Aklan cops pounces on illegal cockfighting, too

KALIBO, Aklan—In line with the government’s thrust to promote the “No Take Policy” on gambling operations all over the country, the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) is also intensifying its campaign against illegal cockfighting here.

This was bared by Police Chief Inspector Bernard Ufano, chief of the APPO Intelligence Unit, who was also given the mandate to exercise supervisory functions on anti-illegal gambling operations in Aklan.

In an interview Tuesday, Ufano said that of the 17 municipalities in the province, only 14 towns applied for the renewal of their permits to continue operating a cockpit station in their respective areas.

He said only the municipalities of Ibajay, New Washington, and Banga have yet to renew their permits and hence have not been into cockfighting operations of late.

Ufano bared though that of the towns which have been allowed to maintain a cockpit operation, only the municipality of Malay is known to have two cockpit stations although only one at this time has the legal capacity to operate its business.

“Right now, only the cockpit station in Boracay Island can legally operate since the cockpit station in the mainland Malay is still in the process of its renewal,” he said.

Questions, however, are being raised on the presence of 2 cockpit stations in the municipality since Presidential Decree 449 otherwise known as the “Cockfighting Law of 1974” specifically mandates that there should be only one (1) cockpit station that has to be established in a town with less than 100,000 population.

“It is very unique and questionable really why the town of Malay is maintaining 2 cockpit stations considering that its population can barely meet the needed number,” a resort owner who requested anonymity said.

Ufano, during the interview, did not categorically answer the question why the town of Malay was allowed to operate two cockpit stations but said “I understand the other cockpit station which is based in the mainland Malay is pushing for the renewal of its business permit but it’s already up to the LGU if they will approve it.

The same cockpit arena has been subjected to a raid lately as it continues to operate despite a non-renewed business permit.

The National Statistics Office using the result of the 2015 census of population shows that Malay, so far, has only 52,973 population.