Photo screengrabbed from Itug-an ni CD Facebook page of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two gas station employees and two car shop employees here got the shock of their lives when a group of policemen in patrol cars “arrested” them in the middle of the day on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.
The four individuals, on separate occasions, were stunned to find out that they were being arrested due to various cases such as Estafa.
Little did they know that this was just a ploy of the Cebu City Police Office to surprise them with gifts for this Christmas.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) called this the “Arestoaguinaldo,” a playful way to give back to deserving workers this Christmas. This was showed via a live video posted by the Itug-an ni CD Facebook page.
Just as the “victims” were being “arrested” and asked to enter the police car, police surprised them with Christmas gifts and groceries items.
The two gas station employees were in tears after they received the Christmas gifts as they said they thought the arrest was real.
“Nahadlok ko sa posas,” said the woman employee.
(I was scared about the handcuffs.)
Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, the director of the CCPO, said that the Arestoaguinaldo was just a playful way of giving back to certain individuals as the police are not allowed to conduct Christmas parties for their usual beneficiaries this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo screengrabbed from Itug-an ni CD Facebook page of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
The CCPO partnered with private establishments to select the eight deserving individuals and the police visited them at their workplaces on Tuesday.
“Naa miy giandam nga script sa ilaha. So mura pud og arrestohon sila unya diay to hatagan og gifts,” said Ligan.
(We prepared a script for them. So it was like they were going to be arrested but instead, they were going to be given gifts.)
The CCPO director said the police should not forget the spirit of Christmas amid the duties they face daily in maintaining peace and order in the city. After all, policemen are also members of the community who can give back to the people they serve, an act that signifies Christmas more than anything.
Despite the momentary fear of being arrested, the four individuals said they were grateful for the gifts and as these would make their Christmases brighter this year.
/bmjo