Cockfight or "sabong" aficionados questioned how they can place legal wagers after Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año declared that live crowds and bets remain prohibited.
Año disclosed over ABS-CBN Teleradyo that only handlers, referees, owners of the game fowl, and organizers are allowed in cockpit arenas.
He also noted that no live broadcast of the cockfight proceedings will be allowed.
“Walang live broadcast. Delayed broadcast meron pero kapag live bawal (There should be no live broadcast. Delayed broadcast is allowed but not live),’’ Año said.
Businessmen Sonny Andrade and Cesar Santos Jr. of Marilao, Bulacan said cockfighting aficionados like them are wondering how they will place their bets.
“Hindi namin maarok na pumusta kami sa sultada (cockfight) ng di namin nakikita ang laban sa sabungan, live broadcast o online man lang (It is unthinkable for us to make bets without seeing the cockfight either in the arena, online, or live broadcast),’’ Andrade said.
Santos said that cockfighting aficionados are being taken for a ride by the restrictions even if the ban on cockfights had been lifted.
“Ano ba talaga (Which is which)? I think that the government should take a stand and just ban or allow sabong (cockfights) to proceed. It is very confusing,’’ Santos said.
The DILG chief recalled that some 200 individuals who attended a “hackfight" (cockfight) in Davao City were infected with COVID-19.
Last week, the government allowed cockfighting in places under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Año stressed that online cockfighting is also prohibited and is a form of illegal gambling and that it is under the authority of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. if it will be allowed or not.
The Inter-Agency Task Force said local government units have the power to allow the operation of cockpits and cockfighting.