The security guard who was involved in an altercation with a sampaguita vendor outside a mall last month and his agency have submitted counteraffidavits for the administrative probe, the Philippine National Police – Civil Security Group (CSG) said Friday.
“Nag-submit na ng counteraffidavit ang guard and agency. Ang nag-submit for the guard is the representative of the agency,” CSG public information office chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Eudisan Gultiano told GMA News Online in a message.
(The guard and agency have already submitted a counteraffidavit. The one who submitted for the guard is the representative of the agency.)
On January 20, the security and some representatives of his agency appeared before the SOSIA as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Gultiano said the CSG already sent a notice to the sampaguita vendor to appear before its Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA) next week to hear her side.
Based on the viral video, the security guard was arguing with the sampaguita vendor who was in high school uniform.
When the girl stood up, the security guard suddenly snatched and destroyed her sampaguita garlands. The girl hit the security guard with the remaining flowers while the latter appeared to have kicked the girl.
The sampaguita vendor turned out to be a 22-year-old first-year medical technology student. According to her parents, she was wearing a high school uniform to attract customers.
She is a scholar and sells flowers on the side to cover her tuition, travel, and daily expenses.
Due to the incident, SM Megamall said it has dismissed the security guard.
The CSG reminded all private security professionals (PSP) to observe the PSP Creed as well as the Code of Ethical Standards in their profession.
The security guard’s company Redeye Management said it is conducting “due process” as it apologized for the incident.
“We sincerely apologize for the actions displayed in the video and assure everyone that we are already conducting due process with the guard involved,” the company said.
“May this serve as a reminder to all agencies of the values we must uphold in performing our duties. It is crucial to prioritize de-escalation and avoid letting emotions take control of our actions,” it added.
Redeye assured that their guards will be reminded to “act with empathy, compassion, and professionalism,” and said that they were committed to inclusivity. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
