MANILA, Philippines - A Facebook post showing a new modus operandi on the road has been making the rounds online.
Kristine Dela Cruz, who posted about the new tactic on Facebook, said she was driving along MacArthur highway when a man crossing the street dropped something and started to approach her car.
"[The] man walked towards us and gave the car hood several "hugs", taking great care in smearing red stuff all over. During this time, I noticed he had also pre-smeared his temples with the same stuff," Dela Cruz said on the post.
"Satisfied with his painting, he then tried calling the attention of other people to his 'injured' self and imploring that I must not 'escape'" she explained.
The people were not easily deceived. Dela Cruz thanked the help of a concerned citizen and a barangay official who escorted the man to the side.
"Thankfully, no person was really physically harmed in this episode and the red stuff could be removed with water and some scrubbing," says Dela Cruz
This is not the first time it happened, says Police Inspector Don Asuncion from the Regional Public Safety Battalion 3 in Pampanga.
"The Philippine National Police (PNP) deployed beat patrollers performing police visibility along the streets, roads, and highways to prevent these kinds of acts," Asuncion told Rappler.
In case this incident happens to you, Asuncion's advice is to stay calm and assess the situation.
"Report to the nearest police station or call [the] PNP hotline [by dialing] 117. If in doubt, do not go out of your vehicles until authorities arrive," he said – Rappler.com