While I was browsing in a popular home furnishing store in Pasay City. I saw a Caucasian man in his late 60s looking at frying pans. Behind him were three young boys with brown skin, around 8–10 years old. The Caucasian man was wearing cargo shorts, a polo shirt, and a fisherman’s vest, and he smelled awful—clearly not using deodorant or bathing regularly.

I was looking for a cooking-related gift for someone, but I felt something was off. Two of the boys were busy on their phones watching something, while the other one was scanning the surroundings. I overheard one of them tell them "tumakbo na tayo hindi naman niya tayo mahababol" but another replied, “magagalit mga mama natin kasi nabayaran na sila baka sapakin tayo."

I left, unsure whether I should tell the guard to call the police or just mind my own business. I decided to leave and get coffee instead, but the incident bothered me. I called a friend of mine who’s a police officer at the NCRPO and told him what I saw. He said it would be hard to establish anything immediately based on what I overheard. It’s painful to admit, but the process is slow, and there are factors that could lead to immediate denial, especially if the parents are involved.

Until now, I feel sorry for the boys if my instincts were right. They were simply dressed in shorts, shirts, and slippers. I feel guilty that I couldn’t do anything…