Matag-ob, Leyte Mayor Bernardino Tacoy and 13 other local officials are facing a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged illegal cockfighting activities held during the town’s fiesta celebration in June.
Jennifer Torrevillas of Barangay Mansahaon filed the complaint on Aug. 6, accusing the officials of possible violations of Presidential Decree No. 449, or the Cockfighting Law of 1974, and Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Named respondents include Vice Mayor Romeo Albarida, the 10 members of the Sangguniang Bayan, the officer-in-charge of the Business Permits and Licensing Office, and the chief of the Matag-ob Police Station.
The respondents are Artemio T. Almoroto, Joel N. Denoy, Evangeline C. Carno, Ricardo L. Giva, Rodolfo N. Suñir, Luz M. Boldero, Jose B. Yap, Eduardo I. Toledo, Joel C. Tacoy and Aiyanna Patrice M. Laurente.
Also named were Jose Jasper Edullantes, officer-in-charge of the Business Permits and Licensing Office, and Police Maj. Jay Nuñez Zamora, chief of the Matag-ob Police Station.
Torrevillas asked the Ombudsman to place all respondents under preventive suspension.
She also accused them of possible administrative offenses, including grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, abuse of authority, gross neglect of duty and violations of Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
The complaint stemmed from cockfighting activities held on June 11, 13 and 14 as part of Matag-ob’s annual fiesta celebration.
Torrevillas alleged that Tacoy and the municipal council allowed the activities without the Philippine National Police authorization required under PD 449.
The complaint cited a July 8 certification from the Leyte Police Provincial Office stating that it had not issued any “no objection, clearance, endorsement, permit, authority, or similar document” for the cockfighting activities.
The issue surfaced after former Mayor Michael Torrevillas sought records related to the fiesta cockfights.
The municipality released the mayor’s permit, Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 26-163 and the Balai Matag-ob Association’s request, but the documents did not include a PNP Certificate of No Objection.
The June 10 mayor’s permit allowed the association to hold cockfights on June 11, 13 and 14 at the New Matag-ob Civic Center in Barangay Bonoy or another venue approved by the municipality. The municipality collected P2,200 in permit fees.
The council unanimously approved Resolution No. 26-163 on June 8, allowing the event at the Municipal Covered Court/Gymnasium or another designated recreational venue, subject to safety, peace and order, sanitation, traffic and crowd-control requirements.
However, Torrevillas alleged that the actual cockfights were held at a makeshift cockpit on a vacant lot in Barangay Bonoy instead of the venue identified in the resolution.
She further accused the respondents of using their official positions to give the organizers unwarranted government benefits and an appearance of official legitimacy through the endorsements, resolution and mayor’s permit.
The allegations remain subject to investigation and determination by the Office of the Ombudsman.
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