The Manila police charged three people on Monday for allegedly organizing a street boxing match in Gagalangin, Tondo.
Those arrested have been identified as village official Arnel Saenz, his son Victor Saenz, and Lawrence Bindoy, the husband of the village secretary, for allegedly collecting bets during the match. Arnel had already denied the charges.
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The boxing match attracted a huge crowd, many of whom did not wear facemasks. The sports event was organized to celebrate the village festival, which was held on that day. The police weren’t able to arrest anyone on sight, including the fighters, who just left their boxing gear behind.
However, some residents pointed to the suspects as the ones responsible for organizing the match. Boxing and other contact sports remain prohibited in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the pandemic.
The trio will be charged with violating health protocols and Presidential Decree No. 483, which penalizes betting on sports.
