Private owners take over San Miguel public market

By Erly C. Garcia

Hundreds of market vendors at the San Miguel public market have temporarily occupied the town's public plaza after the owners of the land where the market stands took possession of the property by virtue of a writ of execution issued by the Supreme Court.

Mayor Gregorio Villarico ordered the vendors to occupy the public plaza after he failed to convince heirs Nelida and Simplicia Medina, both retired judges, to let the vendors stay for some time while the municipal government are still working on the expropriation proceedings.

Nelida Medina said , they have long been waiting for the municipal government to act on the matter but “they simply ignored us, now that the court decision is out we are merely following the order.”

About 80 per cent of the San Miguel public market stands on the lot owned by the late spouses Francisco and Vicenta Medina. The property also includes portions of the Salvilla and Montaño Streets that surround the public market.

Medina said they had offered the 5,800 square meters property to the municipal government for 200 pesos per square meter but it seems the municipality has no interest in buying the lot.

“Since the time of Mayor Avito Saclauso we were very open for settlement but they did not mind us,” Medina said.

It was learned that the previous Sangguniang Bayan of San Miguel filed expropriation proceedings but was denied because of some technicality.

Two sheriffs yesterday came to take possession of the property. The lot claimed by the Medinas was enclosed with barbed wires and the vendors booted out of the market premises.

Medina said, “ enough time has been given to the municipal government, it is now their problem on what to do with the vendors.”

Provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada , who was sent by Gov. Niel Tupas Sr., said the provincial government is working out on a possible legal remedy to the problem. He said the governor has tasked provincial legal officer Salvador Cabaluna to take action on the matter.