Mercado de bais: LGU to evict occupants

CEBU, Philippines - The Bais City government is bent on implementing the order of the Regional Trial Court to remove most, except for five petitioners, of the occupants inside the Mercado de Bais, while other vendors who are not parties to the case may start moving up to the renovated market area intended for them.

The five petitioners had earlier filed a case of declaratory relief and indirect contempt charges against Mayor Mercy Teves Goñi, but these were all dismissed for lack of evidence.

RTC-branch 54 Judge Candelario Gonzales last June 14 ordered the five—Isabel Ballener, Marilou Casal, Ma. Fatima Estopa, Alexander Ponce and Marrylyn Rocima—to remain in the area pending the resolution of the civil case, which is on appeal following the dismissal of their petition in the lower court.

The judge clarified that ownership of the Mercado de Bais is not in question; it belongs to the Bais City LGU.

However, on June 18, a protest action resulted in violence when protesting vendors tried to block and prevent personnel from the City Engineers Office to implement the court order. This also resulted in injuries of certain employees including the city engineer whose head was hit by a hard object during a confrontation.

According to City Legal Officer Lloyd Elmaco they respected the order of the court to spare the five petitioners, but its unusual that these vendors are the ones restricting government in its facilities and even filed indirect contempt charges.

The city government is now contemplating on filing indirect contempt charges against those who were involved and against those who defied and refused to obey the court order. The incident was properly documented with videos and pictures.   (FREEMAN)