Cops nab man who forces children into begging

A man who allegedly abducted a five-year-old child and forced him to beg in the streets was arrested by the police during a rescue operation in Tondo, Manila on Thursday.

Suspect Romarico Aleo, 18, was caught in custody of the missing five-year-old boy at his lair at the Parola Compound by police search and rescue team led by Moriones police station chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino. The boy was shaved and deshabilled when found, Espino said.

During his arrest, Aleo was recognized by Espino as the same man he had previously arrested on Oct. 7 for abducting at least eight street children, then turning them into beggars. Espino said Aleo managed to escape prosecution by faking his age as a minor and was only remanded to the Manila Rehabilitation and Action Center. “He returned to his criminal ways upon his release,” Espino said. 

The boy’s mother, Rowena Pacis, reported to police her missing child on Monday, and according to witnesses the boy was forcibly taken away by Aleo. Rowena brings along her child and fend on his own while vending vegetables in Tondo market.

Barangay chairman Darwin Sia traced the suspect’s mother in Parola Compound, who led police operatives to her son’s lair. The boy said the suspect shaved his hair and given soiled clothes to wear. Then he was intimidated to beg at the Luneta Park under the watch of the suspect. His earnings are taken by the suspect in exchange for his meals, the boy said.

The boy told police he had seen the suspect ordering other street children to beg in exchange for solvents.

Upon his arrest, Aleo was beaten up by his stepfather who has been looking for him allegedly for abducting and selling his two young stepbrothers.

Espino said they are now determining whether Aleo belongs to a kidnap syndicate who turns their victims into beggars. Charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention were filed against the suspect.