ORMOC CITY –– The former mayor of Babatngon, Leyte who was found guilty by the Sandiganbayan for permitting illegal cockfights surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Jorge Downes, Northern Leyte about 1:30 p.m. today, January 6.
Charito Chan was sentenced to an imprisonment of six years and one month as a minimum, to seven years as maximum, with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Court records showed that on April 13, 2012, Chan allegedly issued a mayor’s permit to the Liga ng mga Barangay allowing the conduct of cockfighting every Saturday.
Under the Cockfighting Law of 1974 and Municipal Ordinance No. 281, cockfighting in a licensed cockpit shall be allowed only on Sundays, legal holidays, during local fiestas, agricultural, commercial or industrial fairs, carnivals or expositions in the municipality for not more than three consecutive days and upon a valid resolution passed for that purpose./lzb