56 nabbed over illegal cockfight

MANILA, Philippines — Fifty-six people, including two barangay captains and a councilman, were apprehended for allegedly engaging in tupada or illegal cockfight in Pandacan, Manila on Sunday.

Barangay 846 captain Allan Boado, 40; Antonio Bautista, 61, chairman of Barangay 887, and Albino Aguirre, 65, councilman of Barangay 843, were arrested together with 53 others by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) during a raid on a suspected gambling den along Beata street at around 9:45 a.m.

CIDG National Capital Region field office chief Col. Randy Glenn Silvio tagged Boado as the alleged operator and maintainer of the gambling den. The other two barangay officials were bettors.

Silvio said CIDG operatives went to the area after receiving a report that a group of people was holding an illegal cockfight.

The three barangay officials and the other suspects tried to escape but were captured by police.

Police said they recovered 15 fighting cocks, assorted gambling paraphernalia and P30,000 in cash during the operation.

Charges of violating Presidential Decree 449 or the Cockfighting Law, and PD 1602, also known as the Anti-Gambling Law, will be filed against the suspects.