Camille Naredo

The 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being removed by a security guard at a mall. Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN News

The 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being removed by a security guard at a mall

Article (news)

sampaguita vendor

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1737153738897011825_sampaguita.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being removed by a security guard at a mall. Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN NewsThe 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being removed by a security guard at a mall. Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being removed by a security guard at a mall. <em>Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being forcibly removed by a mall security guard on Saturday clarified she is not part of any syndicate and refuted allegations that she cursed or spat at the guard.</p><p>The vendor said she was selling sampaguitas on December 17 when the guard approached and told her to leave. She asked to stay briefly to take shelter from the light rain while waiting to fetch her twin sister and a friend, who were also selling sampaguitas, so they could go home together.</p><p>&quot;Ayaw na muna niya mapakiusapan na doon na muna ako umupo… and then parang inaambahan niya po ako na kukunin niya yung sampaguita ko. Tumayo na po ako noon and then, yun nga po, nung pagtayo ko po non, hinablot niya po yung paninda ko,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Hindi na po ako nakapagpigil… syempre po yung araw na yun, galit po ako talaga kasi naganun po ako. Feeling ko, ang baba ko, feeling ko, ayun nga, dahil nagtitinda lang ako, ginanun ako,&quot; she added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/17/viral-sampaguita-girl-not-a-minor-but-confirmed-as-scholar-medtech-student-police-1251">READ: Viral &#x27;sampaguita girl’ not a minor, but a scholar medtech student -- police</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/17/family-of-sampaguita-vendor-won-t-press-charges-vs-security-guard-1918">READ: Family of sampaguita vendor won&#x27;t press charges vs security guard</a></div><p>The vendor said she stopped selling sampaguitas due to the trauma and online bashing that followed. She also expressed distress over her private information being leaked, which has made it difficult for her to focus on her studies and prepare for exams.</p><p>&quot;Masakit man isipin pero… kailangan ko na lang harapin. Dumating nga po sa point na ayaw ko na pong pumasok kasi nahihiya na po ako,&quot; she said.</p><p>Her twin sister also shared that she faced hurtful comments from people simply because they looked alike.</p><p>Amid the backlash, the vendor denied being involved in any syndicate or resorting to aggressive behavior to seek money.</p><p>&quot;Nababasa ko po sa mga comment section na ako raw po yung lider ng mga sindikato, which is hindi naman po. Then yun nga po magnanakaw daw po ako tapos nagmumura daw po ako at nandudura. Hindi ko po ugaling mangganun ng tao lalo na po at naka-school uniform po ako,&quot; she said.</p><p>In the viral photos, the box she carried with a &quot;Namamasko po&quot; sign was simply for the holiday season, she said. The vendor denied pressuring passersby for money and clarified that the images showing a girl begging on buses were not of her.</p><p>The first-year medtech student also explained that she wore her old junior high school uniform while selling not to seek pity but because she had limited clothing and wanted to keep her only college uniform clean for school.</p><p>&quot;Nagsusuot po ako ng uniform kasi para maging disente po sa harap ng tao at hindi po pagpapanggap yun at totoo naman po akong nag-aaral,&quot; she said.</p><p>When asked about the security guard, she expressed guilt over him losing his job but admitted she still feels afraid that he might seek revenge if they cross paths again in public.</p><p>&quot;Gusto ko po humingi ng sorry sa kanya, and at the same time hindi ko po ginusto na matanggal siya sa trabaho,&quot; she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/16/mall-guard-who-destroyed-sampaguita-vendor-s-wares-axed-0922">READ: Mall guard who destroyed sampaguita vendor&#x27;s wares axed</a></div><p>Despite having a partial college scholarship, the vendor said she depends on her earnings to cover the remainder of her tuition and other expenses.</p><p>&quot;Kailangan ko po talaga magtinda para naman po maka-survive ako sa pag-aaral ko… may kaedaran na po kasi ang parents ko at kadalasan nagkakasakit na po ang mama ko kaya bilang isang anak, hindi ko naman po gugustuhin na mas lumala pa ang sakit ng parents ko kaya mas gusto ko na iprovide na lang yung pangangailangan namin dahil nagtitinda po ako,&quot; she said.</p><p>She thanked the Department of Social Welfare and Development and some netizens for offering financial assistance and psychosocial support during her difficult time and temporary break from selling. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O-nYwAmoO_A?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being forcibly removed by a mall security guard on Saturday clarified she is not part of any syndicate.</p>

The 22-year-old sampaguita vendor who went viral on social media after being forcibly removed by a mall security guard on Saturday clarified she is not part of any syndicate.

Viral Sampaguita vendor addresses guard, speaks out against allegations

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Viral Sampaguita vendor addresses guard, speaks out against allegations

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 18, 2025 07:28 AM PHT

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