CH orders cops: Arrest Ermita tax collectors

The Cebu City government has directed the police to arrest the barangay tax collectors of Ermita who will continue to collect P10 market fee from the vendors at the Carbon Market.

It was agreed by the officials of City Hall during a meeting yesterday that the continued collection by the barangay from market vendors is illegal and is tantamount to robbery.

Executive Assistant Francisco Fernandez said the members of Carbon Police Station are directed to arrest anyone caught doing the illegal act.

“Granting that valid ang barangay ordinance, illegal ang implementation on many grounds," Fernandez said.

He cited three grounds on the illegality of the barangay ordinance of Ermita — the payment of the collection fee should be made voluntary but was not followed by the collector; collectors do not issue official receipts to vendors; collectors were not bonded personnel of the barangay.

The meeting yesterday was attended by the officials of City Markets Authority, City Legal Office, City Treasurer's Office, and Councilor David Tumulak.

"In effect, robbery ilang gibuhat. Mo-file ta og robbery against barangay officials nga nanugo and collectors nga maoy nag-implement sa sugo," Fernandez said.

He said the barangay has no authority to demolish stalls of vendors who will refuse to pay P10.

Fernandez said the barangay also has no jurisdiction over the city-owned market, saying it is under the City Market Authority's jurisdiction.

Fernandez requested the barangay to stop the collection to avoid arrest. Sought for comment, Ermita Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta said the eight collectors of the barangay will continue to collect even with the city's plan to arrest them.

Rupinta said there should be a document that would be presented before arresting his personnel, whom he said are "bonded" personnel of the barangay.

"Padayunon gihapon ang pagkolekta kay mao man na ang among income," he said, adding that the collection will be used to pay the honoraria of barangay workers who will clean the market's canals, among other areas of the barangay.

Rupinta denied that the barangay has no receipts to vendors when they collect "voluntary" payments from the vendors. He claimed that the barangay has sought approval from Bureau of Internal Revenue to issue "tickets" to vendors who will pay voluntarily.

"Dili nipinugos amoa. Naay 4,000 na ang vendors diha kada adlaw. Makolekta namo P40,000 unta kay tag P10 man. Among makuha ana ten to fifteen thousand pesos ra man so di gyud na pinugsanay," he said.

Rupinta also welcomes the plan of the city government to file robbery case against them because he believes that the court has better interpretation of the law.

Rupinta said only a court order can stop the barangay from collecting fees from the vendors.

Last week, a commotion happened at the Carbon Market when vendors refused to pay the P10 as ordered by the market authority.