FOUR persons, including a barangay captain, were nabbed after they were caught participating in an illegal cockfight in Sitio Ylaya, Barangay Panalipan, in the northern Cebu town of Catmon on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 2, 2023.
Those arrested were Barangay Panalipan chief Marlon Rule, 47, who was identified as the alleged operator of the illegal cockpit; cockfight referee Steven Soltenes Olingay, 37, of Barangay Panangatan, Sogod town; Dennis Gongub Cabahug, 42, of Barangay Bawo, Sogod; and Francis Aroma Geonzon, 38, of Barangay Flores in Catmon.
Maj. Nazareno Emia, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Cebu Provincial Field Unit, lead operatives of Provincial Intelligence Unit and Catmon Police Station during the operation.
Emia told SunStar Cebu that the operation was carried out after they received reports that Rule was holding an illicit cockfight game as they celebrated the barangay’s annual fiesta.
Emia said that while Rule was able to secure a permit from the local government unit to hold a cockfight, the official still violated Presidential Decree 499 as he was not holding the cockfight in a licensed cockpit arena.
Rule reportedly held the cockfight at a clearing in the barangay.
Seized from the suspects were a live gamefowl and a dead one, two sets of cockfighting blades, a calculator, betting proceeds worth P7,950, and other gambling paraphernalia.
The suspects will be facing charges in violation of PD 449. Those found guilty of violating the law could face the penalty of prision correcional or jail time from six months and one day to six years. (GPL/TPT)