A MANHUNT operation was launched against the woman who took a newborn baby from Puericulture Center, a government birthing center in Barangay 16, Gingoog City, on Sunday, September 1.

The baby was taken just two days after Marichu Tolorio Villegas gave birth.

Villegas delivered the baby girl around 8:30 p.m. of August 30, but at 5 a.m. of September 1, she noticed her child was gone.

She called her mother and found out that the baby was not with her mother either.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Phillip Pontillas said they learned from a witness that a woman arrived at Puericulture Center Saturday morning, August 31.

The woman was last seen wearing a face mask, black jacket, brown short pants, has short hair and stands more or less 5'5" tall. Police estimate that the woman could be 50-60 years old.

Police released a cartographic sketch of the woman over the weekend.

A witness said they had a conversation with the woman, while another saw the same woman took the baby.

Gingoog City Mayor Erick Canosa offered P15,000 reward money for those who could inform the authorities about the woman's whereabouts.

Pontillas urged the City Government to put a closed-circuit television camera and hire a guard at the public birthing facility.

Pontillas called on the public to contact him through 09177917575 for any information.