Bill seeks creation of database for missing persons

A lawmaker from Iloilo City has pushed for the creation of a National Missing Persons Database to aid in efficiently locating and reuniting missing individuals with their families. Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda filed House Bill No. 9529, or the National Missing Persons Database and DNA Testing Act, “for the purpose of aiding in the search and identification of missing persons.” Baronda said the goal is to “facilitate the swift reunification of missing individuals with their families, providing much-needed closure and relief to those affected.” “This act aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of efforts to locate and reunite missing individuals with their families,” she said. The database will be maintained by the government and will be accessible to law enforcement agencies. It will include data for a missing person such as photographs, personal information, circumstances of the disappearance, and the missing person’s DNA profile, if available. —Julie M. Aurelio