Around 50 Manila vendors and hawkers led by Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) Manila and the United Vendors Alliance (UVA) launched a protest rally on March 15 morning at the Manila Police District (MPD) General Headquarters. They decried ‘kotong cops’ from the MPD that have been extorting money from them.
“Masyado nang matagal itong nangyayari. Sobra na ang ginagawa nilang pamemerwisyo natin. Kapag hindi tayo magbibigay, kukunin nila ang ating panininda [This has gone on too long. They have been excessively pestering us. If we don’t give them money, they will confiscate our wares],” said a vendor identified as James.
Vendors said these policemen demand P100 to P200 as ‘protection money.’ Vendors identified cops along T.M Kalaw and in Ermita involved in the extortion activities against the vendors.
“Tayo ay nagsusumikap para kumita, bakit tayo inaapi? Ang daming kriminal diyan, bakit hindi iyon yung trabaho nila ‘yung atupagin nila? [We strive hard to earn, why do they harass us? There are many criminals out there, why don’t they go after them, attend to their jobs?],” said James.
KADAMAY Manila and UVA identified and named seven (7) ‘kotong cops.’ They brought photos and video footage evidences to show to the media and to MPD Director Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel the cops in the act of extortion or confiscating or destroying the wares of the vendors.
Chief Supt. Coronel invited the protesting vendors to a dialogue. After an hourlong meeting, the police chief said relieved the 5 cops from MPD Precinct 5 due to the seriousness of the allegations as preliminary preventive measures.
A police memorandum released the same day ordered the seven (7) cops to report that day at 1pm “to avail the due process of the foregoing investigation.” Memo mentioned the ‘kotong’ or robbery extortion case laid against the cops, asking for P50 to P100 from the illegal vendors they apprehend.
A vendor’s hard life
“Galing po kami sa Mindanao, pumunta sa Maynila para makipagsapalaran. Sa kasamaang palad, wala pong tumanggap sa amin sa trabaho kaya napilitan kaming mag-vendor. Awa ng Diyos, nakuha naman namin ‘yung ikabubuhay namin. Nakipagsapalaran na lang po kami sa bangketa. Bakit po ba kami nila pinapaalis at pinagbabawal? [We come from Mindanao, we went to Manila to try our luck. Unfortunately, we were not accepted in any jobs so we were forced to become vendors. By God’s mercy, we were able to earn enough to live. We try our luck in the sidewalks. Why do they push us away and prohibit us from selling?],” said James.
“Iyong mga nakakapagtrabaho po sa mga kumpanya, ‘yun lamang pong nakapagtapos. Kami pong mga hayskul lang inabot, hanggang paninilbihan lang po, bilang bodegero o anumang trabahong mabibigat sa katawan. Sa kaliitan ng sahod sa ganoon, napilitan po kaming maging vendor. Mas nasasapatan na po kami sa kinikita namin ngayon. [Those who were able to work in companies, those who were able to finish their schooling. People like us who reached high school only, we get jobs of servitude, or as warehousemen or other backbreaking work. Due the very low wages of those jobs, we were forced to become vendors. We think our earning as vendors were able to meet our needs],” James related.
“Sana lang kung tulungan na lang nila yung mga tulad naming kumikita sa bangketa, bigyan ng konting oportunidad na maayos. Kung papaalisin nila kami, paano naman po kami? Paano po yung pamilya namin? Parang gobyerno na po ‘yung nagtulak sa aming humawak ng armas, lumaban sa gobyerno. [Why don’t they just help vendors like us who could only make a living in the sidewalks, give us some good opportunity. If they evict us, what would happen to us? How about our families? It is like it’s the government itself that pushed us to take up arms, fight government.]” continued James.
“Ayaw sana naming gawin ‘yon. Naniniwala kami kay Duterte na nasa puso niya kaming mahihirap [We would not want to do that. We believed that Duterte has the poor in his heart],” mused James.
James said they contribute to the coffers of the city and are responsible citizens.
“Sa totoo lang nagbabayad kami ng buwis. Nagbabayad kami sa City Hall ng bente pesos araw-araw. Iyan pong mga paninda namin na binibili sa grocery, may buwis na iyan. Nagbabayad kami ng buwis, hindi kami panggulo lang sa gobyerno [In truth, we pay taxes. We pay the City Hall 20 pesos daily. The wares we sell, we buy from the grocery, those are already laid with taxes. We pay taxes, we are not nuisances to the government],” shared James.
“Hindi rin kami eyesore. Kami rin nga iyong naglilinis ng paligid ng mga pinagtitindahan namin [We are not also eyesores. We clean the surroundings of where we sell],” added James.
“Mula alas otso ng umaga nagtitinda na kami sa Luneta, magliligpit kami mga alas singko kasi wala nang tao. Kikita kami ng halos 700 piso, pero mababawasan pa ng 20 piso na hawker’s ticket ng city hall tapos ‘yung iba iba pang naghihingi diyan aabot sa 200 piso. Ang matitira sa buong araw na pinaghirapan namin ay nasa 400 piso na lang [From 8am we sell at Luneta, we willpack up at 5pm because there would be no park goers there anymore. We would earn around 700 pesos, less than 20 pesos hwaker’s ticket of the city hall then those who extort money from us would reach to 200 pesos. What is left to us is around 400 pesos],” said James.
The current minimum wage stands at 491 pesos ($ 9.82) for non-agriculture workers in Metro Manila in Metro Manila. Workers in retail, service, manufacturing and agriculture establishments in Metro Manila earn less, their minimum wage at 454 pesos ($ 9.08).
Clean your ranks
Manila vendors in their protest also challenged Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Bato Dela Rosa and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada to realize their anti-corruption drives by cleaning their own ranks and the city of corrupt or abusive lawmen.
The following day, vendors filed individual complaints filed in the Manila Police District’s General Assignment and Investigation Section against SPO2 Marvin Velasquez, SPO2 Romel Santos Alfaro, PO3 John Gaviola David, PO3 Leo de Jose, PO2 Romeo Rosini Jr., PO1 Ronnie Boy Alonzo, and PO1 James Paul Cruz.
