WHAT began as a routine workday at Cebu City Hall turned tense on January 13 after vehicles owned by two city councilors were clamped inside the compound, exposing confusion over parking rules during a period of disrupted access.
At around 4 p.m., vehicles belonging to Councilors Winston Pepito and Harry Eran were immobilized by personnel of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), despite bearing official stickers and being parked in an area the councilors believed had been designated for them.
Pepito said councilors were advised to use the area after their regular parking slots in front of the Legislative Building were rendered unavailable due to activities connected to the Santo Niño Mass.
“We were told to park there, based on instructions from City Hall,” Pepito said, adding that the incident appeared to have stemmed from miscommunication.
He said enforcers were informed that the vehicles belonged to councilors but proceeded with the clamping, telling them the matter should instead be raised with CCTO chief Raquel Arce.
The issue drew a reaction from Councilor Jun Alcover, who said councilors had been issued vehicle passes and were advised by the Vice Mayor’s Office that they could park on the Yutivo side of City Hall—an area he described as temporarily designated for council members while their usual slots were unavailable.
He said the area had assigned traffic enforcers and that entry was limited to vehicles with official stickers, noting that the arrangement was meant to accommodate councilors during the disruption.
“Unsa man diay gusto nimo, pasagdan ka sa imong pataka lang ug clamp mga sakayanan? Imagine si Konsehal Pepito maoy chairman sa Com. on Transportation. Mas hawud pa ka niya? Ayaw palabi sa imong swerte nga kada bag-ong mayor dili ka ilisan? Saludo ko nimo dihang dapita!” Alcover said.
CCTO head Raquel Arce, however, said the clamping was done in accordance with existing rules and denied that the incident was the result of enforcement failure.
“Dili ni palpak. Gi-clamp gyud,” Arce said, explaining that the stickers issued by Mayor Nestor Archival were vehicle passes, not parking permits.
She said the passes allow vehicles to enter and exit the City Hall compound but do not automatically authorize parking in restricted zones.
Arce said the area where the vehicles were parked was reserved for emergency vehicles and that complaints were raised later in the day when police vehicles could no longer park because the space had become full.
She ordered a review of the situation and found that several vehicles, including private vehicles owned by officials, were parked in the restricted area.
She said clamping would proceed if enforcers could not immediately identify a vehicle as belonging to an elected official.
“If the enforcer does not recognize the vehicle as belonging to a councilor, it will be clamped,” Arce said.
She stressed that personnel were not inclined to confront elected officials and were simply enforcing regulations.
Arce said one councilor initially accepted the explanation, but the issue escalated after another councilor raised public objections.
She appealed for understanding, noting that parking arrangements during the religious activities were temporary and far from ideal.
“Pagsabot unta ang akong gipangayo ninyong tanan. Dili ni normal situation, dili parehas sa una nga naa gyud kamo’y parking slots sa atubangan sa City Hall—walay makagamit kay kon naa, towing dayon namo,” she said.
She added that the emergency vehicle area could not accommodate all official vehicles throughout the day.
She suggested a staggered parking arrangement, allowing councilors to move their vehicles after an hour to give others access.
Maintaining that the CCTO acted within its mandate, Arce said the incident should not be taken personally.
“Usbon nako, igo ra mi nagtuman ug unsay among trabaho ug dili namo kayo mo bangga ug konsehal. Taas among respeto ninyo. Hinaut nga kining pagpadayag sa akong habig dili isipon sa halandong konsehal nga nabangga ko niya. Pit Señor, Konsehal. Let’s make peace—cons, not war!” Arce said. (LLP)
