Law enforcers seize 152 defective market scales

By Paul Rillorta

BAGUIO CITY – A total of 152 uncalibrated, inacurrate and unregistered weighing scales were seized by members of the treasury-market personnel headed by market superintendent Policarpio Tamayo and members of the public order and safety division during joint operations at the city’s public market last week.

This after Mayor Mauricio Domogan ordered City Treasurer Thelma Manaois to intensify drive against defective and tampered weighing scales in this mountain resort.

The move was meant to promote consumers welfare at the same time protect them from abusive vendors, Domogan said.

“Inspections are conducted regularly to ensure weights of goods purchased by the public are correct and accurate,” Tamayo said.

Treasury office personnel have also been fielded in different parts of the market for anti-fraud drive now that the yuletide season is near.

Tamayo said “consumers are advised to report any questionable weighing instrument being used to curb unfair practice in the marketplace.”

The city government imposes a P1,000 fine and confiscation for a defective weighing scale be it manual or digital.

The treasury office had been regularly instructing vendors to present their weighing scales for inspection and calibration to ensure the accuracy of readings.
Weighing scales that have not been officially sealed by the City Treasurer’s Office or have broken seals are used to deceive the buyers on the supposed number of kilograms on their purchase of goods.

The owners of the defective weighing scales were ordered to comply with the regulation ordinance of the city while the confiscated scales were destroyed in front of city hall last Monday.

Treasury Office personnel observed that the bulk of confiscated defective weighing scales came from ambulant vendors.

The joint CTO-POSD team will be conducting surprise inspections in the different parts of the city market continuously to minimize and stop the illegal practice of these vendors.