Authorities arrested at least 10 residents of Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong after they were caught watching an alleged cockfight.
In an interview with Dobol B on News TV on Wednesday, Barangay Captain Carlito Cernal said that they arrested some of the residents while they are still searching for the others.
“Mayroon na po kaming nahuli kagabi, sampu na po iyon. Pinakasuhan na ng mayor at ina-identify pa po namin ‘yung mga nasa picture ngayon and iniisa-isa po naming madala sa PNP namin,” said Cernal.
(We arrested ten people last night. Mayor asked them to be charged, and we are still identifying those in the picture, and we bring them one by one to the PNP.)
The people who were photographed were no longer in the area when the barangay bodyguards responded, but based on their investigation, it was not true that the cockfight incident happened.
“Ang nangyari pala kahapon hindi naman totally nagsabong, parang nagbitaw lang po ng manok. In-exercise,” the barangay captain said.
(It was not totally a cockfight. Someone allegedly exercised their rooster.)
“Wala naman kaming nakita na may dugo o balahibo ng manok,” he added.
(We did not see any blood or feather of the roosters.)
Also read: Opinion: The truth about cockfighting in the Philippines
10 arrested for watching alleged cockfight in Mandaluyong
A photo of at least 20 residents of Barangay Addition Hills was circulated on social media Tuesday as they surrounded two roosters fighting.
Residents appear to have ignored social distancing imposed to prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Cernal advised the residents to follow the rules for the local officials to focus their attention and time on giving aid.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported there are a total of 87,000 individuals who violated quarantine protocols, 21,996 of which were arrested.
According to the data provided by Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, head of the Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield, 48,635 violators are from Luzon, where the enhanced community quarantine was imposed. Meanwhile, 16,612 came from the Visayas, and 22,209 were from Mindanao.
4,206 of the 21,996 arrested individuals were already subjected to an inquest, and 17,790 are due for regular filing of complaints.
The figures from March 17 to April 5 also showed another 61,314 were warned while 4,184 were fined, according to the PNP data.