Netizens criticize PROBE over “unruly” dispersal

CEBU, Philippines — Members of the Cebu City’s Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team got the ire of netizens after a photo showing damaged goods were scattered on the road during a clearing operation went viral.

A certain Cheng Sabellaga Gines posted on her Facebook account on April 19 at 6 p.m. her photo which was taken along Colon Street, Cebu City.

“I'm not complaining with those government officers because they are just doing their job, but my only concern is dapat unta na estoryaan silag (street vendors) tarong, right?” she said in her Facebook post.

The photo, which got 35,000 reactions, 51 comments, and 19,000 shares as of 12 noon yesterday, also showed that eggs locally known as “penoy” were scattered on the road.

Gines said she saw how the demolition team talked and pointed fingers to the vendors.

“Ang baligya intawn sayang kaayo mahalin paman ta na. Kahibaw naman jod sila daan in the first place nga dakponon jod sila pero kay lagi need jod kaayo manginabuhi. Yes they can pay pero ayaw anaa pagdakop mura mog si kinsang mga tawhana oy,” reads portion of her post.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the incident is “really sad” but the public should understand that these street vendors are “repeat offenders.”

He said the city government should decide if it will allow street vendors or not.

If the city decides in favor of the vendors, Osmeña said it will be a precedent to invite vendors from the province to go to the city and do street trading.

PROBE Head Raquel Arce, for her part, also issued a statement on her Facebook account disputing that the damaged goods were intentionally done by the team.

Arce said the five-member PROBE team implemented the clearing operation along Colon Street, which is one of the busiest streets of the city.

“Ang atong PROBE team nagpahigayon sa ilang clearing sa mga kadalan sa Colon ug sa dihang nakita nila ang dili mominus sa 11 ka vendors naglinya ug mi ocopar ug usa ka lane sa dalan Colon,” she said.

Since the vendors saw that they have more manpower compared to that of the demolition team, Arce said the vendors reportedly resisted arrest and other vendors were able to elude the operation.

“Kining sa picture, nahitabo dihang ang operative nga nagkupot ug duha ka rolling cart gisuklan sa duha ka vendor pinaagi sa pagbira sa ilang mga pushcarts ug wala buhie sa operative ang iyang gikuptan ug nahuwad kini,” she said.

Arce defended the clearing team that they were just doing their job and that they did not intend to damage the goods of the vendors who are reportedly habitual offenders.

She added that there are some vendors that will intentionally throw their products and goods to evade arrest since they already know that they will not recover their goods once they will be arrested thrice.

“Wala ta magkuwang sa pahimangno ani. Rekoreda, meetings ug seminar sa mga vendors ato kining gihimo apan naay uban nga gusto gyud mamintaha,” she said.

Arce hoped that the public will not easily pass judgment against the clearing team who were just doing their job to restore the road for public and traffic use, stressing that streets and roads are beyond the commerce of man. (FREEMAN)