SOME 11 vendors of the Chocolate Hills were allegedly arrested for unknown reasons, former municipal councilor Angilita “Lilet” Toribio Abundo, twin sister of Carmen Mayor Conchita “Che-che” Toribio delos Reyes, said in an interview at the Hall of Justice in Tagbilaran City.
Abundo, president of the vendors group, confirmed this when visited at the Hall of Justice, Tagbilaran City, where they were brought there to face charges against them.
But Mayor Delos Reyes denied this and accused the vendors of vending illegally.
Abundo said that while they were displaying last Friday their goods for tourists at the Choco hills complex, Mayor Delos Reyes, accompanied by civilian workers and police force “forcibly” evicted them for what seemed to be violation of no selling by small-time vendors. And exchange of words between the mayor’s group and the vendors ensued and later on caused a commotion.
The alleged commotion at the Choco Hills complex with the presence of Mayor Delos Reyes is posted in a video in facebook account of Cherielyn Amancio Hermoso. It went viral with 606 likes, 1.5 thousand views and another 1.5 thousand comments.
In a phone interview, Mayor Delos Reyes said that it was the vendors who caused disorder, saying “dokdokon ang mga traffic enforcers.”
She told this paper in phone interview that she was yelled upon by the vendors, whose displays in a make-shift tents are seemed to be eyesore for the tourists.
When asked if the vendors are violating a local law, the mayor said in the positive, aside from they have no mayor’s permit to do vending at the complex.
But Abundo retorted that the said municipal ordinance allegedly prohibiting the vendors from selling at the complex is not yet final and executory.
She explained that as former SB member the said ordinance has not yet been approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which has the authority to review municipal ordinances prior to publication of the same.
The 11 persons were brought to the hall of justice for an “inquest” at past 12 a.m. of Saturday), according to Abundo.
She said that the “arrested” vendors were scared and one child who is still breastfed did not leave his mother as he kept on crying when the mother was brought to the city.
Other vendors interviewed said that they had to slept in a cement floor overnight at the justice hall while waiting for their “inquest” proceeding for alleged “direct assault” complaint filed by the mayor.
Only they were told that it is Saturday and no office and no prosecutor holds office on said day.
In an ocular visit, there were policemen present as if guarding them at the hall of justice.
Then, a little later (yesterday), Atty. Renato Renegado said to be connected with Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) arrived at the hall of justice and assisted the vendors.
The Choco Hills complex is owned by the provincial government of Bohol but managed by the municipal government of Carmen under the Memorandum of Agreement. The provincial government get 30% share from the net income and the rest for the Carmen town. (rvo)
