There are two sides to the story.
This could also be the case when a security guard was seen shooing away a girl in school uniform who was selling sampaguita in front of a mall, Filipinos who watched the videos say.
Videos of the guard turning away the girl went viral on social media, showing him forcefully grabbing the garlands she was purportedly selling.
In response, the girl struck the guard several times with the broken garlands.
A longer video shows the girl initially sitting on the stairs in front of the mall, while the guard gestured at her and another boy, both holding sampaguita garlands.
The uploader of the video claimed that the guard was prohibiting them from selling in the area. The girl allegedly remained sitting on the stairs as the drizzle grew stronger.
The situation eventually escalated into an altercation, during which the guard destroyed her garland, prompting the girl to strike him with the broken garlands in response.
Meanwhile, the mall in the area said it regrets and sympathizes with the girl who “experienced an unfortunate incident” outside their premises.
“We have called the attention of the security agency to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation. The Security Guard has been dismissed and will no longer be allowed to service any of our malls,” the mall said in a statement on Thursday, January 16.
It added that it “strongly” condemns the act committed against the girl, saying the mall chain “always promotes inclusivity for all.”
While some lauded the mall for its quick actions against the guard, others argued that there could be more to the story, with some claiming child sampaguita vendors might be used as a tool by criminal syndicates.
“There’s a [different] side of the story. (I’m not judging but hear me out) Can be: She’s posing as a student, to look kaawa-awa, us Pinoys are mahabagin, right? Maybe the [security guard] knows that this ‘estudyente’ [was] not that kind of student she was trying to portray. By watching the video, how she resists the guard, it’s really off,” a Pinoy wrote.
“‘Yang mga nagtitinda ng sampaguita [diyan], iba [diyan] SINDIKATO. One time na inalukan ako niyan at ‘di bumili. kung anu-ano pinagssbi ng bata at pinagmumura ka. Hanggang closing time [diyan pa rin] mga ‘yan. May estudyante bang ganyan din [ka-violent],” another Facebook user claimed.
“Baka ‘di nyo alam. Mapilit mga ‘yan. Minsan, hihingi pa pera ‘yang mga ‘yan,” the online user said.
Another Pinoy shared a screengrab of two commenters who shared their suspicions about such vendors.
One Facebook user, who claims to frequent the mall, alleged that they also see children wearing uniforms even on Sundays, a non-school day.
The online user also claimed that such children were also “extremely naughty,” adding that guards also tell them off because they allegedly block people.
Meanwhile, there are cases of minors being used by criminals as part of their modus since children are less likely to arouse suspicion.