Tigbakay raids in Labangon, Sibonga net 13 illegal gamblers

Two men are arrested for playing tigbakay in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City this Sunday afternoon, August 9, 2020. | Photo from Police Captain Jonathan Dela Cerna

CEBU CITY, Philippines — It would seem that the operation against “tigbakay” gamblers will not be ending soon despite the relentless operations conducted by the police.

This Sunday afternoon, August 9, 2020, another 13 persons were arrested for participating and betting on “tigbakay” in separate operations of the Labangon Police Station in Cebu City and the personnel of Provincial Intelligence Unit (PUI) and Sibonga Police Station.

Read more: Barangay officials in Argao arrested for ‘tigbakay’

First to be arrested were Ray Dacuba Fernan, 35 and Adrian Misa Rosal, 18, who were arrested in Sitio Callejon, Barangay Labangon, Cebu City at 1:20 p.m.

Police Captain Jonathan Dela Cerna, Labangon Police Station commander, said that the police responded to a text complaint of a concerned citizen about men who were engaging in “tigbakay” in the area.

Dela Cerna said that his personnel immediately responded to the area and found several men gathered betting and participating in the illegal cockfighting or “tigbakay”. However, when police approached them, the group ran and fled in different directions.

Only Fernan and Rosal were arrested. They were detained at the Labangon Police Station detention facility pending the filing of charges for violating Presidential Decree 1602 or the illegal gambling act.

Read more: Six tigbakay gamblers nabbed in Cebu, Danao cities

Meanwhile, in Sibonga town, more than hour later, personnel from PIU and Sibonga Police Station also brought the 11 arrested men to the police station for having been caught engaging in “tigbakay” in a vacant area in Sitio Bayog, Barangay Lamacan of the town.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Korret, head of the PUI, identified Roberto Cabardo, Calderon, 51, a resident of Barangay Magcagong of the town, as the organizer of the tigbakay.

According to Korret, there were six other persons who were identified but who eluded the arrest.

He said that they would be included in the filing of charges.

Korret said that they had received several reports about the activity around Wednesday last week and that based on the reports of the citizens, some men continued to engage in tigbakay in the area on weekends.

“Usually daw Saturday, Sunday, pero ngayon kasi bukas yung pista so ngayon nila ginanap. Pero nag transfer-transfer din sila ng lugar kay mahirap mag monitor,” said Korret.

(They usually hold it on Saturday or Sunday but they held tigbakay today because tomorrow will be the feast day of the area. But they usually transfer from place to place in holding the tigbakay so it’s difficult to monitor their activities.)

As of this writing, the 11 men are held in Sibonga Police Station while the charges for PD 1602 or for illegal gambling are being prepared to be filed against the 11 men./dbs