‘Follow time rule’

Nacaya defends traffic enforcer in viral video, urges vendors to abide by rules in public market

City Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya is urging market vendors to stick to the 7pm to 4am schedule of displaying their products on the sidewalks, otherwise face the risk of getting arrested.

Nacaya, chairman of the City Economic Enterprise Department (CEED), the office that oversees the city’s markets, said this when asked for a comment of a viral post in social media that shows a vendor’s dried fish products thrown at the streets while the traffic enforcers apprehended the vendor.

In the post of Joy Joy Borres Ebrona, market goers helped picked up the dried fish which fell on the streets last Sunday. The post now has over 300 shares.

“Murag gikumot akong kasing-kasing pagkakita ani... So unsa mangawat nalang mi para di nami ma ingon ani... Si kuya namaligya ra tawon sa tarong nga pamaagi..” the post reads.

Vendor Mark Gomera was arrested immediately after the commotion.

A police report says that Gomera tried to hit the traffic personnel with a wood after being confronted.

But the urban poor group

Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) in Northern Mindanao said this has always been the usual scenario in public markets here.

Kadamay chairperson Francisco Pagayaman urged vendors to document these abuses and also called on the city officials to treat the vendors with respect and zero violence.

“Hide and seek nalang man gyud ang sistema diha ug nahimo na ning normal kay wala may mahimo ang vendors,” he added.

Councilor Nacaya meanwhile said the only way to avoid getting arrested is to stick with rules set in the market, as law enforcers will always do their job.

“Palihug pag-tuman sa atong panagsabot-sabot nga panahon sa adlawan, ang dalan para sa stall holders ug motorists like drivers of jeepney, taxi, private vehicles nga nanginabuhi pod,” Nacaya added.