[ Manila Bulletin Online ] August 10, 2008
Vendors seek reconsideration of court ruling
BAGUIO CITY – The long overdue rehabilitation of the dilapidated public market here may suffer further delay following the filing of separate motions for reconsideration with the court by a group of vendors.
The group had earlier sought the nullification of a city ordinance directing the rehabilitation of the market as well through a "build, develop and lease" scheme.
In the event that the petitions of the vendors are denied by the court, lawyers of the city government said, the celebrated market case may be elevated to higher courts, including the Supreme Court (SC). This would surely delay further the rehabilitation, they said.
City officials said if Uniwide Realty Sales and Development Corp., which won the contract for the market rehabilitation, decides to withdraw from the R1.7-billion market project which has been delayed for over 13 years now as a result of the case, the city government would have a free hand in planning and implementing the development of the public market.
The Baguio Market Vendors Association (BAMARVA) first filed its motion for reconsideration that seeks the reversal of a decision of the Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) Branch 59 which found the petition to nullify the market development contract and ordinance without merit.
