A security guard caught on camera destroying a sampaguita vendor’s goods outside a mall has been fired.
In a statement posted by SM Megamall on their Facebook page, they stated that they strongly condemned the incident and expressed their sympathies to the young girl “who experienced an unfortunate incident outside our mall.”
“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,” they continued.
As SM Supermalls “always promotes inclusivity for all,” SM Megamall stated that they “strongly condemn his act committed against her.”
In the viral video, a teenage Sampaguita vendor in a school uniform is seen clashing with a security guard. The security guard abruptly grabbed the girl’s bundles of sampaguita and destroyed them as soon as she stood up, causing the girl to throw the ruined Sampaguita at the guard’s face.
After the guard had dropped his handkerchief and walkie-talkie, he then kicked her while she continued to strike him.
The guard’s kicking of the girl and destruction of her garlands drew criticism from social media users who pointed out that it could be considered child abuse.
One user wrote, “Kicking a child is child abuse. Nakalungkot na ang daming nonchalant [It’s sad that a lot are nonchalant]. Wala man lang nag-effort magsalita [No one even made an effort to speak] to stop the adult and separate the child.”
Another user wrote, “I would say the guard is in the wrong, even the girl is not permitted to sell in this area. The guard needs to be cautious on what he is doing and should kindly tell the girl to leave.”
“Ang sakit panuuorin nito. Yung hiya nung bata na ganunin in front of the mall at yung sirain yung paninda nya na baka pinagkukuhaan nya ng baon [It’s painful to watch. The shame of the kid doing that in front of the mall and destroying the goods that she was probably getting money from],” as written by a third user.
Ang sakit sa puso na dinurog at winasak pa yung sampaguita. Tinulak at sinipa pa. Nakakaawa na isipin na may paggagamitan sana sya ng mabebenta nya tapos parang wala lang na sinira nung guard. Nakakagalit!
— Tito Gus🌸🍭🌈🏳️⚧️🍉#ElderMillennial (@GusAgustin) January 15, 2025
The girl was never in the wrong. She wasn't bothering passerbys, not littering, not taking up space. They were there because of necessity. An establishment like SM could've easily made a more humane policy on how to treat itinerant vendors, especially kids. https://t.co/P9sn4YCxcN
— tav3r3n (@ka_fredo) January 15, 2025
Naging lipunan na tayo na walang moralidad at pagpapahalaga sa pagkalinga sa mga bata https://t.co/7pL2QOWVVA
— Paolo (@paoloponiocruz) January 15, 2025
Let us indulge for a moment that "they are part of a crime syndicate". Fine.
That doesn't justify assault, especially against a minor. Our defense of violence against perceived wrongdoers is something we really need to do away. https://t.co/30aVo2EgEG
— isaac 🇵🇭 (@isucc_roe) January 16, 2025
Mali yung girl pero the fact na sinipa niya at sinira yung sampaguitang tinitinda ng bata? parang sobra naman ata yon. nakaupo lang naman yung girl eh pwede naman na tapikin and then sitahin ng maayos na "ineng bawal magtinda Dito" at "lipat ka nalang ineng" mahirap ba iyon? https://t.co/KCHFJ1G90r
— XO clementine | HEESUN Fan account (@LiliesChampagne) January 16, 2025
Maximum Tolerance ang use ng Force sa Pilipinas, di porket nasa mali yung pagtitinda di ibig sabihin may right na yung guard to destroy and sipain ng Bata, di lang mawawalan ng Trabaho yan, makakasuhan din alongside with the Security Agency https://t.co/LrWa7CG1xk
— mynameisBOOMBOOM (@meisboomboom) January 16, 2025
Bakit kasi kailangan pang sirain ni kuya yung paninda nung bata eh aalis naman na siya. Regardless if sangkot sa sindikato yung behavior ni kuya na sirain yung paninda is wrong. https://t.co/GQDBrFStTa
— m. (@raiahchuu) January 16, 2025
While many were infuriated with what the guard did, some social media users seemed skeptical about the girl’s actions.
Ung bata nasa sindikato yan. Pinagbibihis estudyante at sasabihin nila pang baon lang ung tinitinda nila para maawa ung bibili pero kasali yan sa isang malaking sindikato.
— Tony Tony (@TonyTon17276330) January 15, 2025
Teh maghapon ako sa megamall kahapon pabalik balik kami sa reqs maghapon din nasa megamall yang bata HAHAHAHA props lang talaga uniform nya https://t.co/4817z1D46z
— cy is seeing SVT ! 🩵🩷 fan acc (@sjvnhee) January 16, 2025
Maaawa sana ako sa bata pero what is this behavior? Tapos nakita ko pa full video kinausap naman pala ng maayos pero ayaw sumunod. Oo mali ginawa ng guard pero di ko mafeel sympathy sa bata baka nga sindikato pa yan na ganyan modus 😵💫 https://t.co/7AWvVggl1N
— bagyong redacted (@lozolbleepbleep) January 16, 2025
I believe that’s a syndicate. It’s also clear that the behavior of the person in uniform is disrespectful. Should be investigated as well.
— Derick Adil (@dhepdep) January 15, 2025
No follow-up statement has been released by SM or the security guard as of this writing.
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