Manila watchman held for collecting P500 per vendor

A barangay tanod (village watchman) was arrested by the Manila police on Saturday for illegally collecting fees from fruit vendors in Divisoria.

Members of the Manila Action and Special Assignments (Masa) office said Ricky Rosas accepted marked money from one of the 26 complainants who operated stalls on Elcano Street.

Adina Evardone and her fellow vendors lodged complaints against Rosas and a certain Michael Galang.

“Every night, Rosas would go to each of our stalls and collect P500 per vendor,” Evardone told the Inquirer, saying the racket started last year.

According to the vendor, Rosas even gave a breakdown of the amount he was asking: P100 for the “tanod fee,” P200 for “police fee” and P200 for electricity.

The vendors alleged that Rosas received instructions from Galang, who reportedly claims to be a “classmate” of Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso.

“What they are asking from us is just too much, that is why we decided to seek the help of the police,” Evardone added. Maricar B. Brizuela