Text messages about abduction, or attempts to abduct, have once again circulating in the city and province of Iloilo, but just like the previous reports, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) stressed that the reports are hoax.

Senior Supt. Gil Lebin, IPPO director, said he already ordered the conduct of an investigation immediately after they received the reports.

"There is no proof or testimony that could support the allegations," he added.

One of the text messages read, "alert kita guys. May mga grupo from Manila. Ari na sila subong sa Capiz kag nadakpan na ang isa nila ka grupo! Gapangkidnap sila mga bata kag teenagers. Kaina sa Balasan, tatlo gid ka dalaga ila nakuha. Please be inform sa iban kag alert gid kamo." (Please be alert guys. There are groups from Manila. They are now in Capiz. One of their group members was arrested. They have been kidnapping children and teenagers. Recently in Balasan, they abducted three ladies. Please be informed and be alert.)

Further, the message also warned of the vehicles used by the alleged abductors: a green van with plate number XMM-507 and white van (VXM-357).

But Lebin said Balasan PNP confirmed there is no report on the alleged abduction of three girls, or any person for that matter.

Aside from Balasan, Lebin also received a report that a boy from Dumangas town managed to escape from men who tried to abduct him by kicking one of his captors.

"But it's quite inconsistent. A child could not just kick his abductors and escape from someone far stronger than he is," he added.

Lebin could not exactly point out what was the motive behind such hoax reports.

"Maybe, they just want to paint Iloilo province as an unsafe place," he said.

Last year, reports of attempts to abduct school children for "organ scam" were also reported.

But the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) confirmed that all reports were proven not true.

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office (PRO) VI reportedly moved to investigate reports of men roaming in several towns in Iloilo province that abducts grade school children.

However, investigation led police to believe that the information stemmed from prank text messages, which were circulated by alarmed citizens.

Police said some parents might have used as reference the earlier reports of abduction of children for human organs in Iloilo City to scare their children.

One of the text messages stated, "Beware of a van with plate number XMN-531, confirmed to operate in Mina Pototan area. Four kids are reported missing in Zarraga. 8-15 age ang ginakidnap nila, ginapatay kag kuhaan internal organs. Pls forward. From Jun Pasaporte, Pototan police."

However, police operatives from neighboring towns of Pototan, Mina, and Zarraga denied such reports.*