A man who was first reported to have taken two children with him was apprehended in Talisay City, Cebu in the morning of June 24, 2024.
The 25-year-old man took a red car from a repair shop as well as a six-year-old boy and a seven-year-old boy with him.
In a CCTV footage, the car was seen to have sideswiped another car in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.
The red car was flagged down by personnel of the City of Talisay-Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA) after it was spotted to have maneuvered a counterflow at Barangay Tabunok and even asked a sports utility vehicle (SUV) moving from the opposite direction to give way.
Upon go-signal, the man drove the car back to its appropriate lane. However, a roving policeman was seen running after the red car. The police asked traffic enforcers to stop the car as it reportedly hit another vehicle.
The enforcers noticed that there were children on board the vehicle.
The boys were found to be the son of a car painter at the repair shop where the car was up for painting, but was taken by the man.
The man, the children, and the car were taken to the Talisay City Command Center.
According to Jonathan Tumulak, chief of CT-TODA, the driver gave incoherent answers when asked about the children.
When the children were asked in turn who the driver was, they could not also give sensible answers.
Authorities believed that the man was high on illegal drugs.
It was Isot Pahayahay, the manager of the car repair shop, who told the authorities that the man loiters in his shop and that he is a friend of the children’s father.
The manager confirmed that the man did not ask permission from him to use the car, even though the man reasoned out he was on a driving practice.
Despite the incident, the father of the children has forgiven the man. He said he would not pursue the filing of charges as his children are now safe.
However, Police Lieutenant Colonel Epream Paguyod, chief of the Talisay City Police Office, said that despite the settlement reached by the persons involved, the man will still be monitored based on reports that he is into the use of illegal drugs
