Helpful cop in viral photo 'turned down' merienda offer

MANILA, Philippines — A photo of a Quezon City policeman seen in a viral photo assisting a couple whose vehicle got stalled along EDSA reportedly "turned down" a small reward that the motorists offered him for the deed. Senior Police Officer 1 Ariel Camiling, assigned at Police Station 8 in Project 4, was hailed by netizens for being an example that not all cops are abusive.

Joann Angeles delos Santos of Montalban, Rizal recounted on a Facebook post that Camiling extended help after hours of attempts to troubleshoot, talk out of tow-away personnel and ask for help from an oil company allegedly offering free towing service.

"I was so frightened that [Camiling] might give us a ticket and force us to be towed. We told him that we're stuck and that the car won't start," Delos Santos recounted on the Facebook post, as cited by a Philippine National Police (PNP) report.

"He checked the car and found what caused the problem—the contact point in the distribution assembly broke. Good thing we have a spare! So he guided my husband in replacing it and adjusted the installation until the car went live again.

"He stayed with us to make sure that everything was alright. We offered him a small amount for merienda but he turned it down."

Delos Santos said she snapped some photos while her husband and the police officer were checking the car without them knowing.

"Sa gitna ng mga kontrobersyang kinasasangkutan ng ating kapulisan ngayon ... totoong mayroon pa pong mga kawani at opisyal ang ating pamahalaan na gumagawa ng mabuting mga bagay, higit pa sa kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin nang walang anumang hinihinging kapalit," she said.

Police Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, the newly installled QCPD director, praised Camiling for bringing pride to the PNP amid criticisms.

The police force has recently been accused of corruption and abuse amid soaring crimes in Metro Manila and an incident allegedly involving cops robbing a motorist along EDSA. The act was captured by a netizen in a photo that went viral on social media, eventually leading to the relief of four top police officials.