ROXAS City – The administrator of the Roxas City Transport Terminal denied kicking a 59-year-old traffic auxiliary while the latter was doing push-ups as penalty for being late.
Jaime Obnimaga told officers at the Roxas City police station that Arcenas – also the city’s traffic consultant and a former councilor – kicked him on the buttocks and leg twice on Saturday.
But Arcenas told Panay News that he was merely adjusting Obnimaga’s body for him to correctly render a push-up.
“Wala ko sia ginsipa. Gin-push ko lang tum-ok iya buli kay indi insakto iya position mag-push-up,” said Arcenas, adding that Obnimaga was late for about 45 minutes from their 6-a.m. formation call time.
“I don’t consider it nga sipa,” he added.
Netizens have expressed dissent over the incident, siding with Obnimaga.
Facebook user Victoria Verdadero posted, “Ahay kaluoy man ang tigulang. Sa edad nga 59 may mga sakit na ina sia nga nabatyagan.”
Another user, Rommel Villarico, said, “Fifty-nine-years-old na ina wala man lang gina respeto.”
Arcenas said he gave Obnimaga a penalty of 50 push-ups for being late that day, the same penalty he gives to other latecomers.
“Ang ma-[ulihi] actually 30 minutes considered late na ina pero we give consideration [through] imposing penalties like push-ups,” Arcenas said./PN
