Manila cops rescue kidnapped toddler

MANILA, Philippines - Manila policemen rescued a two-year-old girl Friday, nearly a month after she was reportedly abducted by her parent’s houseguest, an official said yesterday.

Sta. Cruz police station chief Superintendent James Afalla said Dan Corales, 31, of Cavite, was arrested Friday at the vicinity of the University Belt along C.M. Recto by a police team led by PO3 Jose Mari Jasmin.

According to Afalla, Lea Macalawan, 20, and her 31-year-old live-in partner Reynaldo Luba went to the police after their daughter, Marian, was kidnapped on Sept. 19.

The couple said Corales convinced them to allow him to stay in their house two days before the abduction. They said their child and Corales had disappeared when they woke up on the morning of Sept. 19.

The couple said Corales is usually seen at the University Belt. Afalla deployed undercover policemen in the area until the suspect was sighted last Friday.

Corales said he left the child with Teresita Labo, 64, a vendor, who said she did not know the girl had been kidnapped by Corales.

According to Labo, Corales was her former canteen helper who introduced the child as his own daughter. She said she tasked Corales to buy soft drinks and mineral water worth P800 but he failed to return, so she took custody of the child.

Afalla returned the girl to her parents, who were elated that their child was not hurt.

Kidnapping charges are being readied against Corales, according to Afalla. “I believe the suspect may be planning to abduct other child with his modus operandi, if not for the relentless effort of the police to arrest him,” he told The STAR.