Iloilo City mayor puts up bounty on portalet vandals
ILOILO CITY — The vandalism on at least two public portable toilets or portalets along a newly developed boulevard in Arevalo District here have prompted Mayor Jerry Treñas to put a P15,000 bounty on anyone caught defacing these government properties.
“We already have leads on who is responsible for the vandalism. If P15,000 is not enough, we can increase it, but we will assess first. The open season has begun. Catch them and bring them to me, and you will immediately receive P15,000,” Treñas announced on Feb. 24.
The reward-for-arrest scheme comes after two portalets, installed at the popular Iloilo Sunset Boulevard, were spray painted with unreadable words and signs.
Treñas said they planned to install closed-circuit television cameras at the area but it would take time due to budget constraints and procedural requirements.
If vandalism persists, the city may remove the portalets entirely until security measures are in place, he added.
“I am saddened by the lack of respect for public property shown by those who vandalized the portalets we installed on Sunset Boulevard for the convenience of Ilonggos visiting to enjoy the area,” Treñas said.
For now, the mayor called on the public, the city’s guards, and the police to step up and help monitor public spaces.
He also reminded Ilonggos that a citizen’s arrest can be performed if anyone catches a vandal in the act.
Rules
“Not only will they clean the portalets, but I will also have them (vandals) clean every restroom in all detention centers in the city,” Treñas warned.
He added: “The portalets do not belong to me. They belong to the people. That is government money, meaning it is for all of us,” he said.
The vandalism came just weeks after the city government and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) intensified efforts to maintain order along the Iloilo Sunset Boulevard.
Treñas has already banned “park shot”—a local term for drinking liquor inside parked vehicles—along the boulevard.
He has also ordered the crackdown on food vendors operating without permits.
The LTO has vowed to conduct random alcohol breath tests on drivers to curb drunk driving and ensure the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and boulevard visitors.
The Iloilo Sunset Boulevard is a P2.261-billion infrastructure project spanning five kilometers, connecting Barangay Tabucan in Iloilo City’s Mandurriao District to Barangay Cagbang in Oton town of Iloilo province.
The boulevard features bike lanes, solar-powered LED lights, viewing decks, and recreational spaces, making it a top destination for locals and tourists alike.
