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Delivery rider in 'lugaw' video changes mind, to press charges vs. brgy. execs after 'harassment'


After initially foregoing pressing charges, the food delivery rider in the "lugaw video" has now decided to bring to court two barangay officials in Bulacan who allegedly harassed him days after his footage went viral.

According to a 24 Oras report by Jamie Santos on Friday, Marvin Ignacio said he was deeply traumatized when the barangay officials from Muzon, San Jose del Monte went to the establishment Lugaw Pilipinas and approached him on Thursday night.

According to Ignacio, the officers initially hurled demeaning words against him, but changed their tone when the rider started taking live footage of the incident.

Ignacio on Friday went to the police station to file a blotter report about the incident.

Ignacio previously said he would not file complaints against the involved barangay staff, Rudy Bernardino and Tomohiro Aoki, who earlier in the day appeared in a Facebook video to apologize for the incident. 

The delivery rider did not comment on the two men's video apology. In their apology, the men said they were merely giving the restaurant owner a copy of a supposed closure order against the establishment. 

But Ignacio said he wanted to teach the barangay officers a lesson. 

"Pinag-iinitan na po ako rito sa lugar namin, nakokompromiso na po 'yung buhay ng pamilya ko dahil sa pangha-harrass. Gusto ko po sana silang bigyan ng leksiyon, harapin po nila 'yung ginawa nila sa akin para hindi na po ito pamarisan kung may iba pa pong gustong gumawa nito is matakot na po. Sa legal action na lang po tayo magharap," Ignacio said.

(I was becoming the 'talk of town' in our place, my family's life is being compromised due to their harassment. I want to give them a lesson. And I want them to face the consequences of their actions so that this won't happen again. To those planning to do the same, beware. I will see them in court.)

Unjust vexation

Meanwhile, Barangay Muzon arrested two women for allegedly mocking officials by sarcastically handing out porridge to people, in an apparent reference to the viral incident.

"Bini-video na nila so talagang pinlano nila na ang barangay ay insultuhin. Wala na rin po kaming choice kasi harap na harap sa pulis noong dalhin 'yung lugaw kaya pati pulis nagalit sa kanila. Kaya 'yung pulis na rin ang nagdesisyon na dalhin sa estasyon at kasuhan ng unjust vexation kasi masyadong intentional 'yung kanilang ginawa," said Muzon chair Marciano Gatchalian.

(They were taking footage so they really planned to insult the barangay. We had no choice because they came face to face with the police when they handed over the porridge, so the police got annoyed with them. The police decided to take them to the station and charge them with unjust vexation because what they did was clearly intentional.)

The two women were detained at the San Jose Del Monte police station.

GMA News sought for their comment but they became unavailable after the station went on a lockdown.

Barangay Muzon officials, including the officer who went viral for insisting that rice porridge was "non-essential," on Good Friday apologized to Ignacio after barring him from entering a subdivision for his delivery.

Gatchalian said Phez Raymundo, the other barangay officer caught in the viral video refusing the rider to pass through, will be suspended.

Raymundo said she herself has suffered emotional distress over the incident. -Jamil Santos/MDM, GMA News

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