Drive vs ‘tupada’
LOOK who is leading the nationwide campaign against illegal cockfighting operations, a major source of election campaign fund of “unscrupulous local politicians” in the past.
Now spearheading the renewed crackdown against the popular “tupada” is the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is civilian in nature but national in scope, himself.
In fact, PNP Chief Lt./Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo “Guilor” T. Eleazar has ordered his field commanders to go after all those involved in illegal cockfights across the country.
Eleazar issued the directive following the arrest of 17 persons, including a barangay chairman, in Calamba, Laguna for holding “tupada” and violating public health and safety protocols.
An acknowledged “darling” of the press, Eleazar lamented the prevalence of the illegal gambling game “tupada” despite the raging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Dapat alamin din ni Eleazar kung may mga pulis na mahilig sa sabong. Baka naman may mga hepe siyang nag-aalaga mismo ng mga manok na pansabong,” an ex-village exec said.
A few months ago, a policeman was also arrested in one of the raids on an anti-illegal cockfighting operations in Pasig City.
The PNP chief, a member of Class 1987 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), reminded his officers and men not to get involved in “tupada” and other illegal gambling activities.
“Binabalaan ko rin po ang ating mga PNP personnel na huwag kukunsintihin ang anumang klase ng iligal na sugal dahil siguradong mamalasin kayo sa akin,” he said.
Eleazar is coordinating with Local Government Sec. Eduardo Ano to give the PNP the clearance to immediately file cases against officials of villages, where successful anti-tupada operations would be conducted.
We hope our village officials will wake up to their responsibility to help the PNP and the Department of the Interior and LocaL Government in addressing the country’s illegal gambling problem.
