Market head denies taking wood from destroyed stalls

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Market Administrator Raquel Arce denied accusations she took wood from a demolished market module of the Taboan public market and placed them in a private lot in Barangay Pardo.

Taboan market vendor Edgardo Briones earlier wrote to the Market Authority headed by City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete asking him to look into the matter after he received a report that Arce is now keeping the wood in a lot near her house in Pardo.

According to Briones he was informed by Cogon-Pardo Barangay Captain Eugenio Gabuya that the lot where the wood was being kept is really owned by Arce.

But Arce denied the allegation of Briones, saying that the lot is owned by her brother who is a priest. She also said the wood that is there was not taken from the destroyed market module.

The market module which is situated beside Lakandula St. was destroyed with the approval of the Market Authority as the place will be made the main entrance of the dried fish market.

Arce said the wood actually removed from the destroyed market module is being kept at the second floor of the Taboan public market because it will be used as a temporary fence of the market.

Although she was calm while answering the charges of Briones, she admitted in a later interview that she was fuming while listening to Briones who was present when Arce was called by the City Council to explain the issue.

Briones used to occupy a stall in one of the modules in the Taboan public market, but Arce padlocked the stall because the concerned vendor used the stall as his living quarters instead of for vending.

Briones charged Arce with at least four administrative cases before the Office of the Ombudsman, but the anti-graft body dismissed them for lack of probable cause.

Councilor Richard Osmeña, vice chairman of the Committee on Markets, said despite of Arce’s denial he will have the matter investigated. 

Arce is planning to file libel charges against Briones. (FREEMAN)