Post-Election: Baguio Sidewalk Stalls Demolished Anew

Summer is nearly over, and so is the election campaign-long respite for vendors from demolition operations in this city. With their resumption, the demolition incidents appear to have become more violent.

BY JOHNNY FIALEN AND MILENA ROQUE 
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat.com

BAGUIO CITY — Summer is nearly over, and so is the election campaign-long respite for vendors from demolition operations in this city. With their resumption, the demolition incidents appear to have become more violent.

In an incident of demolition of sidewalk stalls along Jollibee Magsaysay St. here last May 26, a member of the demolition team hit a vendor with a crowbar on the back that caused injuries and profuse bleeding. Fighting between vendors and members of the demolition team ensued.

The victim, a male vendor who belongs to Baguio’s growing Muslim community, was reportedly brought to the hospital for treatment. His companions, also Muslim traders, refused to talk when Nordis tried to get an interview.

According to Luz (not her real name), a 48 year-old mother of six and a newsstand owner who saw the incident, some members of the demolition team had no identification cards and just grabbed the items being sold by the vendors. The demolition team reportedly reasoned out that the vendors do not have any business permit.

“Maraming ambulant vendors ang gusto namang kumuha ng permit pero ayaw bigyan ng city hall” (There are many ambulant vendors who want to be issued permits but the city hall refused to give them), Luz, a vendor for seven years now, declared.

Foul

The vendors cried foul and blamed outgoing Mayor Bernardo Vergara for ordering the violent demolition operations. 

“Marami pang nagsisigaw na vendors na pababain na si Vergara at paupuin na si Yaranon kahit di pa oathtaking” (Many vendors demand for Vergara to step down and [newly-elected mayor] Yaranon to take over even before the oath-taking), Luz added.

Vergara is yet to leave office June 30.  He lost to Judge Braulio Yaranon, a human rights lawyer and former councilor, who got a unanimous vote last May 10 elections. He is in his 70s.

With the frequent demolition of ambulant vendors after the elections, the fee for claiming confiscated goods also increased from P200 to P1000. 

“Kaya raw panay ang demolish nila at saka tinaas ang bayad ng tubos ay dahil gusto ni Vergara na mabawi kahit kaunti ang gastos niya sa nakaraang eleksyon” (They say that the reason why demolition has become more frequent and the claiming fee has increased is because Vergara wants to recover, however small, some of his expenses in the past elections), Luz said.

Meanwhile, another report sent to Nordis revealed that Engr. Nazita Bañez, city demolition team head, is seeking amicable settlement with the vendors involved in the incident, especially the injured. The latter however refused.

The vendors also expressed hope that violence between the demolition team and vendors would not erupt again. “Ano ba naman kung sabihin nila na trabaho lang ito, eh di mas maganda at wala nang labanan at sakit ng damdamin sa bawat isa” (If they just say they’re doing their job, things would be better and there will be no fight and no hard feelings) added Luz who herself was a victim of an illegal demolition recently.

Last Saturday, May 22, at around 2 to 3 a.m., Luz’s newsstand along General Luna Street was destroyed by three policemen in civilian clothes. The vendor who was guarding the stand reported that the plywood platform and beach umbrella were broken, while newspapers got wet which prevented news retailers from earning money that day. 

“Gawain ba ito ng matitinong pulis?” (Is this the practice of good policemen?), Luz complained.  Adding insult to the injury is the fact that she was not given a chance to show the permit issued to her by the city government. Posted by Bulatlat.com

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