Police welcome any probe to be conducted regarding the raid that took place on Jan. 2, 2023 at the cockpit arena in Tubigon where 14 people were arrested and allegedly no less than 50 people got hurt.
This was the statement of Lt. Col. Joseph Berondo, spokesman of the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) in a radio interview over Open Forum on Jan. 9, 2023, hosted by the trio of Ardy Araneta-Batoy, Gloria Leodivica Araneta and Dave Albarado.
He said the probe will be an opportunity for the police to determine if there are lapses in the raid and if there are, such lapses maybe avoided in the future.
He reacted on the information that allegedly the municipality will be conducting a probe on the matter.
Moreover, it was reported (not in The Bohol Tribune) that the governor has called for a probe on the incident in the cockpit in Tubigon.
Berondo is very open to any investigation re the operation done in Tubigon. In the dialect he stated the reason for his positive attitude towards the investigation:
“Para ma address nato asa man ang lapses, lapses during sa operation,” he said in the interview
The probe will provide an avenue to reveal who is really telling the truth, he added.
Furthermore, Berondo cannot confirm the reports that came out that there was one person inside the cockpit who died as a result of the commotion in relation to the raid.
When asked if it was true that the raid was rather bloody, Berondo said, “Kanang adjective nga dugoon nga panghitabo ma’am, makaingon ko ana nga I beg to disagree kay actually wala man gud tay report nga kadto giingon nila nga naa kunoy namatay,” Berondo told the hosts of the said radio program.
Berondo also said that there was no confirmatory report reaching Camp Dagohoy about a person who participated in the said event that died as a result of the raid.
However, Berondo said that based on experience, it is possible that participants in the said cockfight, upon sensing that there was a raid, did panic and as they scampered away for safety, they ended up getting hurt.
Berondo explained that the police personnel were already inside the cockpit before declaring a raid as it is part of their operational procedure.
As a parting shot, Berondo requested the public to follow the law in order to maintain peace and order.