BACOLOD City Councilor Celia Matea Flor, chairperson of the City Council committee on markets, said Wednesday that they will secure the Vendor’s Plaza in Barangay 12 to prevent any illegal activities in the area.

This comes after about 25 stalls at the Vendor’s Plaza were demolished by the clearing operation team of Barangay 12 on Tuesday, February 21, following the arrest of the three drug personalities conducted by the operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday, February 20.

Flor, who also authored the city ordinance for the creation of the Vendor’s Plaza and Terminal at Barangay 12, said she already discussed it with the officials of Barangay 12 to address the problem.

"After the creation of the Vendor’s Plaza ordinance, it was planned by the city to transfer all the vendors in the area, including the terminal. But after I stopped in politics in 2010, I don’t know what happened in the area. It was occupied by some individuals who used it as a drug den, among others," Flor said.

She said she also talked with Barangay 12 Captain Ely Alcantara to remove the illegal structures inside the Vendor’s Plaza, including those individuals who are using the stalls for their illegal activities.

She added that the Local Market Committee already agreed to secure the area to eliminate illegal activities inside the market.

On Monday, February 20, an estimated P115,600 worth of suspected shabu was seized in a drug bust operation by operatives of PDEA at the Bacolod Vendor’s Plaza.

The operation also led to the arrest of Remia Magdato, 56, a resident of Barangay 12; JC Dale Claire Monte, 35, of Barangay Alijis; and Benjie Panoncilio Despe, 37, of Barangay Singcang-Airport, all in Bacolod City.

PDEA records showed the suspects were arrested after one of them sold a sachet of shabu to a poseur buyer.

Operatives recovered from the suspects' possession six sachets of suspected shabu weighing seven grams, and the P300 marked money.*