A 13-year-old girl went missing after she was sent by her mother to buy ice in Barangay Nibaliw, Mangaldan, Pangasinan.
The girl is identified as Rosalyn Calagno.
The police went to the house of Rosalyn's biological father but they did not find the child there.
They are looking at the possibility that the girl might have run away intentionally, taking into consideration what she reportedly told her friends.
PLt. Col. Roldan Cabatan, chief of the Mangaldan Police Station, said Rosalyn reportedly had mentioned to her friends that she would run away if her father would scold her.
"Yun ‘yung nababanggit ng bata sa mga batchmate niya. Kung papagalitan daw siya ng tatay niya is mag-lalayas siya sa bahay niya. ‘Yun lang ‘yung tinitingnan natin na anggulo na kasalukuyan,” Cabatan said.
Rosalyn's mother, who has difficulty speaking due to a stroke, and her stepfather, Crisaldo De Vera, are concerned for her safety.
Crisaldo said he scolded Rosalyn on the day she went missing due to her supposed stubbornness.
"Parating nasa isip ko siya, kung nasan siya, kasi hindi ko alam kung kumakain o hindi. Masakit, tatlong araw [na] din ako naghahanap, pagkatapos ko dito nung [June] 24… pagod na pagod na ako noon tapos hinanap ko siya," he said.
He pleaded for help from the public:
"Nagmamakaawa po ako sakaling makita niyo siya pakitawagan niyo kami sa post namin. Pakitulungan niyo kami, parang awa niyo na please lang po. Nangangalakal lang kami. Ilang araw narin akong hindi makakain, nanginginig na buong katawan ko."
As of this writing, the police are also looking for the girl’s boyfriend.
“Naghahanap [kami ngayon] kung sino nakakakilala doon sa boyfriend ng bata para ma-locate natin," Cabatan said.
Anyone with information about Rosalyn Calagno's whereabouts is urged to contact the Mangaldan PNP.
The police also reminded the public that there is a curfew for minors in Mangaldan, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
