Heartbroken guest who shouted out frustrations punched by Tanay campsite staffer

A few days before Valentine’s Day, Dawn Cuenzo Salmo visited a campsite in Tanay, Rizal with some friends to get over a recent heartbreak. 

According to Oscar Oida’s report in 24 Oras on Wednesday, a brokenhearted Salmo shouted out his frustrations at a rented campsite in the mountains of Rizal on the morning of February 10. 

Things quickly took a turn for the worse when a campsite staffer confronted the 32-year-old Salmo for shouting profanities. The man suddenly punched him in the face during their argument.

Video shows the staff member asking Salmo, "Sino ba minumura mo (Who are you cursing)?"

When the victim answered, "Ayun yung bundok (That mountain)!" the man struck the blow.

“Yung bundok po talaga yung minumura ko. Broken-hearted po kasi talaga ako. May boyfriend po ako tapos stressed din po ako sa buhay, ang daming problema, ang daming iniisip,” Salmo explained. 

(I was actually cursing at the mountain. I’m really broken-hearted. I had a boyfriend and I was also stressed with the problems in life. Many things have been in my mind at that time.) 

In Salmo’s video, he retaliated at the campsite staffer who assaulted him. One of Salmo’s friends can be heard off camera explaining that he was shouting out his frustrations from his past relationship and was not directing it at anyone in the camp. 

“Sabi ko, ‘Bakit mo ako sinaktan? Nagbayad ako dito, nagbayad kami dito. Guest niyo kami dito, bakit nananakit ka?’,” said an angry Salmo who had to be restrained by his companions. 

(I asked him, ‘Why did you hit me? I paid for my stay here, we all paid to be here. We are you guests, so why did you hurt me?’) 

The campsite staffer was arrested on the day of the incident and is currently detained at the Tanay Police Station. He did not give a comment to GMA Integrated News.

The police said that the staffer explained to them the incident happened early in the morning where people were still sleeping. He said he needed to call out the shouting camper for his actions. 

“Umagang-umaga ‘yun, more or less 6 a.m. ng umaga. May natutulog pa na ibang guests, mga katrabaho nila, mga pamilya malapit doon sa campsite na ayaw niya maistorbo,” said Tanay Police chief Police Lieutenant Col. Norman Cas-oy.  

(It was early morning, more or less 6 a.m.. So there were still other guests, workers, and families nearby the campsite who were still asleep. He doesn’t want them to disturbed.)

Video showed the man confronting the campers, ordering to emerge from their tents and telling them to leave.

The staffer was detained by police is facing charges for slight physical injury. 

“Dapat po naghihinay-hinay po siya. Pwede naman po niya kami tanungin eh o paalisin, hindi yung bigla na lang siyang mananakit,” said Salmo. 

(He could have calmly addressed the situation. He could have asked us or told us to leave instead of suddenly attacking us.) 

The management of the campsite apologized for the incident on social media, adding they will take appropriate action regarding the incident and that the actions of the suspect does not represent their other employees. It also assured the public similar incidents would not happen in the future — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News