Bataan cockpit arenas fall silent amid avian flu outbreak

Cockpit arenas in Bataan fell silent on Sunday due to the province-wide temporary halt on cockfighting, brought about by the avian flu outbreak in neighboring Pampanga.

"In view of the avian influenza outbreak in Pampanga and to contain the disease in the shortest possible time, cockfighting is temporarily banned in Bataan for two weeks," Bataan Governor Albert Garcia ordered in a memorandum circular.

The Bataan Police Provincial Office thus advised all cockpit operators in the towns of Dinalupihan, Orani, Abucay, Orion, and Limay, and the City of Balanga of the temporary ban.

Though the Department of Agriculture had also prohibited cockfights in Pampanga, operations in an Apalit arena were nevertheless in full swing on Sunday.

GMA 7 news program "24 Oras Weekend" sought a statement from the Apalit Cockpit Arena's management, but they refused to  comment.

—  with a report from Ernie Esconde/Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA News