Ombudsman finds ex-Bohol mayor guilty over illegal cockfighting

The Office of the Ombudsman has found a former Bohol mayor administratively liable for allowing four tupadas or illegal cockfighting in the town in 2013 and 2014.

Found guilty of grave misconduct was former Mabini town mayor Esther Fostanes-Tabigue.

The Ombudsman slapped her with a penalty of dismissal from service and forfeiture of retirement benefits. But since the dismissal cannot be implemented due to separation from service, the penalty is convertible to her salary for one year.

Aside from this, she is also facing four counts of violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 449 or The Cockfighting Law of 1974 and violation of Section 3(j) of RA 3019, or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, before the Sandiganbayan.

In his complaint, Danilo Du alleged that Tabigue refused to renew his license to operate a cockpit in 2014. This, despite his compliance with the requirements for the franchise.

Du has been the town's cockpit franchisee since 2009.

Tabigue also allegedly allowed illegal tupada operations in the town, which violated The Cockfighting Law.

Under the law, cockfighting events for charitable purposes should support not only a local but a national fundraising campaign which is approved by the President to be held in a licensed cockpit, park or playground.

"[I]t is the law, an ordinance or some well-defined officially written regulation that should define the detailed requirements for the issuance of a license to operate a cockpit and not the respondent," the Ombudsman said in its resolution.

"As far as PD 449, PD 1602, PD 1608 and Municipal Ordinance No. 3, series of 2006 are concerned, complainant had already complied with the basic requirements and respondent is already bereft of any reason to deny it. This is especially so when, at that time, the municipality had been illegally granting permits to conduct cockfighting events during town fiestas in places other than a licensed cockpit," it added.

Under Section 3(j) of RA 3019, meanwhile, public officials are prohibited from "knowingly approving or granting any license, permit, privilege or benefit in favor of any person not qualified for or not legally entitled to such license, permit, privilege or advantage." — MDM, GMA News