BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The head of a group of vendors wants to drop the case they filed against the city government over the redevelopment of the Iloilo Central Market.
Rex J. Donasco, president the Association of Stall Owners and Transient Vendors of Iloilo City Public Market, Inc., wrote a letter to Mayor Jerry Treñas informing the latter of this desire.
“I wish you to know that I no longer attend on the case…to be ultimately dismissed,” read Donasco’s one-page letter dated March 22, 2024.
Donasco’s group opposed the 25-year lease agreement between SM Prime and the city government. It asked the court to declare null and void the two resolutions passed by the Iloilo City Council issued for the lease agreement relative to the redevelopment of the Iloilo Central Market and Iloilo Terminal Market.
In 2022, Judge Victorino Oliveros Maniba Jr. of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 39, denied the vendors’ application for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO).
The judge held the petitioners failed to establish “meritorious ground” to convince the court to issue the TRO and/or preliminary injunction in their favor.
In denying the application for a restraining order, Judge Maniba stressed the courts should avoid issuing a writ of preliminary injunction which, in effect, would dispose of the main case without trial.
In this case, it is evident that the only ground relied upon for injunction relief was the alleged patent nullity of the ordinance, the judge said.
Assistant City Legal Officer Joseph Edward Areño advised Donasco to file a motion to dismiss in court and attach in his pleading letter withdrawing the petition.
In his letter, Donasco appealed to Treñas to give him “humanitarian and benevolent” consideration and accept his heartfelt apology “for being on the wrong side of the tracks when this Iloilo Central issue came out and seriously affected our friendship.”
“Until now I treasure the time when I was your loyal supporter and remember moments of going to your office and being welcomed anytime that I wished to see or visit (you). I deeply regret my decision to file a case,” said Donasco.
He also informed Treñas of his resignation as president of the vendors’ group.
“Hoping that you will understand my decision and my wish to become your loyal supporter and close friend again,” said Donasco.
He added: “If this will reunite our friendship please allow me to visit you personally in your office to happily shake your hands again, which I did miss for quite a long time.”/PN