By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – A block tenant at the central market here is at a loss after he received Monday a closure order from the City Legal Office.
Regin David along with his mother Susie, two siblings and some employees aired their grievance in a press conference at the Negros Press Club Tuesday afternoon.
David called the closure order as “unfair.” They have seven days from receipt of the order to vacate their spot.
He claimed that he cannot think of any violation saying that he has faithfully paid the rental dues.
“I feel that we are being singled out,” he lamented.
David said they have 11 employees, some of whom have been with them for 20 years, who will be displaced if the closure pushes through.
At this time of the pandemic how will they cope as they have families to feed, he said.
David said it is not clear to them why of all block tenants at the Bacolod Central Market, it was only their block that was ordered closed.
His mother Susie said that Block 136 together with the adjacent block 134 were leased to her father-in-law and they have been selling buttons, laces and other related products for more than 60 years.
Her father-in-law died in July 2019 and in essence her son Regin was authorized by the family to run the business.
But Block 134 was “taken over” by a niece last year under what she claimed as questionable circumstances.
She added the niece reportedly has a “connection” at the city hall.
David said that they were made to vacate Block 134 by his cousin allegedly with help from city hall employees.
They filed a P3.5-million robbery charge against his cousin.
As for Block 136, David said he started processing their business permit in 2019. But he was told by the City Legal Office to keep his documents in the meantime.
David said he also paid their business permit arrears of two years (2018 and 2019) which they incurred before his grandfather’s death.
He said the City Treasurer’ Office accepted the payment and issued the corresponding receipts. However, the payment was later returned to him and the receipt cancelled.
He said he doesn’t know the reason for the move.
David said he has written to Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia about his case which was referred to the concerned committee in charge. He was informed that he was unqualified to rent the block, but no reason was given.
David said that if his cousin was given permit for Block 136, why would he be denied as both of them were grandchildren of the original tenant
He added that he presented documents from their family that authorizes him to acquire a business permit.
“All we are asking is fairness,” David said.
He said he has exhausted all avenues to air his grievance and his last resort is the media.
His mother Susie added that Bacolod was recently recognized as a business-friendly business city, but how come they were being “singled out.”
She said they are also aware that there are block owners who owe the city millions of pesos in arrears but are still running their businesses at the central market.
“Why us when we have been religiously paying our dues?” she asked.
