2 baragay official, 56 others arrested in ‘tigbakay’

CEBU, Philippines — Two barangay councilors from San Fernando, Cebu were added to the list of officials who were arrested and are set to face appropriate charges for their alleged involvement in illegal cockfighting or “tigbakay.”

Malou dela Cerna Baringui-an, 43, councilor of Barangay Balungag, San Fernando, and Richard Mendez Alidon, 57, councilor of Barangay Tunghaan, Minglanilla, were among the 58 persons police arrested during a raid of an illegal tigbakay at Sitio Calapayan, Barangay Tubod, San Fernando on Wednesday afternoon.

The alleged owner of the cockpit, a certain Pabling Obial Bacalso, managed to elude arrest.

Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, director of Cebu Provincial Police Office, said that his men were able to recover from the scene four dead fighting cocks with gaffs or “tari” and P6,200 in alleged bet money.

According to Police Captain Efren Diaz, San Fernando Police Station chief, they were unable to arrest all those who attended the illegal activity as some scampered in different directions upon arrival of the

joint operatives from CCPO’s intelligence unit and San Fernando police.

Diaz said that organizers moved these illegal cockfighting activities from one place to another to avoid being busted by the police. Sitio Calapayan, the area where the 58 persons were arrested, is located in an open but mountainous area on the edge of San Fernando.

Community Vigilance

Earlier this week, seven elected government officials were charged for violation of PD 1602, the law that prescribes penalties for illegal gambling.

The seven were found to have participated Saturday in an illegal cockfighting in Sitio Ragasa, Barangay Bitoon, Daanbantayan, northern Cebu, where a total of 31 persons were arrested.

But Mariano said that these were not the first instances they were able to arrest barangay officials for illegal cockfighting during the pandemic.

“Kahit noong nagsimula na ang pandemic, lagi tayong may nahuhuli na officials at lagi tayong nagwa-warning na hindi kami titigil sa pagtupad doon sa aming campaign against illegal gambling. Basta’t nakikipagtulungan yung ating community at nagre-report sa atin ay huhulihin natin,” he said.

Mariano explained that the arrested people were called a “special quorum,” that is, they purposely agreed to meet in one place for the cockfighting.

He added that these people usually choose to hold the activity in an isolated area to hide from the authorities.

But community vigilance pays off, he said.

Just like the seven officials who were nabbed and slapped with charges earlier, Mariano said there is also no stopping the police from filing appropriate charges against the new arrestees.

“Kaya itong mga tao na ito ay nawala ang kanilang sense of responsibility despite na government officials sila ay sila pa ang nagpapasimuno kaya nga pinaiimbestigahan natin sa sting mag COP (chief of police) kung sino yung mga nagpapasimuno at, after that, we will complete the evidences and we will file the case,” he said.  JMD (FREEMAN)