Facebook page called “Missing People Philippines,” an unofficial missing person’s listing had helped also affected family to find their loved ones. They post links, photos, with important information of the missing people in the country to help them send them home.
“We believe in social media's reach please click SHARE to help bring these people home,” the page’s description read.
'Social media helps find missing persons'
The Philippine National Police, which has thus far to form a group exclusively for cases of missing persons, welcomes this development and considers social media a big help.
Chief Inspector Rohaina Asalan, spokesperson of the Quezon City Police District Public Information Office, recommended people to confirm the missing people’s cases first.
Asalan said in a recent interview with TV Patrol, “I-screen din nila kung talagang totoo, makipag-tulungan sila sa polisya, (Review the posts if they are true, coordinate with the police)”.
In 2015, volunteer group “Philippine Missing Persons” numbered one person goes missing every 15 minutes in the country. In such elderly, mentally-challenged, and young girls are most individuals who are being listed on missing lists.
Former Sen. Manny Villar in 2010 filed Senate Bill Senate Bill No. 1137 or the “Missing Persons Council Act Of 2010.”
“The Missing Persons Council shall, among others, formulate and adopt plans, programs and measures to prevent and combat the cases of missing persons in the country, investigate such cases and direct the speedy prosecution of all persons liable for persons missing and monitor the progress of their cases,” the proposed bill read.
Villar mentioned that the country has recorded several cases of missing persons however large percentage of these cases remain unresolved.
The proposed Senate bill, however, was not approved and was pending before the 15th Congress adjourned.
Without laws and a specific agency dedicated to finding missing persons, authorities advised the public to seek help from the police to hasten their search for missing loved ones.
Asalan said anyone can report cases of missing persons and enumerated the procedures on how to report them.
When filing report:
· Bring photo – Concerned citizen should prepare recent photo of the missing person
· Provide information – Concerned citizen are also asked to provide the important information including the name, age, description of the last clothing worn by the person, last location
These details and documents would be filed under police blotter and the authorities would set up a case or hotline for it.
Recovery of a missing person does not stop PNP from investigating the case as they would still conduct a post probe to determine if there are other factors regarding the disappearance, including kidnapping or human trafficking.