A 21-year-old University of the Philippines Los Baños student reported missing on October 25, 2026, from her home in Taguig City was located on Friday inside a San Pablo, Laguna hotel following a coordinated police search and a televised family appeal.
The search for the fourth-year student, identified in reports by the alias Ela
, gained significant momentum after her parents appeared on a television network appeal. Taguig police coordinated with Laguna Provincial Director P/Col. Zandro Jay Tafalla, leading officers under San Pablo City police chief P/Lt. Col. Mederic Villarete to locate the student. Investigators utilized forward-tracking reviews of closed-circuit television footage from locations where she was last seen.
Police Locate Student After Family Appeal
During questioning at the Women and Children Protection Desk of the Taguig Police Station at 1 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, the student disclosed that she deliberately left home due to family problems. She acknowledged experiencing severe emotional distress and mental suffering that prompted her departure and subsequent attempts at self-harm.
Before authorities reached her in San Pablo, she also made an attempt to hang herself inside the hotel, leaving visible marks on her neck. Authorities reported that the student first attempted to drown herself while staying at a resort in Laiya, Batangas.
Family Admits Student to Hospital
Following her intake at the police station, the Women and Children Protection Desk recommended transferring the student to the City Social Welfare and Development Office. Her parents chose to admit her directly to a private hospital to secure prompt psychological medical attention and proper intervention.