One of their relatives believes that the children, who are students at Kagman Elementary School, “were being held against their will.”
A source at the Department of Public Safety, who declined to be identified, said they would continue their search on Thursday evening.
The children’s mother, Jermaine, arrived last night from Guam, while their grandfather Elbert Quitugua checked all information coming in during the search.
Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos arrived at the Quitugua residence in As Teo at about 4:30 p.m., and consoled the children’s family members who were scheduled to bury a dead relative today.
The children’s relatives printed fliers that were posted on walls and vehicles, while other relatives went to Garapan and distributed fliers at the Thursday market.
The Variety posted a news alert at past 11 on Thursday morning and posted the children’s photos at 2 p.m.
Inos said DPS was “doing everything to bring them back,” and to determine what happened to the children.
There was no sign that the Luhk sisters were forcibly taken at the school bus stop shelter on Wednesday morning. They were last seen there at 6:10 a.m. and were supposed to be picked up by the bus 6:30 a.m.
Their grandparents learned that the two were missing at 3:30 p.m., or nine hours after the relatives assumed they were in school.
They filed a missing person report with the police by 5:30 p.m., Wednesday.
Besides the U.S. Marshal Service, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are conducting their own investigation.
DPS also alerted U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Alarming development
In a media statement, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Inos called on the community to come together.
“Our hearts go out to the family of 9-year-old Maleina Luhk and her sister, 10-year old Faloma Luhk. I want to assure them and the public that DPS and other response resources are actively mobilized in search of these two young children,” said Fitial.
“This is very alarming development for us as a close-knit island community. While we hope and pray for the safe return of Maleina and Faloma, we must all be vigilant neighbors to one another. There is no room for such a heinous crime in our islands.”
Inos urged the community to be watchful toward one another’s lives and property.
“This is very disheartening news for any family or community to bear. As the search efforts continue, I also would like to call on our community to come together to continue making our islands safer for everyone — be it children, adults, tourists — we must care for each other and our belongings.”
He added, “Governor Fitial and I urge anyone with helpful information regarding the whereabouts of Maleina and Faloma to immediately contact the authorities.”
Stay with your kids
Parents or guardians should stay with their children at the bus stop shelter until the school bus comes to pick them up, said Rep. Sylvestre I. Iguel, adding that he may introduce legislation to make it a requirement.
Iguel, Covenant-Saipan and one of the two lawmakers whose precinct includes As Teo, said it was very disturbing to hear that “something like this is happening” on Saipan.
“I wish they are okay right now,” he said, adding that whoever was responsible for taking the children should “please bring them back.”
The missing children’s grandparents and other family members said they had not slept since Wednesday evening.
The Public School System’s transportation office has rules and procedures but they apply to students who have already boarded the school bus.
The students are advised to be at designated bus shelters on time. They should also stay off the road while waiting for their school bus.
PSS transportation program manager Eric Atalig in a separate interview said they also do not allow kindergarten, first and second grade students to board the bus unaccompanied by parents, guardians or higher grade students.
Bus drivers are also instructed to pay extra attention to their youngest passengers. They are trained to ensure the safety of all children on board and to report any untoward incident happening on the bus, Atalig said.
Elbert Quitugua, the girls’ grandfather, said parents or guardians usually don’t need to accompany their children at the bus shelter especially when it is just right in front of their door.
“We were very comfortable for two and a half years because the bus station is just there,” he said.
“What happened is very disturbing. This is a very shocking situation,” he added.
“They are usually the first at the bus stop,” he said. “That morning, we watched our eldest, Faloma, run to the bus stop while Maleina was ahead.
Faloma was finishing a survey for school and we helped her. It was the last time we saw them.”
Quitigua said the bus driver at first said he saw the girls get into the bus. Later, he said, the driver couldn’t recall if they got into the bus or not.
Other students and fellow bus riders told the family that they did not see both girls that morning on the bus.
Quitugua said the school did not inform them that the girls had not reported to class for the whole day and were marked absent.
“We did not find out that they were not in school until late that afternoon. For parents of bus riders, the school should inform us immediately. I don’t know why they waited too long to tell us. That is bad, really bad,” he said.
Anicia Q. Tomokane, Quitugua’s sister, said families, for now on, should make sure that their children get into the school bus.
She said Neighborhood Watch volunteers can also help watch the children at the bus shelters.
“We are in shock,” she added. “We can’t believe this is happening and we are seeking everyone’s help in finding them.”
Variety learned from one of the family members that the girls’ father, a former police officer has been “out of touch” for many years now.
He left the island when his daughters were still small and they have never heard from him since then.
Kagman Elementary School principal Ignacia T. Demapan explained yesterday the standard procedure for absences. According to the school handbook, parents should notify the school in the event that their child will be absent, she added.
“That is the protocol. We do not have enough staff that for every student absent, we try to contact a family member. Also, many parents do not have phones,” Demapan said.
The school handbook also states that the teachers are only to communicate absences to the parents if the student is absent for three or more days.
In announcing the incident to the student body yesterday, Demapan said the KagES students were told to “not be afraid but be more precautious.
If you see a stranger, be aware and alert.”
