Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has given establishments 72 hours to stop buying and selling stolen mobile cell phones.
Those who fail to comply with the order within the 72-hour ultimatum will be shut down, the mayor warned today.
“I’m giving you 72 hours, Tutuban Mall, Isetann Recto. I will close the entire mall kapag patuloy ninyong kinakalinga, pinapayagan ang mga secondhand cellphone vendors na bumibili ng nakaw na cellphone galing sa nakaw at snatching,” Moreno was quoted in a CNN report as saying.
During the press briefing, Moreno presented five minors who were arrested at Tutuban Center for allegedly selling stolen items.
The mayor said 150 stolen phones were confiscated from the mall.
The mayor emphasized that the order does not only cover Tutuban Center and Isetann Recto, but all the malls in the city.
Moreno said vendors and malls caught violating will be charged under the Anti-Fencing Law (Presidential Decree No. 1612).
