Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

Police chief killed by fighting cock during raid on illegal venue in Philippines

Police chief killed by fighting cock during raid on illegal venue in Philippines

A Filipino police officer bled to death after a fighting cock slashed his femoral artery during a raid on an illegal event on the island of Northern Samar. Like other sports, cockfights have been officially banned due to Covid-19.
Lieutenant Christian Bolok was fatally cut in his left thigh when he picked up the rooster, which still had its fighting spurs - long, sharp blades - attached to its talons, during Monday’s raid on the illegal event in San Jose.

Though he was rushed to a nearby hospital, Bolok, who served as police chief for the town, was declared dead on arrival, having bled to death from his wound.

Police Chief Colonel Arnel Apud described the grisly incident as “an unfortunate accident and a piece of bad luck that I cannot explain” during a press conference on Northern Samar.

“This is the first time in my 25 years as a policeman that I lost a man due to a fighting cock’s spur,” he continued, sending condolences to to Bolok’s family on behalf of the police department.

Three men were arrested at the event, and police seized seven fighting cocks - including the murderous one - plus two sets of bladed spurs (called gaffs) and 550 Philippine pesos ($11).

Three other attendees fled before they could be apprehended and remain at large. Inhabitants of Mandugang village reportedly called police to the scene on Monday to complain about the illegal gathering.

Cockfighting (also called sabong or tupada) is a billion dollar industry and a massively popular sport in the Philippines. Men often bet on the outcome of the deadly slashing matches between roosters.

There are some 2,500 stadiums dedicated to the competitions nationwide, and an estimated 30 million cocks are killed annually during the miniature death-matches, drawing the ire of animal rights groups. There is even a cockfighting “Super Bowl,” called the World Slasher Cup, that takes place in Manila over a week in a 20,000-seat arena.

However, the sport has been banned due to the coronavirus pandemic, along with most recreational activities in the country. The provincial government of Northern Samar warned in August against attempting to hold cockfights illegally, claiming four people had caught the virus by attending an unlicensed fight.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
×