13 nabbed for cockfighting
By Ralph Lawrence G. Llemit
THIRTEEN people were nabbed for conducting illegal cockfighting inside a radio station compound on Thursday afternoon, December 23, 2021.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Spokesperson Police Major Rose Aguilar confirmed to Sunstar Davao in an online interview that intel operatives of the San Pedro Police Station conducted the anti-illegal gambling operation at the Bombo Radyo compound.
Aguilar, however, clarified that none of the 13 apprehended are employees of the radio station.
Meanwhile, the police official said in a radio interview that they are still investigating how the cockfighting activity was conducted in the area.
“Ato pa gyud nang gipalaluman ang pag-imbestiga nganong naa didto mismo sa sulod sa ilahang compound. Although katong mga nadakpan gikan sa managlahing lugar, lahi-lahing residente, pero wala man nga isa nga empleyado sa maong radio station (We are still investigating why the illegal cockfighting happened inside the station compound. Although the apprehended individuals came from various areas, but none of them are an employee of the said station),” Aguilar said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
“Apan siyempre, ang atoa diha, nganong natugutan, ngano naa diha… naka-gate man [ang area] (However, on our part, we are wondering why it was allowed considering it is a gated compound),” Aguilar added.
The official said authorities confiscated from the suspects’ possession and control the dead and wounded fighting cock, gaff, and bet money amounting to P1,500.
According to the police blotter released by DCPO, arrested were Christian Tuan Gamba, 34, resident of Purok 2, Sampaguita St., Mintal; Jayson Sy Reyes, 34, of Purok 5, Barangay 21-C; Reynald Undoy Tangpipi, 40, of Teachers’ Village, Talomo; Elmer S. Lagare, 51, of Baliok, Toril; Jason J. Vargas, 30, of Bugac, Maa; Jessie T. Tampos, 41, of Catalunan Pequeno; Ronad M. Velasco, 36, of Talomo Proper; Bernard C. Requilmo, 27, of SIR Phase 1, Brgy. 76-A, Matina; Nestor D. Lopez, 49, of Mabini St, Barangay 31-D; Junald P. Bartolome, 57, of Mintal Proper; Rey G. Tevez, 37, of Calinan; Christian Dave G. Pulmuyan, 18, of Gravahan, Brgy. 74-A; and James D. Gomez, 37, of Bonifacio Ext, Barangay 32-D.
Aguilar said violators will be charged in violation of Presidential Decree 1602.
Bombo Radyo has not yet issued a statement following the incident.
It can be noted that the Davao City government had banned cockfights since April of 2020 after cockfighters and attendees of the “Araw ng Davao celebration six-cock derby” at the New Davao Matina Gallera in March that year became the “ground zero”of the outbreak in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) issued on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, a resolution allowing the resumption of cockpit operations and traditional cockfighting activities in areas under Alert Level 2, which is currently the whole of the Philippines.
This, however, should have the approval of local government units.
Among the guidelines for the resumption of cockpit operations are: only fully vaccinated individuals, including the on-site workers and employees, are allowed; maximum of 50 percent venue capacity; betting shall be cashless and shall use technology-based platforms only i.e., no physical exchange of cash anywhere in the cockpit and no oral placing of bets; and minimum public health standards and technology-based betting shall be strictly enforced by the local government unit where such traditional cockfighting shall be conducted, and monitored by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The Davao City government, however, has not yet formally allowed cockfighting in the city despite being under Alert Level 2 until December 31, 2021. RGL
