Talisay tells private market to comply with court order

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City administrator Richel Bacaltos has warned the management of Nacario Trade Center (NTC) to comply with the court order, otherwise its application for occupancy permit would be compromised.

“We are asking the Nacario Trade Center management to cooperate because if reports are true that it still allows products like meat, rice, vegetables and those stated prohibited by the court to be sold, then city hall may not issue an occupancy permit to them,” Bacaltos said.

Bacaltos’s statement came following reports that despite the order issued by Regional Trial Court branch 7 judge Estela Alma Singco last February 15, there were still stalls in NTC that are selling vegetables, fruits, rice and corn, canned goods, noodles, dried fish, eggs and other poultry products.

Singco ordered the stalls selling these products closed in response to the manifestation made by the city government that these directly compete with those found in the Lagtang Public Market.

The NTC management had however issued a memorandum to all the stalls ordering the same, but according to some market-goers they could still buy such products such as meat and other products at NTC, especially during the early mornings.

“Pwede ra man ka makapalit, mosuong lang ka anang sin nga gisira nila sa mga stall. Naa ra gihapon na sila diha labi na sayo pa sa buntag kanang wap-ay taga city hall,” said a buyer who refused to be named.

This buyer also said some of these vendors allegedly hide in some corners of NTC to avoid inspectors.

Bacaltos said city hall may make another inspection very soon, and if it is found out that NTC allows these stalls to operate, city hall will not approve its application for occupancy permit.     An occupancy permit is a pre-requisite to business permit, which the NTC, which has been in operation for many years, still does not have.

The city administrator also warned NTC that even if city hall has already issued a business permit for it, if ever it finds any violation to what has already been agreed upon, it can right away revoke the permit.

The city government has strengthened its campaign in promoting the new Lagtang Public Market following complaints from tenants that their sales are still not picking up, and they blame the presence of NTC, a private market.

After noticing that the private market still lacks a business permit, Mayor Socrates Fernandez last November issued a cease and desist order on its operation.

But the NTC management was quick to get a temporary restraining order from the court, but it was also from its civil case filed before Singco’s sala that the city government was able to get a favorable order, which is the closure of those earlier mentioned stalls. (FREEMAN)