AN ALLY of Mayor Michael Rama at the Cebu City Council has urged members of the opposition not to use the plight of Carbon Market vendors to further their political agenda.During the Council’s regular session on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, officials of the Cebu City Market Authority and Carbon vendors opposing the redevelopment of the public market were summoned to shed light on tension that occurred between the vendors and City personnel trying to install railings at the market to give way to its renovation.Rama ally Councilor Jocelyn “Joy” Pesquera accused Councilor Nestor Archival (BOPK) of committing “double standards” for condemning the Rama administration over its treatment of Carbon Market vendors when vendors were also removed at the time of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.Pesquera claimed that back in 2007, Archival was instrumental in the removal of vendors doing business at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño during Osmeña’s term.Pesquera said during that time, Archival supported Osmeña’s plan to fence off vendors doing business at the D. Jakosalem St. side of the Basilica.“When making a stand and fighting for the poor, the rights of the women and vendors, it should be consistent,” Pesquera told Archival during the session’s Citizens Hour.To which Archival angrily responded with “Unsa man imo gusto buhaton nako, maglukso-lukso ko didto? (What did you want me to do then? Jump up and down there?)”Archival also told Pesquera that what happened at the Basilica in 2007 and at the Carbon Public Market were “two different situations.”In an interview, Archival told SunStar Cebu that Pesquera should instead focus on defending the P8.5-billion joint venture agreement between the City and Megawide Construction Corp. for the redevelopment of Carbon Market which he considers as “disadvantageous” to the vendors.Meanwhile, lawyer Collin Rosell a Rama consultant said not a single vendor will lose his livelihood during the continued redevelopment of Carbon under Megawide’s Cebu2World Development Inc.“It is stated in our supplemental agreement that it is very clear that no vendors will be displaced … It has been found that there is still room for improvement. That is what Mayor Rama is trying to do, especially the concerns of vendors,” Rosell said. (GDC / PAC)