Market! Market! relieves two guards from their posts due to M-16, bat handling incident

(screenshot from footage taken from the crowd)

MANILA, Philippines – According to an Ayala Malls spokesperson, the corporation has relieved two security guards from their posts after confirming that the guards pointed their M-16 military gun and baseball bat to a crowd at the food court of Market! Market! Mall in Taguig City.

Ayala Malls settled with the sanction after performing thorough investigation through interviewing witnesses and citing CCTV footage.

“[The incident] was reported to us right away. We immediately coordinated with our security agency regarding the matter. The two guards involved in the incident were relieved from their posts already. They’re no longer reporting with Market! Market! as we speak,” Market! Market! center manager Sherlene Cruz said, adding that the weapons were intended more for an outward show.

“This is the first time that this has happened in Market! Market! In our security, we really don’t tolerate those kinds of behavior, so that’s why they were already immediately relieved from their posts,” she added.

The incident came about when one security guard tried to disperse a clash of drinkers occurring on the grounds of the mall on a late Saturday night. The guard later on wielded the M-16 in his possession as the small crowd persisted with the fight despite his calls and warnings.

“Some other customers were jeering at him, making fun of him. I guess that’s what triggered him to pull out his weapon. In any case, that’s not the right thing to do and he should’ve called the other security members to help him out in the situation,” Cruz explained.

“We want to assure our public that Market! Market! is a safe place to be in being part of BGC (Bonifacio Global City) and being part of the Ayala Malls group,” she added.

During the incident, a reporter tried to take out his mobile phone to record the scene but was prohibited by another security guard who was holding a baseball bat. The guard also attempted to confiscate the reporter’s phone, despite not having any authorization to do so.

The names of the two security guards have not yet been disclosed but Ayala Malls said that they would provide the names later on.

With report from Cyra Moraleda