The Laoag City Police Station (LCPS) has clarified that no abduction took place, countering an online report circulating Saturday morning that claimed a 6-year-old child was taken by an unidentified man onboard a van near St. William’s Cathedral.

The initial post from a local news page stated that the child, a resident of Barangay 3, was allegedly “taken” at around 9:00 a.m., with a guardian saying that a bystander supposedly saw a man leading the child toward a van. The guardian attempted to follow the vehicle toward the river area but lost sight of it after his motorcycle ran out of fuel. The family appealed to the public for any information that could help locate the boy.

In its official statement, the Laoag City Police Station refuted the abduction claim.

According to LCPS, the guardian personally reported the child missing to the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD). Police immediately conducted backtracking operations—interviewing bystanders, reviewing CCTV footage, and coordinating with partner agencies.

Authorities later confirmed that the child had been taken into the temporary care of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD) after social workers observed the minor frequently wandering alone without supervision. The child was cleaned, fed, and remains under CSWD custody.

LCPS urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information that could trigger panic or confusion and encouraged residents to coordinate directly with police for accurate and timely updates.