By LITO RULONA Correspondent WHAT was supposed to be a simple road-clearing operation turned ugly when two ambulant vendors decided to fight it out with traffic enforcers on Yacapin-Daomar Streets near Cogon market on Sunday afternoon. Police arrested Abraham Pansar, 25, and Alinador Ampong Sarana, 23, who live near the market. Witnesses pointed to the two as the ones allegedly responsible for lobbing rocks at a team from the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA). Several traffic aides were hurt, and the windshield of a towing truck was shattered. Traffic enforcer Adrian Paul Durante, 35, a resident of Vamenta Boulevard, Barangay Carmen, this city, suffered a cut and a swollen back, and was rushed to Northern Mindanao Medical Center. Cogon market area RTA assistant supervisor Cris Cabinggas said they were conducting a clearing operation around the market in preparation for the coming holidays. “We first (gave) a warning to the vendors in the early hours. When we came back, there was no negative response from the ambulant vendors, and so we went ahead with the actual clearing operations,” he said. However, upon reaching near National Bookstore area, several vendors rushed toward them, and started throwing rocks and other hard objects at the RTA. “Nabuak dayun among samin tungod adto nga panghitabo,” he said. Cabinggas said around 20 ambulant vendors, armed with rocks and hard objects, started chasing traffic enforcers who implemented the clearing operations, prompting them to seek the help of the Cogon police. “Napuwersa kami paggukod sa ila mao nga nakadakop kami og duha ka vendors,” he said. Cabinggas said other vendors were yelling at them, saying they opposed the clearing operation. “Bisan gani mga babaye nga vendors gapamunal na kanamo,” he said. Pansar, a shoe vendor, denied that he was responsible for the attack on the RTA. “Tinuod nga uban kami sa group pero dili kami ang nangbato sa RTA. Nakita kami nga dili kami, igo lang mi gidakop,” he said. He said he was there just to show support to the vendors who were allegedly being harassed by the RTA enforcers. Pansar said he would seek help from the Office of the Muslim Affairs. “Igo ra man kami nagtabang og panghipos pero gidakop man kami,” he said.