Sidewalk vendors accuse city official, 5 personnel of abuses

Some sidewalk vendors have filed complaints against a City Hall official and five other city personnel for alleged graft and corruption.

The complainants did not identify themselves but said they are vendors, using pushcarts as their rolling stores, but Mayor Tomas Osmeña had already ordered City Hall Ombudsman Orlando Secretario to investigate the allegations.

The respondents are urban poor consultant Gerry Marquez, head of the so-called mayor’s squad, and five City Hall personnel namely Benjamin Lopez, Cesar Gelig, Salvador Geraldizo, Joselito Blanco and Gerry Labares.

The vendors accused the group of Marquez of apprehending them and accepting their fines but there were no receipts issued for such payments.

They also alleged that Marquez has been unfair in apprehending vendors because some of them, who have been using pushcarts also, were spared.

They further questioned the wearing of SPEED uniforms of the five City Hall personnel, who often accompany Marquez, even if they are no longer connected with SPEED under Vicente Mercado.

Marquez, upon learning of the complaints, just described the complaint as mere harassment that was intended to discourage him from conducting further operations against the vendors who have been obstructing roads and sidewalks.

Marquez also presented photocopies of issued receipts to prove that the fines paid by the apprehended vendors were remitted to the city treasurer’s office.

Marquez further explained that the five personnel have been detailed to him, upon orders of the mayor, but they remain members of SPEED. — Rene U. Borromeo/RAE