By Jennifer P. Rendon
The police officer who was caught in an illegal cockfight activity had just served an administrative penalty prior to his arrest on Sunday, April 4, 2021.
To be exact, Staff Sergeant Jose Digcabo-on, Jr. was back on duty status just four days after serving a one-month suspension.
Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) spokesperson, said that Digcabo-on served his suspension from March 1-31, 2021, as an offshoot of the administrative cases slapped against him for “selling or transporting alcoholic beverages during the enhanced community quarantine.”
Digcabo-on hogged the limelight last year after he was caught over a liquor-ban related offense.
Assigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU), he was accused of coddling a van driver who was caught transporting boxes of liquor at the quarantine control point (QCP) in Barangay Nanga, Guimbal, Iloilo around 4:40 p.m. of May 20, 2020.
Subsequently, he was charged for less grave neglect of duty, less grave misconduct, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
But records also showed that the Easter Sunday arrest of Digcabo-on was not his first cockfight-related infraction.
Malong said he was also caught around 9 p.m. of Feb. 1, 2020 at the Iloilo Coliseum in Jaro, Iloilo City.
Digcabo-on could have participated on the Candelaria International Derby, which is usually done every end of January until February 2. He was subsequently charged for grave neglect of duty.
His case was decided on Dec. 9, 2020 where he was meted with one-month suspension.
Digcabo-on served his suspension from January 1-31, 2021.
“It is unfortunate that one of our personnel was caught again in an illegal cockfight activity,” Malong said in a statement Monday.
She said that Digcabo-on’s previous administrative charges will affect his recent violation for failure to follow directives from higher headquarters.
“That would serve as an aggravating circumstance on his part,” she said.
Malong stressed that the presence of police personnel in cockpits with no valid reason or no official functions could be tantamount to the filing of administrative charges against them.
Members of San Joaquin Police Station arrested Digcabo-on around 12:30 p.m. of April 4 at the hinterland village of Torocadan, around 20 kilometers away from San Joaquin proper.
Also collared were Jolly Seat Sealza, 55, and Rogelio Servandil, 55, both of Barangay Matambog, San Joaquin; and Paul Panganitan, 20, of Barangay Siwaragan, San Joaquin.
Lieutenant Dionisio Estacio, San Joaquin police chief, said more cockfight enthusiasts were able to flee.
The area where the cockfight happened could not be accessed by four-wheeled vehicles.
“That’s why, it was a surprise for us when we learned that a policeman was one of those who took part in the illegal activity,” he said.
It appeared that Digcabo-on, 43, a resident of Barangay Nam-o Norte, Miag-ao, did not try to flee.
“Maybe, he was thinking na hindi siya huhulihin,” he said.
There was no need for Digcabo-on to identify himself as the local police already knew him.
Recovered were three live and seven dead fighting cocks, twenty bayong or native bags, and P1,950 cash bet.
