Police nab Chinese woman after she throws cup of ‘taho’ to police officer in MRT-3

“Ms. Zhang entered the baggage inspection area where two security personnel have asked her to consume first her ‘taho’ before entering the station, but the former insisted not to do so,” it said. (Photo: Pau Mesias/Facebook)

Authorities on Saturday, February 9, arrested a Chinese woman after she threw a cup of ‘taho,’ a snack made from processed soybeans, at a police officer in the Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT-3).

The incident, according to the police, happened at around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at Boni Station when the  Chinese national, identified as Jiale Zhang, splashed the cup of ‘taho’ to Police Officer 1 (PO1) William Cristobal after she was prohibited to enter the station.

According to the statement released by the MRT-3 management, Zhang “entered the baggage inspection area where two security personnel have asked her to consume first her ‘taho’ before entering the station, but the former insisted not to do so.”

“The matter has been turned over to PO1 Cristobal. As the police officer explained to Zhang the security policy of MRT-3, she threw her ‘taho’ to the police officer,” it added.

Photos of the incident have been circulating online, with many netizens criticizing Zhang for her actions in a foreign land.

Sharing the photos on her profile, Facebook user Pau Mesias said, “Isa kang dayuhan mam, hindi ka marunong rumespeto sana mahuli ka at ikulong (You are a foreigner ma’am, but you do not know how to respect others. I hope you will get arrested)

“Mahanap [lang] kita gagawin ko yan sayo. Hindi gaganti sayo si Sir kasi maximum tolerance pa din, ipinahiya mo siya ng sobra (Once I find you, I will do to you what you did. Sir won’t take revenge on you since he observes maximum tolerance. You put him to shame),” she added.

As of writing, Mesias’s post has garnered 56,000 thousand shares and 1,200 comments from other netizens echoing the same sentiments as her.

The MRT-3 management earlier said the 23-year-old Zhang was immediately brought to the Philippine National Police-Regional Mobile Force Batallion (PNP-RMFB) Detachment at Shaw Boulevard Station and was “released” after she apologized, but the Mandaluyong police later said that Zhang has undergone booking procedures for direct assault and disobedience to an agent of person in authority.

Addressing commuters in its statement, the management of MRT-3 told them that tightening their security measures in its train line will not give them any harm.

“We are being cautious since we put in our topmost priorities the safety and security of our passengers and personnel following attacks in Mindanao,” it explained.

On Friday, the management said they implemented stricter security measures, which includes the ban on liquids, after it received a bomb threat early in January.

[READ: MRT-3 says it imposed stricter security measures due to bomb threat]