Five Caloocan barangay officials asked to surrender after cockfighting
By Joseph Almer Pedrajas
The local government of Caloocan City is calling on the five Barangay 129 officials to surrender to authorities after they were caught on Friday engaging in illegal cockfighting inside the Manila North Cemetery while close to each other despite the social distancing guidelines imposed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Caloocan Mayor Oca Malapitan on Saturday said, he would not hesitate to order a manhunt operation against them should they not surrender themselves to the police.
"Hindi natin kailanman kukunsintihin ang mga maling gawa ng ating mga opisyal. Magsasagawa ng sariling imbestigasyon ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Caloocan para maberepika ang sumbong ," he added.
Malapitan's warning came after Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso through a Facebook live video disclosed that the said officials are still at large after escaping when they were caught engaging in illegal cockfighting with dozens of other men.
Citing report from the Manila Police District, both Moreno and Malapitan identified them as: barangay chairman Brix John Reyes and barangay councilors Ronnie Ignacio, Alfie Lacson, Romualdo Reyes, and John Cris Domingo.
"Ano kayang mararamdaman nyo sa mga taong ito na naturingang barangay opisyal...ginawa po nila yung pagsasabong sa loob ng sementeryo kung saan nahihimlay nang mapayapa ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay ," Moreno said.
"Walang galang sa mga patay. Walang galang sa batas ," Moreno added. He also gave them 48 hours to show themselves to the local government of Manila.
Malapitan, for his part, said he would also not hesitate to impose administrative sanctions against them.
"Hindi ako mag-aatubili na patawan ng kaukulang parusang administratibo kabilang na ang pagpapasuspinde sa kanila ," he said.
Malapitan said that aside from it, the five officials might also face three more charges for the violation of R.A. 11649 or Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Disease and Health Event of Public Health Concern Act, Illegal Gambling, and R.A. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
Read more:Â Five Caloocan City barangay officials surrender after being caught cockfighting in Manila cemetery