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Tinian senator seeks help for missing dad
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Posted on Oct 23 2000
Tinian Sen. Jose M. Dela Cruz has appealed anew to the public for help in locating his father who is still missing more than three weeks after he disappeared from his residence in Marpo Valley.
Manuel L. Dela Cruz, 79, was last seen at around 3:00 a.m. on Sept. 30, wearing black jeans, grayish-white short sleeve shirt with black prints.
A search launched immediately by his family and the Department of Public Safety had failed to trace his whereabouts, prompting the authorities to call off the operations.
But Sen. Dela Cruz said the family is still searching for the missing patriarch in hopes to have leads to finally locate him.
“We are still searching everyday. We are hopeful that we will find him,” he told in an interview. “Our only biggest hurdle is that we don’t have any clue.”
No information has yet to reach the family regarding the condition or whereabouts of Mr. Dela Cruz, the senator said. “It’s just like he disappeared in thin air,” he added.
Mr. Dela Cruz had just undergone surgery in Hawaii, his son said, but added he was recovering and in good health just before he disappeared.
“He is a strong man for his age. He knows about living in jungle. But when you just came out of surgery, no matter how strong you are, there’s limitation,” said Sen. Dela Cruz.
The family has been having novena every night and the present predicament has strengthened the whole family, he pointed out. “We’re not going to stop until we find him. I’m very desperate. If somebody out there knows his whereabouts, I hope you can come up and tell us,” he said.
Sen. Dela Cruz also begged that if somebody hurt his father, and is scared to come out because of what had happened, “the decent thing to do is for them to let us know where he is and so we can put this problem to rest.”
Mr. Dela Cruz stands 5’4″ and weighs 104 lbs. He has a tattoo “M.D.C.” on his left upper arm. For information, please call the Tinian police at 433-7383 or DPS at 664-9001/2 or dial 911.
