19 arrested for ‘tigbakay’ in Brgy Tisa, Cebu City on Black Saturday

These men were arrested for participating in a tigbakay in Sitio Tambisan in Barangay Tisa past 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 3. | Photo from CCPO-CIU

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Around 30 men participated in tigbakay on Black Saturday, April 3, in Barangay Tisa in Cebu City.

Nineteen of them spent the rest of the weekend in jail after they were arrested by the police while the others managed to escape.

Illegal gambling complaints in violation of Presidential Decree 1602 will soon be filed against the arrested individuals, who are residents of Barangays Tisa and Guadalupe in Cebu City.

Police Major Randy Caballes, chief of the City Intelligence Unit of Cebu City Police Office (CIU-CCPO), said that the gamblers defied the directive of Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), against engaging in illegal gambling activities during the Holy Week.

Caballes said that while they are implementing a year-long anti-gambling campaign, Ligan ordered for an intensified police operation against any crowd gathering activities during the celebration that could put those who are present at risk of infection.

“Naa gihapon ang Tigbakay. Knowing ang mga tawo nga illegal ni sya, naa gyuy mga tawo nga gusto mu take og risk nga magsabong gyud bisan og ginadili…though kusog ang dakop, naa gihapoy mga Cebuano nga manari gyud gihapon,” he said.

(Tigbakay continues to proliferate. Knowing that this is illegal, people continue to take the risk.  Despite our intensified operations, many Cebuanos continue to patronize cockfighting.)

Responding to tips coming from netizens, police went to Sitio Tambisan, Barangay Tisa past 5 p.m. on Saturday and arrested 19 of the around 30 bettors who were gathered in the area.

Caballes said it was not the first time that they received information on tigbakay being held in a vacant lot in Sitio Tambisan.  But it was the first time that a huge crowd gathered there.

“Sa report kay sige na ni sila unya gamay ra ang tawo, unya katong gahapon lang kay daghan og tawo. Kini gud sila, sa layo pa makita na dayon. So sa katong several attempts before, di na gyud sila maabtan,” Caballes said.

(We have been getting reports on the presence of a small crowd there, but more bettors were in the area on Saturday.   The place is an open area that is why it is always easy for them to see [approaching policemen].  We have made several attempts before to make an arrest but we always fail.) / dcb