Jadewell defies court order to stop fee collection

Those who have private vehicles can now breathe easily because Jadewell Parking Company was issued a temporary restraining order against collecting fees for parking in public areas like Session road, Harrison road and the like- or don't we notice it? Despite the TRO administered to them last April 19, we still see men in maroon shirts, black pants and hats (that look like it belongs to cowboys) holding sheets of papers and collecting 20 peso fees from unknowing citizens that they may choose to either pay the fee or disregard these Jadewell personnels. Although people are highly encouraged to choose not to pay, citizens who do not know about the said TRO, let alone the tourists, are the victims of the scam. Why use such a strong word as "scam"?Because despite the court order commanding them to stop collecting parking fees, Jadewell is taking their chances and nagbabakasakaling makalusot. This is a clear example of the illegal acts of Jadewell, and a clear defiance of the order issued upon them.
The issue of Jadewell's legality has long started and still, without finality, we see them operating and stopping, operating and stopping. What is the issue here, really? Well, the bottom line of this primarily is the "illegal" use of Jadewell of public roads to their personal advantage. Why do I say this? Because it is clear that public roads should be used by the people of Baguio for free; but why is it that Jadewell Parking acts as if they own the place and collects fees from the people? I believe that this is the main issue here. Plain and simple. The areas where they collect fees do not belong to them, the mayor does not want them to continue their "illegel" activities and so do the people of Baguio; and yet they still fight for it in court as if they stand a chance. But they do! The fact that we again see Jadewell collectors mushrooming around the supposedly free parking areas is a clear stance that Jadewell feels as if they have the right to continue operating despite the injunction order on collection of parking fees issued by RTC Judge Pamintuan last April 19.
According to Judge Pamintuan, the contract awarding Jadewell management of the city's streets remains "one of the biggest scams perpetrated in the country". Since "the hierarchy of laws clearly indicate that streets and parks are beyond the commerce of man", then we can conclude that "Jadewell's presence in the streets also violates the constitutional right of citizens to travel any which way". Who awarded Jadewell the right to collect parking fees and the legality of that act is a different matter to be discussed, but we see here the sad fact that even though a wrong act is openly done to the detriment of the people, it takes a long time for the government to decide on it; thus again, to the continued suffering of the people.