Several celebrities including actors John Arcilla, Rocco Nacino and Derek Ramsay took to social media recently to share their two cents relating the viral video of a mall guard tussling with a flower vendor.
Sharing the video on Instagram, John wrote, “Kung hindi miserable at hindi mahirap ang buhay ng bata, magtitinda kaya siya ng Sampaguita kung may iba siyang paraan ng pagkakakitaan? Wala naman siyang sinasaktang tao. Mahirap na nga ang buhay niya, papahirapin pa natin? Such a sad video to watch.”
He added, “Nag hahanap buhay yung bata. Bakit kailangan wasakin yung tinda niya? Hindi ko masisi ang bata kung bakit nagalit. Bakit may mga Guard o taong ganito? Sana may kunsiderasyon. When we are in authority and we use it to mistreat someone we outrank, what kind of person are we? Sana ay mabigyan ng tamang leksiyon ang Guard.”
Rocco, on his part, said, “Siguro kung nakiusap ng maayos ung guard, baka nakipagcooperate ung bata. Hindi lahat nadadaan sa galit.”
Derek remarked, “It’s sad that nobody interfered and made an effort to help pacify the situation. Mas priority pa ang mag video kesa tumulong. Mahirap mag comment sa ganitong mga video. Hindi natin alam ang buong storya. May mali talaga sa guard, and I’m sure may mali din sa bata, but mali din ang gumawa ng video kesa tumulong. Nilagyan pa ng music na malungkot."
Posted on Wednesday night, the video went viral on social media, earning mixed reactions from netizens.
Some sided with the vendor while others deemed the guard was simply doing as told.
The guard has since been dismissed.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) vowed to give "psychosocial aid" to the vendor, who, police learned, is an 18-year-old scholar of an unnamed private institution.