Sidewalk booth of store near Basilica drives two city officials in conflict

A courtesy booth placed on the sidewalk outside a department store near the Basilica del Santo Niño have rekindled the conflict between two of the city mayor’s men: Urban poor consultant Gerry Marquez and demolition chief Vicente Mercado.

Mercado sent three of his staff – Allan Caumeran, Julius Auguilar and Ramonito Rubia – to remove from the sidewalk the steel booth put up by the management of the department store but Marquez reportedly prevented them.

It prompted Mercado to write Mayor Tomas Osmeña to inform about the act of Marquez in scolding the people sent to remove the booth in response to complaints of the pedestrians about the structure.

Marquez countered that a certain Raymond Go of the department store also complained about Mercado’s men preventing Go from putting up of a booth in sidewalk but allowing other establishments to put up their own for displaying goods for sale on the sidewalks.

Mercado cited an instance early this year when the management of the department store put up a booth outside its establishment but had it pulled out when his men went to the area. The store put back the booth a few months ago, he said.

The conflict between these two City Hall officials have now come to worse when they traded accusations lately. Marquez accused Mercado of not doing his job resulting in the congestion of the sidewalks with vendors.

Mercado however retaliated that everytime his men conduct an anti-vendors operation, Marquez will be there to intervene.

“Kana maoy kuhai og basi nga dihang gihimoan na namo og operation ang reklamo sa mga pedestrian, naa dayon na si Marquez nga magdupa-dupa nga dili idayon ang operation,” he said.

Marquez defended that the only time he intervenes is when Mercado operates without consultation first with him and the affected vendors. “Duna may order ang mayor ana nga walay demolition kon dili mag-agi nako,” he said.

When The Freeman contacted Mayor Osmena yesterday, the mayor confirmed that he authorized Marquez to allow the management of Unitop to put up a courtesy booth outside their establishment for as long as it will not obstruct the passage of pedestrians. — Rene U. Borromeo/RAE