PNP to summon 鈥榮ampaguita girl鈥� in viral altercation with mall guard
A video circulating on social media shows a security guard in Mandaluyong City confronting a sampaguita vendor in a school uniform. (Screengrab of viral video)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police Civil Security Group (PNP CSG) will also summon the sampaguita vendor as part of its investigation into her altercation with a mall security guard, a video of which recently went viral.
The mall guard appeared before the CSG’s Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (Sosia) last Monday to air his side of the issue after he was seen destroying the girl’s sampaguita flowers after asking her to leave the mall premises.
“Kasama rin sa magiging aksyon ng ating evaluator ng ating case ay magpadala rin tayo ng notice or summon doon sa babaeng makikita natin sa video para mabigyan siya ng oportunidad na ma-hear ang kanyang side,” CSG Spokesperson Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano said on Tuesday.
(Part of our actions by our evaluator in this case is to send a notice or summon to the girl seen in the video so that she’ll have the opportunity to have her side heard.)
“Maaaring makaapekto [ang kanyang absence] sa resolution. It’s because magba-base tayo sa account ng security guard,” Gultiano told reporters in an interview on Camp Crame.
(Her absence may affect the resolution. It’s because it will be based on the account of the security guard.)
The CSG spokesperson said the security guard and his agency are expected to submit their counter-affidavits by Thursday, Jan. 23.
“Willing naman na nakipag-cooperate ang security guard para nga din ma-clear ang kanyang side, but again, ang kino-conduct natin sa ngayon ay nasa preliminary evaluation phase pa lang tayo,” Gultiano explained.
(The security guard is willing to cooperate to clear his side, but again, what we’re conducting now is a preliminary evaluation phase only.)
“We will base [it] on the counter-affidavit or kung ano pa yung ibang mga ebidensya para ma-determine kung meron nga probable cause to file a formal complaint doon sa security guard,” she added.
(We will base it on the counter-affidavit or other pieces of evidence to determine whether there is probable cause to file a formal complaint against the security guard.)
The CSG previously warned that the mall security guard may have committed ethical violations during the incident and that he could have his license revoked.
The Mandaluyong City Police last Friday confirmed that the girl in the viral video is a college student and scholar, amid speculation from social media users that she is a member of a syndicate wearing a school uniform to earn sympathy while begging for alms.
