By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Laoag
City—Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas has warned
all barangays in the city not to hold cockfighting events as this is illegal.
Ms. Fariñas’ issued the
warning after it was alleged that she issued a cockfighting permit for Brgy.
Dibua South.
In an interview, the mayor
vehemently denied that she issued for a “tupada” [cockfight] as part of the
barangay’s fiesta celebrations.
Earlier, Brgy. Dibua South
chairperson Vicente Lorenzo claimed that Ms. Fariñas along with Laoag vice
mayor Michael V. Fariñas and Laoag police chief P/Supt. Jeffrey Gorospe issued
a permit for them to hold cockfights.
Later however, Mr. Lorenzo
denied making that claim as he insisted that the proposed cockfight was simply
requested personally to the mayor by one of his friends. He did not identify
who this friend was.
Ms. Fariñas said she was
surprised by Mr. Lorenzo’s statements as she said the barangay chief knows it
is illegal.
She stressed that her office
had not received any formal and official request for the proposal.
She added that she was in
Manila for an official business when the issue came out.
Ms. Fariñas said she hopes
that this issue would serve as a reminder and warning to all the 80 barangays
in the city not to organize cockfights even as part of their respective fiesta
celebrations as this is illegal.
The mayor also disclosed that
she has yet to speak personally to Mr. Lorenzo about this matter.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gorospe also
denied issuing any permit for cockfights at Dibua South.
He stressed that he has not
right, power or authority to issue such permit.
He said that upon getting
wind of the issue, he ordered his officers to conduct surveillance operations
if cockfights were held at the said barangay.
Relative to this, Mr. Gorospe
also said he personally went to Barangay Talingaan to stop the planned cock
fighting in the barangay. He told them that unless it will be conducted in a
licensed cock fighting arena this activity is illegal.
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