Chief Superintendent Pedro Tango, Northern Police District chief, said the three boys Rodel Fojas, 10, his brother Nico, 6, and playmate Mark Anthony Galano, 7, of Biglang-awa St., Caloocan, were located at the Fabella Center of the Social Welfare and Development Office of Mandaluyong City last Friday, six days after the children were reported missing.
Tango said the children were released to their parents yesterday by officials of the Fabella Center.
Senior Police Officer 1 Feliciano Almojuela said the three boys were knocking on car windows and were caroling in nearby streets when they were apprehended by traffic enforcers of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Almouela said the MMDA ordered a ban on beggars and children that are caroling among motorists on the streets.
The MMDA personnel that were enforcing the ban caught the three children and brought them to the Fabella Center for safekeeping.
Probers said the the boys missed their Noche Buena with their families last Christmas Eve, but now the children were reunited with their families and will be able to join the Media Noche on New Year’s Eve.
Leysa, mother of the Fojas brothers, said she allowed the boys to go caroling at around 5 p.m. and they promised to return home for Noche Buena but the children failed to return.
The parents reported to the police that the boys were missing and the police conducted a search. Several days of search finally confirmed that the boys were apprehended by the MMDA.
The parents earlier feared that the boys could have been kidnapped by criminals that sell children.
The three boys told the policemen that they have already learned their lesson and will never go caroling in the streets again.