ONLY Barangay Ermita officials and employees won’t receive their subsidies from Cebu City Hall, Mayor Tomas Osmeña clarified to reporters yesterday.
“I am sorry. I misquoted myself. I was only talking about Ermita,” he said.
The mayor was earlier quoted as saying that barangay workers of the city’s 80 barangays will lose their allowances unless they improve their performance.
Osmeña cited the poor performance and continued collection of P10 from sidewalk vendors at Carbon public market as the reasons for withholding the allowances of Ermita officials and employees.
He said Ermita officials should stop the collection of voluntary contribution since the barangay is not entitled to collect it.
Osmeña said the collection is tantamount to extortion.
Yesterday morning, Osmeña said there was a commotion when the tanods again tried to confiscate the goods of the vendors.
“This is not tolerable. I cannot allow this to happen in our city,” he said.
In a letter dated August 30, the City Treasurers Office (CTO) ordered the barangay officials to terminate the collection of “arkabala” or excise tax.
City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo said CTO has not deputized any official from Barangay Ermita to collect any taxes and fees due for any city-owned property.
Osmeña said should the officials refuse to heed the order, he will “file all kinds of cases” against them.
He said only the garbage loaders are exempted from the suspension of allowance since they play a vital role in the barangay.
Sought for comment, Ermita village chief Rupinta said only the court can stop the barangay from continuing its operation.
He said the collection of voluntary contribution is under a barangay ordinance.
Rupinta said he cannot do anything if Osmeña cancels their allowance.
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