60 cockfight fans avoid police operation in Leon

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Around 60 cockfight enthusiasts skirted arrest after police raided an illegal cockfight in a hinterland village in Leon, Iloilo late morning of August 1, 2021.

But unfortunately for some of them, they left behind clues to their identities: their motorcycles.

While no one was arrested, combined elements of Leon Police Station and the 1st Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company seized 22 motorcycles, which will be subject for verification.

The police also recovered 11 gaffs, 27 fighting cocks, and 29 bayongs or traditional bags made of dried leaves.

Lieutenant Melchor Tolentino, Leon police chief, said 6 of the 27 cocks were already dead when found at the cockpit. But the remaining 21 also died when they arrived at the police station.

“It could have been due to heat because they were placed inside the bayong,” he said.

The cockfight enthusiasts immediately saw the approaching police as the makeshift cockpit was located in an elevated portion of Sitio Central in Barangay Malublub, a village some 15 kilometers from the town proper.

Police were around 150 meters from the area when the bettors began scampering to different directions.

Tolentino said they received a text message the night prior to the incident that a cockfight will take place on Sunday.

“But from what we gathered, the cockfight happened twice a week in most instances,” he said.

Relatedly, another police operation was conducted against an illegal cockfight activity in Barangay Gaub, Cabatuan, Iloilo around 6:45 a.m. of Sunday.

Police arrested six suspects.

Members of Cabatuan Police Station, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office-Special Operations Group (IPPO-SOG), and the 602nd Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 (RMFB-6) caught the suspects during an early morning tupada.

Recovered during the operation were two heads of fighting cocks with gaff, five gaffs, electrical tape, scissors, and cash bet amounting to P20,350.

It was gathered that such activity is done weekly but the participants constantly change venue.

The bets were already placed a day before and they only hold a single game per week.

The suspects are now detained and will be charged for violation of Presidential Decree 449 (Cockfighting Law of 1974).