5 suspected fighting cock thieves shot dead by cops

Five men believed to be stealing prized fighting cocks from breeders in Tanay, Rizal, were killed in a shootout with policemen on Sunday morning.

Senior Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, Rizal provincial chief, told the Inquirer that so far, only one of the five has been identified as Diomario Peralta.

According to Supt. Samuel Delorino, Tanay police chief, authorities manning a checkpoint at Barangay (village) Tandang Kutyo in Tanay at 3 a.m. flagged down a white Mitsubishi van followed by a black motorcycle after they recognized the vehicles based on a tip from a concerned citizen who had spotted these going around cock breeding farms on Sampaloc Road at 1 a.m.

“Earlier, we asked [residents] to report any suspicious activity in the area as there has been  many complaints about missing animals there,” Delorino said.

The police signaled the drivers of the two vehicles to stop but they were ignored. Instead, the vehicles picked up speed.

“They even ran over the [checkpoint] sign we had put up,” Delorino added.

A chase ensued during which the men inside the van and on the motorcycle fired at the policemen who retaliated.

Peralta and the two other men inside the van were killed in the exchange of fire near the Heaven of Rest, a private cemetery in the same barangay, but their two cohorts on the motorcycle managed to escape.

Anduyan, however, told the Inquirer that the two were later intercepted and killed in dragnet operations in Morong town, also in Rizal.

Three fighting cocks were found inside the van.

The price of the “Class A” fowl, Delorino said, may range from P15,000 to P50,000, sometimes up to P150,000.

“Some people say they’re just chickens but if you see the prices, especially if it’s a winning animal, you’d be surprised,” he explained.