ILOILO City – Iloilo Sportsmen, Inc., franchise operator of the Iloilo Coliseum in Jaro district, admitted that they have conducted a two-day cock derby on Jan. 30 to 31 without a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) from the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here.
Lawyer Rhea Joyce Alagban, legal counsel of Iloilo Sportsmen, Inc., confirmed this during Monday’s legislative inquiry conducted by the SP committee on games and amusement chaired by Councilor Romel Duron.
However, Alagban insisted there was no need to secure a RONO from the SP because traditionally since 2015, they were not required by the city government to do so.
“As we know indi kami required mag-secure sang special permit kay may franchise man kami to conduct Candelaria derby every year,” she told the committee.
“Halin sang 2015 wala kami gin-require sang local government magkuha sang special permit except lang pag-conduct e-sabong sang 2021, amo lang to nag-require ang council,” she added.
Councilor Plaridel Nava, meanwhile, questioned Alagban’s response.
“Why did you ask for it? Kon indi man lang kinanglan why did you write a letter to the mayor requesting for a RONO? Kon gapati kamo nga since may franchise kamo you don’t need to secure anymore a permit or a RONO, ngaa nagkadto kamo sa amon kag nangayo?” Nava asked.
Alagban said they only sent an invitation to Mayor Jerry Treñas to grace the championship of the cock derby on Feb. 2.
However, she said the city mayor asked them to request a RONO at the SP and they complied. He then endorsed their letter to the SP.
On Jan. 27, the SP denied the RONO request of lloilo Sportsmen, Inc. for a cock derby from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, citing Presidential Decree (PD) 449 or Cockfighting Law that disallow cockfighting if there is an ongoing voters’ registration.
The voters’ registration for October’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections ended on Jan. 31.
Treñas requested the SP to hold another special session to reconsider their earlier decision, noting that cockfighting is a Jaro fiesta tradition.
During the second special session on Jan. 31, majority of the SP members approved the granting of RONO for the cock derby from Feb. 1 to 3.
Those who voted in favor of the resolution believed there was no more legal impediment because the voters’ registration already ended.
Duron, on the other hand, told the Iloilo Sportsmen, Inc. to put into writing their stand regarding the RONO.
As chairman of the SP committee, he is set to make report and recommendation based on the result of the hearing which will be presented to the council.
But in his personal opinion, Duron believes the franchise operator of the Iloilo Coliseum has a violation for conducting a cockfighting without a special permit, citing the provision of PD 449./PN
