Mayor says abusive SPEED men will be axed

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama assured the public that he will not hesitate to terminate any member of the Squatters Prevention Encroachment Elimination Division (SPEED) once he is found guilty of extorting food and money from street vendors.

He also encouraged the concerned vendors who were allegedly victimized by abusive members of SPEED to come into the open in order to strengthen the case against them.

“Dili na mahimo uy kay kita gani mamayad man bisan og dili pa ta mangaon. Sigi tug-ani mi og kinsa na sila,” Rama encouraged the vendors.

Rama said SPEED chief Noel Artes should immediately look into the matter.

Artes himself assured to protect the vendors should they choose to cooperate in the investigation. The vendors are reportedly not coming out for fear that the SPEED personnel will get back at them.

A sidewalk vendor told The FREEMAN that some “new faces” of SPEED had approached her and asked for food. “Mangaon mi mother,” she quoted them. However, after eating and drinking, the group reportedly simply said, “Salamat kaayo mother” and did not leave any money as payment.

“Mas daku pa man gud hinuon ang among mabayran sa multa kay P500 man ang multa kon imbargohon nila ang among push carts,” another vendor said.

Rama advised the vendors not to give money to SPEED because the same will not help if they would be subjected to clearing operations.

From only 40 members, SPEED got 70 personnel more because of its massive clearing operations of creeks. The 110 members, mostly “job order” employees, were divided into 10 teams.

Aside from asking for food, The FREEMAN also learned that some abusive SPEED members are demanding P50 up to P100 from the vendors allegedly as a form of bribe money to City Hall officials so that the vendors would be spared from clearing operations. — (FREEMAN)