By Jennifer P. Rendon
A woman who claimed to be a pastor of a Presbyterian church is in jail for allegedly abducting her neighbor’s 7-year-old son.
Julie Rose Recalde, 40, of Barangay Luca, Ajuy, Iloilo, was arrested in an abandoned house in their village morning of June 11, 2023.
Recalde, who identified herself to be a preacher of Great Vision Church, allegedly abducted Jan-Jan (real name withheld) around 2:30 p.m. on June 10.
Lieutenant Enrique Robles, Ajuy police chief, said the boy was playing outside their home when Recalde purportedly took him.
The boy’s mother immediately reported the incident to village officials.
They then looked for the boy and the woman but to no avail.
They reported the incident to the police on June 11.
Robles said they got information that Recalde was keeping the boy in an abandoned house owned by a certain Theresita Bañas.
When police knocked, they got no answer.
Robles said they did not barge into the house until they got clearance from the owner.
Police later entered the house around 7:30 a.m.
They later found Recalde hiding in a tiny space within the ceiling.
She also told the police that she was holding on to a knife.
“We negotiated for her to peacefully turn over the boy and she heeded,” Robles said.
When police rescued the boy, they learned that the woman had also brought her 10-year-old daughter.
The two children were both physically unharmed.
Recalde told policemen that she decided to take custody of the child because his mother and grandmother have been neglecting him.
“Kilala siya sa kanila na mahilig daw mangi-alam sa buhay ng ibang pamilya,” Robles said.
Police records indicated that this was not the first time Recalde was involved in such an incident.
According to her family, the suspect has bipolar disorder.
She is separated from her husband. Her other child, a 14-year-old boy, is with her husband.
Meanwhile, Jan-Jan’s family said they would sue Recalde for kidnapping in relation to Republic Act No. 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act).
