City official denies favoring Sto. Niño vendors president

CEBU - Cebu City administrator Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez denied allegations that he is giving undue advantage to the president of the Sto. Niño Sidewalk Vendors Association by allowing him to have a big vending space.

Fernandez, however, confirmed that Haide “Basan” Amora is occupying two of the concrete stalls behind the Basilica del Santo Niño.

Fernandez said he would try to verify from the original list of occupants that was made in 2001 when Mayor Tomas Osmeña allowed the Sto. Niño vendors to use the stalls free of rent for a period of three years.

Fernandez was still the mayor’s consultant for urban poor matters when the concrete stalls were donated to the city by the Young Builders Corporation in 2001. But he said he would secure such documents through urban poor consultant Gerry Marquez.

Amora insists only one of the stalls is his, the other, he said, is occupied by his daughter.

Amora’s sister, Merlinda Batiller, criticized Marquez for not implementing the order of Mayor Tomas Osmeña prohibiting her elder brother from occupying another vending space aside from one in the concrete stall.

Marquez earlier explained that the reason why he failed to do it because he was prevented by Fernandez.

“Unsa may akong mahimo nga labaw man og ranggo nako si Bimbo nga miingon nga ayaw usa,” Marquez said.

But Batiller and some other vendors doubt the veracity of the statement of Marquez, saying that while it is true that he was instructed by Fernandez to defer the implementation of the mayor’s order, Fernandez is not above the mayor.

Batiller is not in good terms with her brother because while Amora has a big vending space, he allegedly gives little vending space to his members.   — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)