Two police officials sacked over vendors

A Manila police colonel and a major were relieved from their posts yesterday for their apparent failure to stop the proliferation of sidewalk vendors along Blumentritt street in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Ordered relieved were Superintendent Angelito Santamina, chief of the Western Police District (WPD)-Station 3 and his subordinate Chief Inspector Ferdinand Quirante, head of the Blumentritt Police Community Precinct.

The two police officials were given 72 hours to explain why they should not be charged administratively for failure to implement the city’s government anti-illegal vendor program.

WPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong relieved Santamina and Quirante on orders of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, who said the two failed to implement the city government’s policy against illegal vendors.

Atienza and other city officials conducted a surprise inspection along Blumentritt yesterday morning. Atienza’s group were also caught up in a traffic jam in the area during the inspection.

The mayor got irked when he saw hundreds of illegal vendors along the street, blocking the flow of vehicles.

Blumentritt serves as a vital artery for passenger jeepneys going to Retiro, Frisco and other areas in Quezon City.

Officials said vendors along the street violate the organized vending program of the city government. The programs has yet to be implemented in Blumentritt due to strong opposition from vendors, who have been in the area for more than two decades now.

Under the organized vending program, legitimate vendors are given uniform stalls in certain areas of Manila.

Bulaong ordered the relief of the two officials following a verbal order from the local chief executive.

"May lapses sila, pasensiya sila. They were supposed to implement programs and policies of the city government," Bulaong said.

For his part, Santamina said they have been implementing the local government’s programs, but the vendors have been very defiant.

"In morning, we conducted a clean-up drive but after we left, the vendors returned. So when the mayor arrived, vendors were on the street," he explained.

Santamina said barangay officials should help policemen in clearing the streets of illegal vendors, who outnumber law enforcers. – Cecille Suerte Felipe