Pawnshop owner says: Politics behind closure

CEBU, Philippines — “It’s politically motivated.”

This was how Diogenes Avila, owner of Jerome’s Pawnshop and General Merchandise, described the move of the Cebu City government to close nine of its branches in the city last Friday.

Avila said his sister-in-law, who is a barangay captain allied with the opposition party, reportedly did not heed the request of Mayor Tomas Osmeña to join the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan last December.

“Unya, wala man nibali akong sister-in-law maong obvious na para nako nga pamolitika gyud ni. Pait kaayo kay naigo ko,” Avila told The FREEMAN.

Avila said this would be one of the reasons why his establishments were ordered closed.

But, for the Cebu City government, the nine branches were ordered closed because of allegedly failing to comply with requirements of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Without denying the incident, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the city received a complaint that the pawnshop did not release a pawned item which was reportedly stolen.

“The turning point that the complainant said he could not recover his stolen cell unless he paid for it. It means that the pawnshop was a place where you can sell stolen cellphones,” he told The FREEMAN.

“There are so many thefts and robberies of cellphones and I'm fighting to make it harder for thieves and robbers,” he added.

It was last March 8 when the city’s Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (Probe) padlocked the nine branches of Jerome’s Pawnshop and General Merchandise.

Avila said these branches are located in Junquera, Lahug, Talamban, Pasil, Basak San Nicolas, Calamba, Sanciangko, and Labangon.

He said he wondered why the city government would not release his final mayor’s permit when he already complied with all the requirements, stressing that he has never been a delinquent tax payer.

Avila admitted that it was difficult for him, through his staff, to comply with all the “unfriendly requirements” of the BSP.

“Ingon ani man gud ni. Ang among application sa Central Bank kay wala gyud ma aprobahan tungod wala pa mi’y final mayor’s permit. Unya ingon pod mi sa city nga dili sila mohatag og final mayor’s permit kay wala mi permit sa Central Bank,” he said.

Avila expressed his dismay over the tedious bureaucratic processes that end up sacrificing his business, adding that he is hoping that all government offices should discuss their permits to ensure that it would assist businessmen in the city.

Since Friday, he said at least 60 personnel have not reported for duty because of the closure of the establishments.

Even with the closure, he assured that all the items being pawned in their establishments are well-kept and secured until they will be re-opened again.

City Attorney Joseph Bernaldez said the pawnshop reportedly failed to comply with BSP rules, citing one of which is that it operates over 10 branches under a single proprietorship.

Bernaldez also said that the management has also failed to submit maintenance or record and reporting of obligation.

“Once they will comply with BSP rules, they can operate again,” he added. — GAN (FREEMAN)