THE issue about the P25,000 per month “kotong” money collected by Market Marshals from small fish vendors at the Magsaysay Fish Market in Dagupan City has now finally reached the attention of the whole nation.

Thanks to front-running senatorial candidate Raffy Tulfo, who has a public service program on TV “Raffy Tulfo in Action”, who personally went to the Magsaysay Market in the afternoon of February 18 to inquire about the pressing problems of the vendors that he can help solve.

The “kotong” protection money was described to him by Marietta Barrientos, president of Small-scale Fish Consignment and Retailers at Riverside and her fellow fish vendors. In addition, she said, Michael Hernando, head of the fish Marshal, borrowed P100,000 but never paid back the loan.

Tulfo said he will bring the problems of the fish vendors to the attention of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano.

Hernando and two of others were named in an information filed by the City Prosecutors Office before the Regional Trial Court in Dagupan City.

Barrientos also brought to the attention of Tulfo that members of the Market Marshal, a unit directly under the office of the city mayor, used to get 40 kilos of fish from them but never paid.

Tulfo’s visit at the Magsaysay Fish Market was uploaded on Facebook that earned 1,000 likes, 50 comments and 190 shares.

Tulfo said that he used to be visited by people in his TV program to bring to him  their complaints. This time, he said, he visits people to know and act on their complaints.

Barrientos asked Tulfo to help them secure a permanent place convenient to buyers and sellers where they can sell fish just like they used to for the past 30 years. She said her members envy other ambulant vendors who are provided a permanent place to sell their goods and are never harassed and disturbed, unlike them.

Barrientos also told Tulfo that personnel of the Market Marshals and City Market Supervisor refused to appear before the Sangguniang Panlungsod in spite of 11 invitations sent to them. (Leonardo Micua)

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