ILOILO  CITY— A consumer group has raised a howl of protest after a vendor was reported arrested by Iloilo City government personnel for plying his trade outside the Iloilo Terminal Market here, which is more popularly known as “Super”.

“Stop harassing our vendors!” said the Panay Consumers Alliance (PCA) in a statement on Wednesday, August 19.

PCA raised alarm when a bolantero (informal market vendor) was detained by police after being ordered arrested by the city government’s Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) on Tuesday, August 18.

The fruit and vegetable vendor was accused of direct assault and needed P36,000 for bail. 

It was the latest in a series of problems that arose when Super and the Iloilo Central Market—both owned by the Iloilo City Government—were reopened last December 2025 after being redeveloped by SM Prime Holdings. 

Last April 10, a violent clash occurred between city government enforcers and bolanteros who were told they were not allowed to sell in the market.

“Sa sulod sang apat ka bulan, wala untat ang harassment sang Syudad sang Iloilo sa mga bolantero nga nagapakigbato sang ila pangabuhian nga apektado sang pribatisasyon sang Super kag Central markets (For four months, the City of Iloilo has continued to harass vendors who are fighting for their livelihoods affected by the privatization of the Super and Central markets),” the PCA pointed out. 

The arrest of the bolantero came as LEEO Head Maricel Mabaquiao announced last August 17 that vendors, or those referred to as "bolantero", will be given space on the third floorto ply their trade. This was supposed to solve the concern of market vendors inside paying for rent while also giving space to bolanteros, who were long part of the tradition of public markets in Iloilo.

Meanwhile, PCA is appealing for donors to help raise P36,000 for the bail of the vendor.