ILOILO – The Iloilo Provincial Government has expressed concern over the circulation of false child abduction reports, warning that misinformation could cause public panic and hysteria.
Rapunzel Rara Ganzon, Social Welfare Office IV of the Iloilo Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, said in an interview with Bombo Radyo that the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has confirmed no actual kidnapping incidents in the province. However, she stressed that the spread of unverified claims could have serious consequences.
According to Ganzon, psychosocial support is available for children and parents affected by these reports. She noted that some children may have fabricated the stories due to fear, a need for attention, or to cover up their own mistakes.
She also called on parents to strengthen their relationships with their children, believing that a strong parent-child bond can help prevent the spread of false information.
Furthermore, Ganzon urged the public to be responsible when sharing information on social media, warning that unverified reports could incite unnecessary fear and paranoia.
Despite the lack of confirmed abduction cases, she advised parents to remain vigilant, as there is still a possibility that criminals could exploit the situation to commit actual crimes.
-𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗕𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗼 𝗟𝘆𝗻𝗱-𝗖 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗲
