A restaurant in Manila clarified that its viral picture of a man in a plain orange shirt dining with police officers is not a detainee or a person deprived of liberty (PDL).
Tagpuan sa Pandacan released the clarification on Sunday, September 17 amid online chatter that the man appeared to be an inmate because of his attire.
Among those who took notice was an account on the X (formerly Twitter) platform which shared a screengrab of the photo from the restaurant’s Facebook page.
“Lunch out muna bago ma-sentensya,” the account wrote.
The restaurant clarified that the man in the orange shirt was not a detainee, but one of the “helpful staff members and a dedicated Grade 12 HUMSS student (working student).”
HUMSS is short for Humanities and Social Sciences, one of the strands offered to senior high students.
The restaurant said that they introduced a new set of uniforms to their staff, which consists of a plain orange shirt.
“Recently, we introduced a new set of uniforms, as shown in the photo below. We truly appreciate everyone who has found joy in this simple photo, serving as a reminder to approach life with a light heart despite all the problems we [sic] and challenges we have today,” it said in a statement.
“We kindly request that you avoid any negative comments, especially towards our respected officers in the photo whom we consider as one of our regular customers at our restaurant. Thank you for your understanding,” the restaurant added.
It also shared the trending photo, along with pictures of its staff in the new orange shirt uniform with the restaurant owner.
The account on the X platform also posted a follow-up comment, noting that the restaurant had clarified the identity of the man in the orange shirt.
“In a newer post, the resto [restaurant] clarified that the guy in orange is a staff member,” the account said.
In the Philippines, inmates under maximum security are known to wear tangerine-colored shirts.
Meanwhile, Tagpuan sa Pandacan is a restaurant located in the Bayan Central of the Pandacan district of Manila City.
The restaurant has a lamp-ornamented terrace and Capiz windows since it was originally an old Spanish-style house whose upper floor was turned into a dining spot.