Estrada gives Divisoria vendors holiday reprieve

BUDGET shoppers and sidewalk vendors take over the main road in Divisoria, Manila, as vehicles are relegated to side streets. Tired of “anarchy” in the popular shopping center, Mayor Joseph Estrada has ordered the city police’s SWAT unit to reinforce the task force in charge of maintaining order in the area. RICHARD A. REYES

A DAY after he vowed to “use full force to manage vendors [and] traffic” to restore order in Divisoria, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada showed up at the popular bargain shopping destination on Tuesday to supposedly made good on his word.

Surrounded by members of the city police’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, Estrada walked on Soler Street which had been cleared of obstructions earlier in the day by Task Force Organized Vending personnel.

However, he did not issue stern warnings to sidewalk vendors or order their forcible removal. Instead, Estrada, who is running for reelection next year, shook hands with passersby.

“As leeway, we will allow the vendors to [go outside] the designated [vending area] until after the New Year celebration because they need to earn [money] this Christmas season,” he told reporters.

“After that, we will shut down the stalls of anyone who will defy our rules,” he said.

The other day, a statement from the Manila City Hall said that Estrada had ordered a crackdown on “anarchy” in Divisoria which he declared a discipline zone.

According to the statement, over 2,000 people, including the Manila Police District’s elite police force, were being deployed to solve the perennial problems in the area such as heavy traffic, sidewalk vendors and criminals preying on buyers as well as policemen coddling illegal vendors.

Task Force head Ver Eustaquio, clarified, however, that the SWAT unit would serve as reinforcements but would not take the lead in restoring order to the area.

He said that Estrada had also ordered them to sustain clearing operations in the area.