ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities are investigating the recent disappearance of four minor girls here, their subsequent reappearance in a different area, and the identification of persons involved.

In a statement Friday, the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) reported that the four minor girls were found safe Thursday in Ipil, the capital town of Zamboanga Sibugay.

“All the minors, residents of Barangays Maasin, Labuan, and Limpapa in this city, disappeared on July 5,” the ZCPO said.

Initial investigation indicated that the girls reportedly left their homes voluntarily and were brought to Ipil by a woman named Paloma, who is said to be from Palawan.

The minors were located Thursday in a hotel in Ipil with the help of their families through social media and short text messages, according to Nejib Yusup, chairperson of Barangay Maasin Committee on Peace and Order.

“Initial information disclosed that the girls went to Ipil together with a friend,” Yusup said in a radio interview Friday.

The families sought help from ZCPO Stations 8 and 10, both of which coordinated with the police in Ipil and safely recovered the girls.

Authorities are investigating whether the four girls may have been victims of human trafficking.

“They are now under the care of the concerned government agency for appropriate assistance, and further assessment is being provided,” the ZCPO said.

Police called on parents and guardians to closely monitor the activities of their children after the ZCPO recorded 56 crime-related incidents involving minors since January this year.

Police Lt. Col. Paul Andrew Cortes, ZCPO Deputy Director for Operations, said that the majority of the recorded cases involved vehicular accidents, accounting for at least 30 incidents.

“Many of these cases involve underage individuals driving motorcycles without license or riding motorcycle without wearing the required crash helmets,” Cortes said.

He said the remaining cases involved other offenses, such as rape, sexual assault, and theft, where minors were either offenders or victims.

Cortez noted that some cases might have been avoided with proper parental guidance and increased supervision, expressing worry about the high number of incidents involving minors.

He encouraged the public to cooperate with authorities by reporting incidents involving unsupervised minors and supporting community-based programs aimed at promoting youth safety and crime prevention. (With PNA)