Progressive groups in Panay Island condemned the Iloilo City local government for violently evicting bolanteros (street vendors) from the Iloilo Terminal Market on Fuentes Street on the night of April 10. Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) personnel together with the Philippine National Police and 12 patrol cars of SWAT units carried out the “clearing operations.”

With the eviction, police and government personnel confiscated vendors’ products and stole personal belongings and money. Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu defended her personnel and police, claiming they were enforcing city ordinances. The mayor even accused the vendors of being violent.

According to the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay)-Panay, the actions were grossly excessive and oppressive against ordinary residents eking out a living. The group said the measures were clearly arbitrary and punitive, confiscating even sacked merchandise which were not on display.

“Instead of resolving tensions through dialogue, the Iloilo City Local Government Unit (LGU) has chosen militarization, abruptly disrupting the fragile livelihood of ambulant vendors,” the group said. It also denounced the local government’s blame-shifting and malicious statements portraying the vendors as violent.

One vendor said they are not criminals to be harassed and brutalized by police and local officials. “We only sell goods to support our families. Why won’t they let us sell when SM is already closed?” they asked.

SM Prime privately operates the Iloilo Terminal Market through a Public-Private Partnership with the local government. The same happened to the Iloilo Central Market, which has also driven away and stripped many vendors and workers of their livelihoods.

Another vendor said the police and local government did them an injustice. “Our decent livelihood is being targeted,” He said.

Meanwhile, to appear pro-poor and respectful of vendors’ rights and means of living, the local government emphasized its implementation of a “market day” when vendors are allowed to sell freely. Kadamay-Panay criticized this as a fake solution.

The group said this forces vendors to sell only once a week, worsening their already dire conditions. “This is not relief—it is eviction and harassment,” said Kadamay-Panay.

Gabriela Panay-Guimaras, the National Union of Students of the Philippines-Panay, and other progressive groups expressed their support for the vendors.