A video circulating on social media shows a security guard at a mall in Manila asking a young girl wearing a school uniform to leave the mall premises but destroying the sampaguita flowers she was selling in the process. (Screengrab of viral video)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police – Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (PNP-Sosia) has summoned the mall security guard accused of mistreating a young girl as caught in a video now going viral.
Based on its initial assessment, the Civil Security Group (CSG), which houses the Sosia, previously said the security guard may have violated ethical standards after destroying the sampaguita flowers the girl was selling when asking her to leave the mall premises.
READ: PNP says mall guard in viral video may lose license
“We already sent a summon sa security guard at security agency. In fact, binigyan din natin ng responsibilidad ang security agency na siya ang magbitbit sa security guard sa pag-appear dito sa SOSIA,” CSG Spokesperson Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano said in an interview on Friday.
(We already sent a summon to the security guard and the security agency. In fact, we gave the security agency the responsibility of ensuring the attendance of the security guard in appearing before the Sosia.)
“[They’re expected] by next week. I cannot give an exact date… Today lang naibigay ang summon… Kung hindi mag-appear… maaari na kaming mag-initiate ng filing ng administrative complaint,” Gultiano told reporters at Camp Crame.
(They’re expected by next week. I cannot give an exact date… We gave the summon just today… If they don’t appear… we can initiate the filing of an administrative complaint.)
After a video of the incident began widely circulating on social media, on Thursday early morning, the mall management said it dismissed the security guard involved and called his security agency for an investigation.
READ: Mall guard sacked for destroying young girl’s sampaguita for sale
Gultiano detailed the possible penalties: “Sa security guard, maaari ang pinaka-minimum nito ay fine. Pero, nakikita natin na may possible na ma-aggravate na mga scenarios or situation kaya baka maaaring suspensyon.”
(For the security guard, the minimum is a fine. However, we see that there are possible scenarios where the situation may be aggravated, so it can also be suspended.)
“Pagdating naman sa PSA (private security agency), maaring fine ang ma-impose na penalty. Titignan din natin yung extent, yung gravity ng kanilang lapses or pagkukulang sa pagha-handle ng sitwasyon. Titignan natin kung maari ba ipataw na suspensyon sa kanilang lisensya,” she added.
(Regarding the PSA, a fine may be the imposed penalty. We’ll look at the extent, the gravity of their lapses or lack of action in handling the situation. We’ll see if suspension of their license is a possible penalty.)
The CSG spokesperson also told reporters that the Sosia already conducted an administrative inspection both with the mall in Mandaluyong City and the police sub-station with jurisdiction of the area on Thursday evening.
“Based sa update ng ating investigator, walang na-file na case or criminal case laban doon sa security guard… Ang isa pang findings na nakita ng ating mga imbestigador ay walang incident report noong mismong araw kung kailan nangyari yung insidente,” Gultiano said.
(Based on the update of our investigator, no case or criminal case was filed against the security guard… Another finding from our investigators is that there was no incident report on the day itself when the incident happened.)
READ: Girl in viral squabble with mall guard a scholar, not syndicate member
Earlier on Friday, the Mandaluyong City Police Station shared with reporters that it identified, located and visited the young girl and her family at their home in Quezon City.
Mandaluyong police chief Col. Mary Grace Madayag said the girl was an 18-year-old medical technology student, dismissing theories from social media users that she was a member of a criminal syndicate posing as a student to solicit alms.