On The Proposed Additional Cockpits: Archdiocese snubs public hearing

CEBU, Philippines - The proposed two additional cockpits in Cebu City may be granted soon because nobody showed interest to block it during the public hearing.

The Cebu City Council scheduled yesterday a public hearing on the proposal made by Councilor Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem to increase the number of cockpits in the city to six. They have invited the officials of the Archdiocese of Cebu and other religious groups to attend the public hearing but nobody has showed up in the council to register their objection.

Council secretary Jose Marie Poblete said he had sent invitations to Msgr. Achilles Dakay, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu, and to some other religious groups, but none of them showed. They also did not send position papers on the issue.

The national Cockfighting Law provides that “Only one cockpit shall be allowed in each city or municipality, except that in cities or municipalities with a population of over 100,000 two cockpits may be established, maintained and operated.”

In Cebu City there were already four cockpits granted franchise by the council, two in the north and two in the south district. But even if they have already exceeded what was provided for by the law, Jakosalem still proposed the amendment of the existing ordinance to accommodate two more cockpits.

The proposal is seen to favor to the operators of RMI Cockpit Arena in Barangay Inayawan. Pending the amendment of the ordinance the RMI Cockpit Arena could not be granted a franchise because there are already two existing cockpits in the south.

RMI Cockpit Arena is owned and operated by Lutherlee Ignacio Soon, daughter of Inayawan barangay captain Rustico Ignacio.

Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña, who is not a cockfighting afficionado, strongly supports the move to increase to six the number of cockpits that will be allowed to operate in Cebu City because he said it would be very difficult to stop the culture of the Filipinos.

Councilor Edgardo Labella, chairman of the City Council’s committee on laws, said the Local Government Code empowered the local government units to issue a license to operate and maintain cockpits arena including the regulation of cockfighting.

A cockpit operator is required to pay P30,000 to the city government for the franchise.(FREEMAN NEWS)