Saturday, July 28, 2007 Mayor closes Angeles cockpit By Dante M. Fabian
Cockfighting scheduled on Thursday at the decades-old Angeles Cockpit Arena in Barangay Claro M. Recto, Angeles City was stopped after City Hall personnel served a closure order issued by Mayor Francis Nepomuceno on the facility.
Hundreds of aficionados who were present for the aborted cockfighting expressed disappointment over the sudden closure of the cockpit.
Sources from the Office of the Mayor said Nepomuceno ordered the closure of the cockpit operated by Val Lagman for alleged non-payment of fixing fees (palasada) and other charges.
Nepomuceno's order also specified as reason for closure the operation of the cockpit arena during weekdays or ordinary days, specifically every Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays, without validly issued special permits and payment of special permit fees--violation to Presidential Decree (PD) 449 as amended, and Ordinance 22 Series of 1992.
"Sabong" enthusiasts in the city suspected that the Nepomuceno administration is planning to remove Lagman as operator of the cockpit in favor of political allies.
They said this would be a sad scenario for all sabong enthusiasts since Lagman has been instrumental in making "sabong" in Angeles City grow. They adhered strictly with Lagman's strong implementation of rules that kept away "teope" and other cheating schemes.
Lagman, for his part, said he will contest the closure "which was based on vague reasons" since he has been paying all the fees and taxes due to the City Government from the operation of the cockpit, including the fixing fees and applications for special permits. (Dante M. Fabian)
