ILOILO – The provincial government has enforced adjusted community quarantine measures for all cockfighting activities in the province’s 42 towns and one component city.
These additional guidelines were contained in Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s Executive Order (EO) No. 284.
Under EO 284, local government units shall impose the following measures:
* conduct the regular inspection of cockpits, essentially before the cockfight
* assign personnel of the Philippine National Police to inspect and monitor/witness the conduct of cockfight
* submit a report on the conduct of cockfighting activities to the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and provincial government
Meanwhile, Defensor enjoined the Iloilo Police Provincial Office to ensure that the chiefs of municipal and city police stations are performing their functions in the implementation of the additional rules for cockfighting.
The governor issued his latest directive this Friday following the alleged online cock derby or bulang in the town of Janiuay.
Cock derbies in the municipality had been temporarily suspended since Thursday.
The Department of Interior and Government (DILG)-Iloilo launched a probe to determine whether the Nov. 13 cockfight was live streamed. Police authorities spotted a video camera inside the cockpit.
Cockfighting has been allowed in the province via Executive Order No. 183-D issued by Defensor in early November.
Defensor decided to lift the ban on cockfighting following the issuance of Resolution No. 79 by the national IATF explaining the complete guidelines for the resumption of the popular bloodsport involving gamecocks.
The resolution emphasized that there can be no live audiences, online or remote betting or live broadcast of cockfights.
Electronic bulang is not new but the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic drove this centuries-old Filipino pastime to fully embrace the cyberspace.
Aficionados need not crowd into cockfight arenas, but watch via smartphone. Avoiding coronavirus exposure, they bet online from a few thousands to millions of pesos.
In October, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), the government’s gaming regulatory agency, said it can issue appropriate regulations to license and legitimize cockfights streamed online, as part of efforts to shore up much needed funds for the government.
For now, without PAGCOR’s nod, any online cockfighting is deemed illegal./PN
