MORE damning questions surfaced during last Thursday’s session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod made the councilors decide to compel two officials of the market division to personally explain the illegal collections imposed on fish vendors at the Magsaysay Market.

The councilors decided to press on to probe the illegal collections and still require the presence of Randolph Ubando, OIC of the market division, and Michael Hernando, chief of the market Marshal when Councilor Teresa Coquia, chairman on market, cited City Ordinance No.1860-2006 still in effect that fixed amount of cash tickets to P20 that small-scale vendors must pay the city government daily as opposed to the P100 worth of cash tickets and another P100 at times when vendors continue to sell at night being imposed by the market marshals.

The fish vendors also exposed the alleged monthly “kotong” collection of P25,000 by the market marshal task force from the vendors which the latter stopped paying and which the vendors suspected triggered the series of harassments they began to suffer, from being relocated to a place where they could not sell then being restricted to sell for only 3 hours  (5 a.m. -8 a.m. ) despite daily payment of P100 for the cash tickets for the right to sell throughout the day.

Coquia reiterated the need for SP to compel themarket officials to appear anew and  personally explain the illegal collections imposed on small-scale vendors group led by Marietta Barrientos, a move that reversed the council’s earlier move to simply allow Councilor Celia Lim, mother of City Mayor Brian Lim, to help settle the vendor’s complaints of harassment.

The market officials had refused to appear before the city council and merely asked the city councilors to put all their concerns in a letter instead of being required to attend the committee hearings.

Coquia pointed out that city ordinance No.1860-2006 dictates that a vendor should only P20 worth of cash ticket for occupying 1.7 meter by 1.7 meter in the market, not P100.

Councilor Luis Samson. Jr. said the city government should determine whether the excess P80 being collected is remitted to the city treasurer’s office or simply being pocketed by market officials.

Councilor Lim recommended that the old ordinance be amended to legitimize the current rate being collected but Councilor Michael Fernandez said amending the ordinance during the pandemic will compound the situation for the fish vendors.

Councilor Karlos Reyna countered and said that no amendment should be done until the alleged “kotong” issue is clarified by Ubando and Hernando personally before the SP.

Fernandez said both Ubando and Hernando, as well as City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara, be invited to this week’s session to clarify issues surrounding the alleged illegal collections.

City Secretary Ryan Ravanzo told Fernandez that Ubando who was asked to appear in last week’s session but latter’s office said Ubando only reiterated his request for the SP to write the letter to him since he was attending a virtual training organized by the city hall.

At this juncture, the SP decided to ask Mayor Lim to direct both Ubando and Hernando to appear before the SP to respond to the illegal collections and charges of harassment raised by vendors.

Coquia expressed her frustration and exasperation over the repeated failure of both market officials to appear before the SP as she warned of public embarrassment if the city council fails to probe the illegal activities and series of harassments suffered by the fish vendors. (Leonardo Micua)

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