Distraught market stall owners seek court vs ‘unjust’ demolition at Narvacan old market

BAGUIO CITY (February 9, 2025) -- Distraught stall owners at the old Narvacan Public Market in Ilocos Sur are seeking a Writ of Preliminary Injunction and/or Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in an attempt to stop the unjust, heartless and inhumane demolition of the old public market by their municipal government.

Stall owners assert they are invoking their rights over the subjected properties where they claimed were blatantly violated by their local government wanting to completely shut down

the Old Public Market while they are also told to relocate to a new location where business seemed is slow and unbeneficial.

Starting on June 2023, the market vendors were given a notice of formal closure of the old market and they were even notified that their leases will expire on June 30 of that same year. They were told to comply to the formal closure and cease from their business operations while they claim they were not given any information regarding their occupancy at the New Farmers Market built by former Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson on March 2022.

From then on, the Narvacan LGU had refused to accept rental payments from the vendors, despite the vendors claims that "the relocation of the market vendors from the Old Narvacan Public Market to the New Narvacan Farmer's Market has not yet materialized because the 1) Farmer's Market is not yet ready for full occupation and operation and 2) it seems that the stalls has been designated to persons who were not among the vendors of the Old Narvacan Public Market."

The Narvacan Sangguniang Bayan had even passed a municipal ordinance providing for the disposition of the Old Narvacan Public Market, while vendors insisted, “the ordinance proceeded without public hearing”.

The vendors are seeking the court to grant their petition for TRO and restrain the Narvacan LGU from demolishing the market and allow the vendors to continue selling at the old market; restrain the LGU from implementing the ordinance for the disposition of the old market; restrain the COA Narvacan from recommending the non-operation of the market vendors in the Old market and their transfer to Narvacan Mall in Margaay, Narvacan; require the LGU to prioritize the vendors from the old market; require the LGU to conduct and audit of the present occupants of the new market; require the LGU to conduct a public hearing; and require the LGU to provide financial assistance to the vendors in transitioning from operating business to being without any means of livelihood in the event that they will not all be accomodated to the new market.

The issue is social justice, vowed lady lawyer Estelita Cordero, who is assisting them before the courts.