- Advertisement -

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

COUNCILOR Zaldy Ocon yesterday said he would ask the city council to summon Task Force Hapsay Dalan chairman Jose Edgardo Uy, and Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) officials as it looks into city hall’s crackdown on illegal sidewalk vendors around Cogon market.

- Advertisement -

Ocon, who is acting mayor, said he would bring the concern to the attention of the city’s legislature when it meets for the first time this year on Friday.

Earlier, Councilor Leon Gan lashed at Uy and the RTA over the way the road and sidewalk clearing operations were carried out, saying it looked to him like the RTA launched the crackdown to avenge the Dec. 30, 2016 shooting death of RTA team leader Cris Cabingas near Cogon market. Gan called the RTA operations “inhumane.”

Ocon said he and other councilors want to know who gave the order for the RTA to conduct the clearing operations around Cogon market last week.

He said RTA chief Nonito Oclarit would have to be summoned, too, so he could help shed light on the RTA operations.

On Wednesday afternoon, Uy and RTA officials led traffic aides and the members of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) in carrying out the biggest road clearing operations the city has ever seen in years, seizing tons of merchandise and obstructions, mostly illegal structures set up by sidewalk vendors.

Ocon said that at first glance, Uy and RTA officials merely followed what was provided for in City Ordinance 9841 that disallowed the use of sidewalks and roads by vendors.

But Ocon said there is another city law (Ordinance 9836-2005) that provides that before any road or sidewalk clearing operation, law enforcers would need to inform first the City Mayor’s Office or the city council.

Ocon said he was serving as acting mayor the day the clearing operations were carried out but he was unaware of it.

“Nahitabo naman kini. Manghinaut kita nga dili na unta kini mahitabo. Duna unta sila’y pagpahibalo sa buhatan sa mayor og kini moabot nga inpormasyon ngadto kang Mayor Oscar Moreno,” Ocon said.

Ocon said the RTA should have informed the vendors two or three days before it launched the crackdown.

“Wala untay mga pagsaway nga atong nadawat kung ila kining gihimo nga mass information on targeted areas. Wala ma-inform og medyo gubot maayo na lamang kay naa atong mga kapolisan,” he said.

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -