Help Me Spread Awareness and Stop Animal Blood Sports in the Philippines

I posted this earlier during Asian time, but was passed by. It goes to show how "accepted" this is. So help me. Not all Filipinos are like this, but spreading this online and showing the support of many around the world, will cause ripples. Just like how more have become aware of the laws about illegal dog meat trade.

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I used to sympathize with "poor" Filipinos who kept saying that they don't know any other means for a living. But I've had enough. These cockfighters (sabungero) and people who keep the industry of animal fighting alive, are just addicted gamblers.

I wish that I could post a video here of how bloodthirsty these men are. Every rooster (male chickens) that go into a cockpit arena, always dies. I wish that I was able to take a video of the fight. I was finally able to enter one of these "LEGAL" cockpit arenas.

 

 

This image is from a cockfighter in Thailand. But they all look the same. Bloodthirst in their eyes.

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First, they clean the arena by sweeping any feathers from the last chicken fight while the cockfighters ready their roosters on each side. The emcee then asks people in the arena to place their bets which are entered digitally. Apparently, cockfights in arenas are also broadcasted, WORLDWIDE to gamblers online. So it's a multi-billion dollar industry. That's why you will sometimes see random ads in different websites about E-SABONG and Cockfighting Online.

When bets are done, the fight begins.

Roosters and chicken do fight. It's called, "pecking order". Same with other animals. But these animals in arenas, are fitted with metal claws locally called, "tare". Other countries with cockfights also use these metal claws
 

See these metal spurs attached to each rooster?

 

Meaning, cockfighting is always a fight to the death.

 

I used to think and imagine that both of the roosters survive as soon as one rooster gives up fighting. or that there's some point system. But apparently not. Since not all Filipinos engage in this industry, there are many who, like you, have no idea what really goes on in these arenas.

Had I not been stared at for being out of place in the arena and had I had a camera, I could have recorded just how cruel these people are. All they really care about is winning or losing a bet. That's it. (I will try to find if there's a footage of it somewhere. I heard that someone recorded it.)

So, usually, cockfights last for just a few minutes and it will never stop, until one of the animals DIE. Then when the animal dies, they just dump it in a bucket, sack or woven basket. Then they sweep the floors again to prepare for the next fight and accept bets on site and online. Apparently, this goes on for an entire day, even until the wee hours of morning because of INTERNATIONAL GAMBLING. You could actually hear the cheers and roars of sabungeros (cockfighters) way past midnight.

I tried my best to just ignore this since you can't really do anything about it, especially when in the Philippines, people can just kill you if you cross them. Especially the ones who have been in power for too long (working and ingrained the background). The ones professing to be "good people" and slandering those who actually make a difference in the country. Like, do you think the Filipino locals would be writing here on Reddit? In almost perfect English?

But enough is enough. They took my pet. There's just no shame. All they think about is cockfighting.

I am scared since I took a video of the cockfighter and he was staring at me. I only realized after the danger if I post it online.

Before you think that I'm overdramatic, my cousin was stabbed to death over karaoke. He asked his neighbor to lower down their noise because they needed to sleep. That criminal, still years after my cousin was killed.

That's why so many Filipinos turn a blind eye to many things and many are oppressed and abused by those who power and money.

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So the cockfight that I witnessed, lasted for almost 20 minutes.

Imagine, both roosters/chickens were already down. They are basically like limp rags. But the referee kept making them fight. The referee kept holding the chickens up. The roosters try their best to survive by pecking the other. The chickens could not even stand up on their own for the rest of the fight. There was blood everywhere, but all you hear are the cheering and the boos. That's because, the fight will not stop until one of the chickens are dead. There's is no score system. It is a fight to the death.

So the cockfighter referee just holds both chickens and let them peck and kick each other to death. (I will try my best to find who was able to take videos of the cockfights that I witnessed in a legal arena. I was only able to enter because we accompanied some guests who were apparently cockfighters and was curious as to what goes on in these cockfighting arenas. My phone battery was already dead and even if it wasn't, people were staring at me as I was obviously out of place.)

From the photo, I hope that you can imagine what I witnessed. Two limp roosters barely alive. Being forced to peck or kick one another. Being held and dropped by the referee, over and over and over again, until one of the roosters die. Imagine. 20 minutes. Most cockfights last only a few minutes, so tourists who write blogs and stuff about it being not bloody, usually only stay for a while or do not see what happens if there was no instant death. Instead of saying, "poor roosters", the crowd kept cheering on.

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No source of income?

Just an excuse for gambling. Then there's also the illegal dog fights usually by the rich all over the world. But I want to expose this first. It's all connected.

I am not a vegan or known animal activist (you can get killed for that), but when you see the glaze in cockfighter's eyes, disregarding if the animal that they are taking is a pet, then that's a different story. I have already met so many of them and I ignored it in the past as I had no idea what goes on in these arenas. Nobody really does since these places are scary to enter unless you are a cockfighter and gambler. Plus, it's mostly filled with men.

But enough is enough. This "source of income of the poor" excuse/front for gambling needs to stop. It's the same glaze in their eyes when they want to eat your pet dog that has no breed.

(Laws finally changed a bit, but still ongoing illegal dog meat trade. I campaigned for that really hard years ago and it somehow paid off even if it meant that all my rescue dogs were taken from me without my knowledge and killed. A lot of locals now know that it's illegal to kill animals, especially dogs. But still a different story with cats.)

People (usually tourists with blogs/vlogs) who "observed" and watched cockfights and didn't see the cruelty, probably weren't able to witness just how long a cockfight can last. Again, as long as both roosters are alive, the fight is not over. It doesn't matter if the referee is holding them both up just so they could peck at each other. It does not matter if the fight takes a long time. As long as both roosters/chickens are alive, the cockfighting will not stop.

Just how deadly are these metal claws attached to the chickens? Just search for a Philippine Police Officer dying after raiding an illegal cock fighting pit. Also search for cockfighter killed by rooster. You will see many of those incidents online.

 

 

 

May you rest in peace.

 

This is another global problem. Blood sport gambling is "illegal" in First World countries, yet they can bet online for the "legal" cockfight arenas placed in Third World countries. If the excuse is "hobby", "fun", "business", "source of income", isn't farming also a business? They take so much care and spend so much for each prized rooster fighter. They can't do that for farming instead?

There is a line drawn between animal abuse and animals for LEGAL food. What's the use of this cruel animal blood sport?

If this cannot be stopped, then all the other evil illegal crimes in this world cannot be stopped. Such as why child pornography still exists. If you check the news, poor people and many children are kidnapped in the Philippines made to perform child pornography online. Consumed by those who pay for it around the world.

It's all connected.

Those who have power and money find ways to keep the poor poorer and find ways where they can do their nefarious business and deeds legally.

Just how dangerous these people are? I could get killed for posting this. That's why most people turn a blind eye especially those that generate a lot of money. Just search for the ongoing issue. "Missing sabungeros", "Missing cockfighters Philippines".

Children are involved in this "industry". I have seen them in arenas assisting or watching. Then in rooster farms.

 

People do not usually eat these dead roosters. Imagine all the medicines these cockfighters inject these roosters. Plus, they complain that the meat is tough even when boiled for hours. So most are really just discarded. Go see what truly happens and not what others tell you.

 

See? Same images as in the Philippines. Not even a volcano eruption can stop these cockfighters in Bali from holding cockfights. Third World and Developing countries are being used for animal blood sports for gambling worldwide.

 

It's a billion dollar industry and no one can really stop it especially when powerful people around the world are involved. But most Filipinos can read and understand English. Most also have access to social media and the internet. Most will have a Facebook account where a lot of these things can be shared. Even if we cannot stop it, bringing awareness helps immensely.
For example, I'm surprised nowadays when simple locals from remote provinces, now can say that it's illegal to kill dogs especially for "pulutan" (what street drinkers like sabungeros eat while drinking the night away). Before, most people and locals will say, "it's just a dog." But because of awareness and maybe the campaigns I did years ago internationally online, the laws started to have teeth.
So this would help a lot.
It's embarrassing and shameful, but the wrongs cannot be righted if there's no awareness and education.
If you can direct me to other sites where I can better share this, or petition, please tell me.

Thank you for reading and help me make this truly global this time.

The facts about cockfighting by Humane Society United States

Tennessee Lawmakers Should Make All Forms of Animal Fighting a Felony In Light of Disease Outbreaks, Rampant Illegal Cockfighting

See? How will awareness spread when Youtube censors this?

Cockfighting in the Philippines - A Deadly Billion Dollar Industry