An amusing video that shows children running away from an innocent white van at night suggests how the youth have come to fear being out in the streets at night in recent times.
Facebook user Dexter Galera shared a video that was taken when he was driving at night in an undisclosed residential area. His vehicle passed by two girls who immediately ran when he slowed down.
However, Galera shared that he was only driving home and had no intention of doing any illegal or criminal activity. He only slowed down because his vehicle approached a hump at that time.
Galera attributed their reaction to the type of vehicle he has, which is a white van. It has been stereotyped as the type of vehicles used by antagonists in Philippine soap operas, particularly in kidnapping scenarios.
The time and setting of the incident in the video were taken into consideration as well. It was shot at nighttime and in what appeared to be a relatively quiet area.
Galera pointed out in the post that children must not loiter in the streets at night.
Meanwhile, social media users were amused with his video which has garnered more than 180,000 ‘likes’ and reactions as of writing.
Some commented that they have similar experiences of children running away whenever such a van would approach their direction.
Behind the reaction
The children’s reaction in the video, although amusing, suggests how the streets have generally become scary for minors in recent times.
The Philippine National Police in February 2019 warned parents to be extra vigilant following a kidnapping incident that involved five children in Quezon City.
“We should guard our children and be aware of where they are if they leave the house,” PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac said in Filipino in a previous statement.
Similar attempts at child abduction have been reported in Parañaque and Marikina, although they are considered isolated cases.
PNP in the same month also reported that kidnapping cases have increased by three percent in 2018 compared to 2017.
69 Filipinos and foreigners were abducted in 2018 while 2017 only saw 67 cases. Majority of the kidnapping cases that involved Filipinos happened in Mindanao and Luzon.
