Eleazar to police chiefs: Gather intel on cockfights, other gambling activities

MANILA, Philippines — Police commanders were ordered on Friday by JTF COVID Shield commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar to intensify intelligence gathering on cockfighting and other gambling activities and to arrest those engaged in the illegal acts.

Eleazar issued the order after the JTF COVID Shield received increasing reports of cockfights amid quarantine measures being enforced to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Ilegal na nga ang ganitong gawain, parang binabastos pa nila ang ating gobyerno na walang tigil na nagta-trabaho at naghahanap ng sapat na pondo para lang sa proteksyon nila at ng kanilang pamilya laban sa COVID. Kailangang matigil ito at bigyan ng leksyon ang mga taong ito,” Eleazar said.

(This is illegal, it is as if they are disrespecting the government despite the ongoing efforts and looking for funds to allocate budget to contain COVID-19. We need to stop them and give them a lesson.)

Eleazar also lauded Batangas Provincial Police Office following the arrests of Alitagtag Municipal Councilor Jerome Garcia, former Alitagtag vice mayor Manuel Gutierrez, and incumbent Dominador East Barangay Captain Antonio Chavez during an anti-gambling operation in Alitagtag, Batangas.

The Batangas police made the arrest on Sept. 30 after receiving an anonymous tip on an ongoing illegal cockfight in the area.

Police will be filing charges against the 14 arrested suspects for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 (Illegal Gambling), Republic Act 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act), and Republic Act 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Disease and Health Event on Public Health Concern Act).

/MUF