‘Ermita tanods are not in control of market’

Does Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña have reasons to order the demolition of seven Barangay Ermita outposts at the Carbon public market other than alleged encroachment?

In an interview, the mayor said the structures may have given the tanods of Ermita a false sense of authority over the area.

“The tanods are really becoming the threat. They are part of the problem, not the solution. Don’t forget that under (Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta) Imok, suspected drug lord (Rowen Secretaria) Yawa prospered and became the biggest drug lord in Central Visayas. He (Rupinta) has been suspended, he is a classic example of narcopolitics,” Osmeña said.

“Where do you see tanods executing prisoners? Never in the history of Cebu and I’ve heard that’s not the first time. They are extorting money from the vendors, which is another central issue for them to make money,” he said.

On orders of the mayor, a City Hall team began demolishing the alleged illegal structures last Friday.

In an earlier interview, Rupinta said he remains hopeful the City will heed their appeal to spare their outposts from being cleared.

But Osmeña stood pat that the clearing order will push through. He said officials of Ermita will not be allowed to replace the outposts, not even tables and chairs.

“I will not allow the tanods to operate there, period. Tables and chairs can remain, not the tanods. If the tanods will use the tables and chairs, I will remove it. They can be moving, whatever it is, but we will not allow them to establish themselves and create a situation that they are in control of the area because they are not,” he said.

Although he would have given Rupinta yesterday time to say his piece on the issue, the mayor clarified that this does not mean he is granting Ermita its request to stop the demolition.

The village chief, though, was a no show at the City Hall yesterday. Several calls were made by SunStar Cebu to Rupinta, but got no response.

Osmeña said he does not trust the officials and personnel of the barangay, which was among the reasons he cut off the P4,000 monthly allowances of the tanods and lupon g tagapamayapa of Ermita last August. /