Manok ni San Pedro

In pre-Islamic Java, cock-fights had religious significance in public ceremonies. Roosters were carved in stone in the temple friezes of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Could cockfighting then be a very old sport that possibly entered the Philippines from its southern neighbors? Pigafetta in his First Voyage Around the World wrote many moons and seas later, that in 1521 he witnessed cockfights in Palawan.

Then and now cockbreeders in the Philippines raised their birds in the house, crossbred them with wild ones, imported some cocks from Jolo with a reputation for bravery like their owners, and assessed their abilities by the color of their feathers.

For example, black ones fought best in the afternoon. White ones, in the morning.

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It was almost impossible to walk along any street in the suburban part of Manila without seeing dozens of natives trudging along with roosters under their arms, talking to and caressing them. Tomas de Comyn in his State of the Philippines in 1810 said: "At every other little roadside hut, an impromptu fight would be going on between two shining plumed birds of equal or unequal merit with its two proprietors restraining their respective roosters from their tails so they would not come too close to tear each other apart. These roosters had great hatred for their brother roosters. It was better to have the roosters in between them, then tempt the handlers to tear at each other’s throats. That’s how bloody cockfighting and betting can be." Every native had his fighting roosters, reared with the greatest care until he had shown sufficient prowess to entitle him to a debut in the cockpit.

Cockfights during the Spanish period were held on Thursdays and Sundays. Historians Colins and Huertas claim the Spaniards introduced betting during cockfights although it is assumed that the number of spectators and their betting may have been a large number before the Spanish advent. Betting at cockfights even greatly increased with the introduction of the colonizers’ coinage and tax collection. The colonizers seeing their tax revenues increasing, established cockpits in every town and municipality and placed them under their direct control.

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The cockpits were large enclosures covered with a thatch roof over a framework of bamboo. They were open on all sides for fresh air to flow. As it is today the smell, the perspiration, the smoke are all so intoxicating for the kill, win or revenge. The handlers and owners of these gladiator roosters and the spectators sat on tires which served as swerving seats (wouldn’t it be more like sitting on toilet bowls?). Sawdust surrounded the ring which was the center of the battle. "As the game went on inside the cockpit, shouts and applause resounded at every opportunity, and at the close of the performance a multitude of two-wheeled gigs carried off victors with their spoils, while the losers trudged home with dead chicken through the dust on foot." By the gate of this flimsy structure were women selling food.

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Oh, for the love of roosters. They were the native dogs of the Filipinos of yesteryear. The Filipinos’ pets who were coddled and their plumage smothered down. Their combs were cleaned and tail feathers trimmed out to make them blood thirsty.

It was joked about then that, in case of fire, the rooster was the first rescued and laid securely in a place of safety because babies were common luxuries in the Philippines, who could be more easily duplicated than this feathered money-making friend. No way. Women would argue about that. Journalist Chit Lijauco decided, "If I can’t beat those roosters for attention, I’m going to participate in this man’s sport." She did, in the best way she knew and published a book entitled Tahor. It was displayed in my den for five years, catching gentlemen’s attention. Leafing through it I remembered the ’60s and ’70s in Luisita.

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A daily topada took place at 6 p.m. to test the skills of roosters with miniature boxing gloves tied to the chicken’s spurs. Peping and his brother-in-law Esting Teopaco. Both bred roosters to sell or re-breed them to become more ferocious. High-flying fighters known as Brown Reds or Greys, or Round Head, Blues, Hactch, Clarets, Kelso were trained for cockfights in Manila, Bacolod, Pampanga and Cebu. In Luisita, a yearly cockfight with renowned Filipino breeders, asentistas (he who squared off the difference between cocks by getting bets for the underdogs), casadors or matchmakers, mirons, gamblers assembled with traveling kristos (the bookies who spread out their arms "like Christ crucified," according to Chit), sentinciador or referee, soltadores or handlers – all shouting, jeering, laughing, teasing, challenging and betting in this one-day festivity.

The Chiongbians, Aranetas, Lacsons, Riveros came yearly. Monching Mitra, the Asistios, Louie Beltran, Eddie Araneta, Ben Rodriguez, Joe Aldeguer and Kip Moore. Everyone never forgot that special date. By lunchtime cars drove by the lane lined with very old acacia trees and bougainvillas. By 7 p.m. each owner picked from his case the knives he needed for the fight. He tied the rooster’s blade slowly and carefully at an angle knowing that his rooster jumped high or low while hitting his opponent with his legs.

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A mananari tied the blades to the leg of the cock at the proper angle. Here’s how to tie the little gloves:

The gloves are easy to attach as they have a socket in the middle where the rooster’s spur is inserted. The glove has an elastic band so that it is attached firmly but not too tight.

Here’s how to tie the knives: In the Philippines, it is considered an art to tie the knife or the tari. Gaffers or mananaris take great pains in making sure that the tari is aimed or pointed at the right angle. First, they wrap a tape around the leg beside the spur. This taped area becomes the base where the tari is placed, which is why placing the tape requires skill and knowledge of the rooster’s flights and kicks. The tape determines the angle and point of the tari on the spur. With the tari on top of the tape on the leg, the tari is now tied with a long waxed string which is looped around the leg to secure the knife. On top of the string, another plastic tape covers the entire area. The knife is covered with a leather shield which is only taken off just before releasing the cock to fight.

In the US and other countries, they use what is called socket knives. The string cannot be too tight or the cock will limp. Like the gloves, the spur is inserted into the socket and tied with a long string.

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Then the fight begins. Proud, fierce roosters, plums shining, held back because they are ready for the kill, noisy owners, ladies fanning themselves nervously, a boisterous audience. Then silence! In a wink or after a mistaken side glance the fight is over.

Blood is splattered on the glass dividers. Blooded birds at the ring shuffle their wings in pain or walk away, limping. What a horrible sight. The judgment comes after the roosters are made to peck at each other if they seem to be just lying around half dead. Then the referee announces the winner above the jeers, shouts, hard breaths.

The manggagamot rushes into the ring to rescue the birds. The janitor with his broom walks into the ring and levels the ground to clean it up. In a corner the injured birds are being stitched up.

Abruptly, the next fight is announced, while the winners are being congratulated and the losers huddle knowing what went wrong. "Malas, malas lang." Another fight begins. "Sa pula, sa puti, " the kristos begin their number like a misguided choir but not to the cockers’ ears.