Cock derbies and other forms of gambling are prohibited under the Modified General Community Quarantine status.
Fourteen individuals, however, disregarded the policy when they participated in a cock derby in Barangay Calumangan, Bago City on Thursday, Dec. 3.
Charges of violation of Presidential Decree 1602, or the illegal cockfighting law, was filed against the suspects, who were temporarily held overnight at the Bago City Police Office.
But they were released Friday after serving the reglementary period.
Bago City PNP Chief, Police Major John Joel Batus- batusan said an informant told the police that a derby was being held in a secluded area in Purok Laguerta, Barangay Calumangan.
He said the cockfighting was held as part of the birthday celebration of a local resident and his group built a makeshift tent for the activity.
The activity was held without the knowledge of barangay officials, the police said.
Most of the suspects were visitors of the birthday celebrant and are residents of neighboring barangays, the Bago police chief said.
Some came from nearby towns and cities who were supposedly in the area when the raid was conducted.
Recovered from the raid were eight dead roosters, four live fighting cocks, assorted gambling paraphernalia, a weighing scale, tally sheets and P10,600 in different denominations as bet money.–MML
