Saying “sorry” won’t be enough, girl.
Mandaluyong City prosecutors have found probable cause to indict the Chinese fashion student involved in the viral taho-throwing incident at the Boni MRT station. The prosecutor’s resolution was dated Feb. 11 but was released to the media today.
Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office has found probable cause to charge Chinese woman who threw taho at cop with direct assault. Complaints for disobedience to agent of person in authority and unjust vexation dismissed as they are part of direct assault. pic.twitter.com/LRNepewYfl
— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) February 12, 2019
The student, identified as Zhang Jiale, will be charged with direct assault. Zhang went viral after she threw a cup of taho (soybean curd drink) at police officer William Cristobal in the MRT station over the weekend.
Zhang reportedly had that dramatic tantrum because Cristobal told her that she was not allowed to bring her drink inside the station. The MRT’s management recently enforced a ban on liquids after the recent bombings in Mindanao.
While many netizens raged against Zhang, Cristobal became — surprise! — a hero and even received a commendation medal from his superiors.
Zhang has apologized for the incident, and even said yesterday that she likes the Philippines and “really love[s]” Filipinos, reported GMA News. But alas, all that buttering up did her no good.
In the resolution signed by Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Leynard Dumlao and approved by City Prosecutor Bernabe Augustus Solis, Zhang was found to be deserving of being charged with direct assault.
The resolution says: “Indeed, the throwing of the cup of ‘taho’ to [the] complainant (Cristobal), then in uniform, is considered [a] deliberate and serious defiance to a police officer who was performing his duties at that time. It is offensive both by legal and moral norm considering that there was no provocation on the part of the police officers.”
The resolution called Zhang’s actions an “abrasive affront” against a police officer. Oof.
If found guilty, Zhang has to pay a maximum penalty of PHP200,000 (US$3,831) and could be jailed from 6 months to 6 years.
However, the prosecutor dismissed the civil disobedience and unjust vexation complaints against Zhang.
Zhang’s woes won’t end there. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) wants her to be deported, with no less than BI Commissioner Jaime Morente calling the incident “an utter display of disobedience and arrogance against a person of authority,” reported ABS-CBN News. She will be placed on the BI’s watchlist after her deportation charge is approved.
Zhang has been living in the country for six years, according to the Philippine Star.
It remains to be seen if she could continue living here after that scandalous incident.
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