MANDAUE CITY, Cebu—Citing health reasons, Mandaue City has no plans of allowing licensed cockfighting pits to reopen just yet.
Although the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has allowed cockfighting in places under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), city officials believe doing so may put to waste the city’s efforts against the spread of COVID-19.
“This may be detrimental. Months of sacrifice to flatten the COVID-19 curve may be put to waste if we reopen the cockpits. As of now, it isn’t an immediate need,” said Lawyer John Eddu Ibañez, executive secretary of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.
Read: IATF allows cockfighting activities in MGCQ areas
There is only one licensed cockfighting pit in the city located in Barangay Tabok.
Ibañez added that cockfighting in barangays is also still illegal and prohibited.
He said that the city is closely monitoring such activities. Even the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) has been deploying Non-Uniform Personnel to search where residents are holding illegal cock fighting activities, also known as “tigbakay.”
“So for those planning to host ‘tigbakays,’ if you don’t want to end up in jail, we suggest not to do it. We’re still in a pandemic.”
Mandaue City was placed under MGCQ since September.
/bmjo