Tarlac police director Supt. Felix Verbo Jr. said the 10-year-old boy, whose name was withheld for his safety, saw last Friday the man, later identified as Leonel Mendoza de la Cruz, 30, waiting for five local boys whom, it turned out, he had already met and with whom he had arranged for a meeting in Barangay Carangian, Tarlac City.
The boy then reported to the police, saying De la Cruz was the same person who had taken his friends Zenzuwie Quiazon, 8, and Errol Kim Nabor, 12, both of Barangay Carangian who have been reported missing since July 9.
The boy said he, too, was sweet talked by De la Cruz to go with him to Cubao, Quezon City for shopping, but that he changed his mind in the last minute.
Police probers and the parents of the missing kids initially did not believe the boy’s claim that his friends went with a man to Cubao During the inquest proceedings before Assistant City Prosecutor Ronald Vinluan, Dela Cruz admitted abducting Quiazon and Nabor.
He said he took the two kids to Cubao where he turned them over to a group using children as beggars.
The suspect also admitted that at the time of his arrest, he was waiting for five more local children to finish dressing up in their homes amid plans to also turn them over to the same group using kids for begging.
The five were told they would be visiting their friends Quiazon and Nabor.
Verbo revealed the police are now following the lead given by Dela Cruz and the boy. “My men are now combing the streets of Quezon City to recover the two missing kids”, he said.
City Prosecutor Vinluan said “the personal narrations of the witness and the five other kids were consistent and convincing, hence from their testimonies, it is my conclusion that probable cause exist for the indictment of Dela Cruz”.
Dela Cruz was charged with kidnapping of Quiazon and Nabor, as well as attempted qualified kidnapping of the five other children.
