Fighting cock thefts rampant in Murcia

MURCIA Mayor Andrew Montelibano ordered intensified police operations against the suspects in the stealing of fighting cocks in Barangay Lopez Jaena and other neighboring barangays in the municipality.

Montelibano said that even his police escort Police Officer 1 Edwin Celes has fallen victim to the thieves. Two of the policeman’s fighting cocks worth P10,000 each were stolen in Sitio Puncian, Barangay Lopez Jaena last week.

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Residents of the barangay suspect there is only one robbery group involved in the series of fighting cock thefts in the area.

Last Saturday, seventeen fighting cocks belonging to Marino Maghinay were taken by robbers around 11 p.m. at Sitio Senyang, Barangay Lopez Jaena.

Maghinay said each rooster was worth P3,000, which brings his total losses to P51,000.

Early morning Sunday, Maghinay was informed that the suspects were spotted by some residents in a waiting shed at Sitio Lilo of the same barangay.

A van and a single motorcycle were seen at the vicinity beside the waiting shed where two males and two females suspect were allegedly having a drinking session while other members of the group were conducting a hack fight using the alleged stolen roosters.

When some residents shouted that there are robbers in the area, the suspects immediately fled, leaving behind eight of the stolen fighting cocks, some car accessories, three t-shirts, a tool box and a car mat. The residents turned over the recovered items to the Murcia police.

Negros Occidental is known producer of quality fighting cocks in the country. (TED)