Sunday, November 25, 2007 Jadewell to resume towing parking violators
A PRIVATE company will resume implementing parking laws in Mandaue City tomorrow, four months after being ordered by the City Council to stop its operations.
Jadewell Parking System Corp. president and chief executive officer Rogelio Tan said there is no such “cease and desist order” so they will start towing illegally parked vehicles again.
City Administrator Briccio Boholst asked the legal office earlier this week for advice, saying the council already asked Jadewell to stop operating once the new administration assumed office.
But Mayor Jonas Cortes said he has no problem with the company, for as long as the council approves its operations.
“They should coordinate before they do something and they should respect the city council,” said Cortes.
Transition team
Tan, for his part, said the confusion started during the change of administration. In the first week of July 2007, the Traffic Enforcement and Management (Team) board ordered them to cease operation upon orders of the council.
He said they stopped their towing services and just collected parking fees, but could not force motorists who refused.
When they wrote the council asking for a copy of the order, they were referred to the city mayor’s office, Tan said. And when they inquired at the mayor’s office, they were referred back to the council.
They were then told to get an accreditation from the City if they intended to tow or clamp vehicles parked in violation of the rules.
‘Tools’
Tan said that since their contract authorizes them to enforce the ordinance, and towing or clamping are their “tools” for doing so, he finds no need to get an accreditation.
This year, the council has asked Jadewell to comply with the requirements like having at least two tow trucks and securing a hydraulic retriever and dolly in order to be accredited. They complied, but still nothing happened, Tan said.
The company wrote to inform Boholst that they will resume full operations on Nov. 26, as limiting their work has affected their business and hurt the City, in terms of poor collection.
In 2003, Tan and then mayor Thadeo Ouano signed a memorandum of agreement, in which the City entrusted to Jadewell the supply, installation and operation of an on-street parking management system in strategic areas.
That agreement is good for 12 years.
After the agreement expires, all equipment used in the parking system will be turned over to the local government.
In February 2005, the City Council directed Jadewell to stop towing vehicles until it got an accreditation from the City.
But Tan had pointed out then that the City’s parking ordinance, which the company was authorized to implement, already allowed Jadewell to tow vehicles.
Tan told Sun.Star Cebu he didn’t find it unusual to hear complaints, as erring motorists always try to resist penalties. (OCP)
