Court upholds legality of Manila Cockers Club

MANILA, Philippines — The Regional Trial Court of Makati City ruled that the Off-Cockpit Betting Station operations of Manila Cockers Club, Inc. are legal, saying that MCCI’s operations are sanctioned under the Cockfighting Law of 1974, as amended by the Local Government Code of 1991.

The court further ruled that the Games and Amusements Board has no authority over the regulations of cockfighting except for international derbies.

The court then issued a Writ of Permanent Injunction against GAB and all other deputized government agencies and instrumentalities “to permanently enjoin them from directing, and/or otherwise causing, the closure (whether temporary or otherwise) or disruption of the operations of all the Off-Cockpit Betting Stations operated by MCCI.”

The court’s rulings were issued in the Petition for Injunction filed by MCCI against the GAB, its chairman Khalil Mitra, and other government agencies and instrumentalities that form part of, may be deputized by, or otherwise act under the authority of the GAB.

The legality of MCCI’s OCBS operations was upheld and the authority of the local government units to authorize and regulate these OCBS were affirmed by the court. The conduct of anti-illegal gambling operations against MCCI’s OCBS are enjoined by virtue of the Writ of Permanent Injunction.

Also, the city prosecutors of Manila, Quezon City, and Rizal dismissed the complaints for illegal gambling filed by GAB against certain MCCI tellers and bettors.