FOLLOWING two separate incidents of newborn babies being abducted from hospitals in Metro Manila, the Department of Health (DOH) has issued an alert to all hospitals under its supervision, urging them to tighten security measures and enhance personnel monitoring during the holiday season.
The DOH confirmed that both infants were safely recovered and the suspects were apprehended. The first case occurred at a hospital in Marikina City on December 26, while the second incident took place in Tondo, Manila, three days later.
During a joint press conference with the Philippine National Police, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa detailed the first incident, stating that a woman dressed in hospital scrubs and a face mask entered the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center (ARMMC) in Marikina. According to ARMMC director Imelda Mateo, the abduction occurred between 11 p.m. on December 26 and the early hours of December 27.
Marikina police chief Col. Jenny Tecson explained that the suspect told the mother she needed to take the baby for newborn testing. The mother, trusting the woman, handed over her child, along with some medical records. The suspect then fled the hospital. Tecson added that they were able to track down the suspect to Pasig City using CCTV footage. The baby was safely recovered on December 29.
Around 1 a.m. on the same day, another woman attempted to abduct a baby from the Tondo Medical Center (TMC) in Manila. However, the suspect was caught by a nurse before she could leave the hospital. TMC chief Dr. Maria Isabelita Estrella said the woman returned the infant to the mother before attempting to escape. The nurse then alerted a hospital security guard who apprehended the suspect.
