JOSE De Juan spent his birthday with a single wish: to be reunited with his missing daughter, Sherra De Juan, a bride-to-be who has been gone for nearly two weeks.
“Ang hiling ko lang sa kaarawan ko ngayon, sana kung loobin mo Lord, makasama ko ngayon ang aking anak,” he said.
Jose described this Christmas and birthday as the saddest he has ever experienced, saying the family’s celebrations felt incomplete without Sherra. Despite no new leads, he remains hopeful.
“Kumpleto na ‘yung mga handa, pero may kulang talaga kasi wala dito ‘yung anak ko. Hindi ko alam kung magandang kalagayan niya, kung kumakain siya. Talagang napakahirap isipin,” he said.
“Pabalik-balik sa isip ko na buhay talaga ‘yung anak ko. Maaring mayroong siyang problema na hindi lang ‘yung nasabi sa amin, sinolo lang niya. Kaya naniniwala ako na talagang nandyan lang siya.”
Sherra’s brother, Darie De Juan, insisted she did not leave voluntarily.
“Kung talagang kusa siyang umalis para makapag-isip, makapaglayo… wala man lang siyang kadala-dalang pera, hindi niya dala ‘yung mga account niya. ‘Yun yun lang talaga ‘yung dala niya, ‘yung coin purse,” he said. “Kabisado ko ‘yung ugali ng kapatid ko. Never niya talaga kami pag-aalalahanin ng ganito.”
Authorities said Sherra was last seen in Barangay North Fairview boarding a bus, according to CCTV footage, though her identity has not been confirmed. Darie added that someone recently contacted the family claiming to have been on the same bus, matching police findings.
“Nakikiusap kami sa bus company kasi two weeks nang nawawala ‘yung kapatid ko, baja pwedeng i-consider niyo na as emergency.”
Quezon City Police District Director Police Colonel Randy Glenn Silvio said attempts to secure CCTV footage faced challenges.
“‘Yun nga ‘yung dino-double check natin dahil pag mabilis ‘yung ano, hindi natin makita ng malinaw. It so happened na may CCTV doon sa loob, wala namang SD card. Monitoring lang. Isang challenge sa pag-iimbestiga dito.”
Police assured intensified search efforts with coordination across law enforcement agencies.