There are some cocks you just don’t mess with — especially if it’s illegal to do so.
Augustin Ernesto Bascon — the reelected mayor of Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental — is now facing a criminal charge for allowing the holding of cockfights every Sunday from No. 11, 2012 to Jan 9, 2013 in Sitio Calansi in Barangay Libacao. Bascon won his reelection bid in the May 9 elections.
“In the information filed against him by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Bascon was charged for violating Section 5(D) of the Presidential Decree 449, or the Cockfighting Law of 1974, as amended by PD 1602 which prescribes stiffer penalties on illegal gambling,” reports Marc Jayson Cayabyab on Inquirer.net.
The prosecutors claimed that Bascon approved the letter request of a certain Pablito Villaruel for a permit to hold “pabulang” or cockfighting even if the latter was not licensed to operate a cockpit or to hold cockfighting in the city. Moreover, the cockfight request was also granted without the approval of the Philippine National Police chief.
But then how much is anyone willing to bet that Bascon can easily pay the PHP10,000 bail?
