“I would like to request that all false rumors cease immediately,” Jermain Quitugua said in the interview with the Variety on Friday afternoon. “I am just trying to cope with the situation. I am trying to stay strong for my girls.”
Quitugua at the same time is “thanking everyone for their assistance in the search and for all the donations. I cannot name everyone but I appreciate all the support.”
More Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents, including “profilers,” are arriving to join the special agents of the FBI Saipan office and the 20 special agents from the U.S. Child Abduction Response Deployment Team.
FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent for Guam and NMI Steve L. Moore declined to reveal the exact number of the additional special agents.
He said additional FBI resources are also coming in and using a bloodhound is an option.
In a prepared statement, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Ramon C. Mafnas said DPS and the FBI “believed that the [missing girls] may have been in possession of school backpacks,” contrary to what the Variety earlier reported.
Local and federal authorities described one of the backpacks as dark purple with writing on both shoulder straps. The brand may be Jansport or something similar, authorities said.
Moore said they are receiving information regarding the second backpack.
“We are investigating the matter as best as we can,” he added.
“It is significant. It would tell us a lot of things,” Mafnas said, referring to the backpacks which they hope to recover.
Besides the FBI and DPS, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations are also helping investigate the case and search for the children.
Variety was told the Ruhtic Luhk, the children’s father who now lives in Pohnpei, called the Kagman Community Center on Friday and inquired for updates.
On Friday, authorities searched the caves and jungles in the As Teo area, Lt. Jess Mesa said.
Over 500 volunteers have joined the search operation, according to PO2 Eric David.
Mafnas thanked the continued support of the community and said DPS and the FBI will make a major announcement on Monday. He did not elaborate.
