Leyte councilor nabbed for running “sabong” operation

A town councilor is in hot water after being caught in the act of allegedly running an illegal cockfighting operations by the Regional Special Operations Group recently. Arrested was one Robert Veloso, incumbent councilor of Villaba, a third class municipality some 100 kilometers east or one hour and 20-minute drive from Tacloban City, Eastern Visayas’ regional capital.

PCSupt. Elmer R. Soria, director of Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8), said that the suspect was the alleged operator of “tupada”, an illegal form of cockfighting, which was held at Brgy. Silad of same town and was arrested by authorities in a raid conducted by RSOG led by PInsp. Eric Constantino at around 5:15 p.m Saturday. During the operation, operatives confiscated two red fighting cocks, two blades or “bulang” and a scabbard for blade.

Tupada is illegal because it is not conducted in a place especially designed for fighting cocks like licensed cockfighting arenas or coliseums, where cock fighting must be held, and is held normally in a secret place where the players will just meet at an agreed day and time. Veloso was brought to Villaba Police Station for documentation and temporary safekeeping while a case for violation of Presidential Decree No. 449 or the Cockfighting Law of 1974 is being prepared against him.

“While cockfighting is a popular traditional and customary form of recreation and entertainment among the Warays, it should not be made as a tool of uncontrolled or illegal gambling especially if those involved are government officials,” Soria said. Meanwhile, four more persons were arrested, including a 36-year old jobless woman, soliciting bets for “swertres”, an illegal numbers game, Sunday evening in separate operations in Maasin City, Eastern Samar and Leyte.

Yves Poricallan was nabbed in an anti-illegal gambling operation at Purok San Pedro, Brgy. Ibarra at around 8:30 p.m. by a police team led by SPO4 Alan Calapre. At past 7:00 p.m., Marlon Catugda, 35, and Ernesto Cabacaba, 42, were arrested by elements of Giporlos police station led by PInsp. Yvan Frank Gabornes and 1st Regional Public Safety Management Company led by PInsp. Christopher Pangue in Giporlos town in Eastern Samar while at around the same time, Zosimo Maureto, 55 was nabbed by a police team led by PSInsp. Eddie Esidera at Brgy. Hinabuyan, Villaba town in Leyte.

A total of P2,020 in cash bet was confiscated from the suspects together with several illegal gambling paraphernalia and three units single motorcycles. Suspects were detained at apprehending police station lock-up cell as charges for Republic Act 9287 or Illegal Numbers Game are being prepared against them. As this developed, Soria has ordered all his police chiefs to run after illegal gamblers in the region, not only those employed in “swertres” but also those involved in other forms of illegal gambling such as sakla, cara y cruz and tong-its.