While browsing the news site Inquirer.net a while ago, I saw this news posted from yesterday.
The security guard at the grocery store, Ultra Mega Wholesale and Retail Store, said that he saw a bulge in Mr. Ricardo Castro's (the septuagenarian) pocket - the allegedly stolen pack of chocolates. What is appalling with this story is that the man is seventy-nine years old (as in, a hoot short of eighty) and that the pack of chocolates was worth PHP 36.00.
That's right. Less than a dollar.
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| Otherwise known as "jail time" in the Philippines. |
The man offered to pay for the item, which he claims he forgot to pay for since he was thinking of his son, who was sick. The representatives of the store refused and insisted that he is to be jailed for his 'crime'.
No Mercy
I don't even know where to begin. I know for a fact that the country is experiencing a bit of a downer financially, but to exert this amount (or rather, the non-existence) of mercy to an old man is too much. To put it into perspective, he stole roughly the price equivalent of 25% of a typical Starbucks coffee drink, 50% of the typical McDonald's burger, or three sticks of street-side pork barbecue. I am so disgusted at the morals and values sacrificed in this incident all in the name of pseudo-justice and 100% business. If we have small mom-and-pop wholesale stores willing to destroy the remaining years of a senior citizen, something is very wrong with our business ethics.
Price of Mercy
PHP 36.00. That's the price of mercy, as shown by Ultra Mega store. I reckon, if every single person who reads this blog, the newspaper article, and other concerned citizens raised PHP 36.00 each, we can all either help bail Mr. Ricardo Castro out, or at least assist his family with legal and/or daily needs.
Spread the word if you are concerned that mercy is becoming ever rarer.
Original article can be found here.
Image from reciprocatellc, retrieved on February 8, 2012.
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