Philippine policeman killed by rooster during raid on illegal cockfight

The officer was slashed by a rooster’s blade and bled to death after he picked it up to collect evidence of the illegal event

Cockfighting is a popular blood sport that has been banned during the coronavirus pandemic to prevent crowds from gathering

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Cockfighting is a popular blood sport in the Philippines. Photo: AP

Published: 6:00pm, 28 Oct 2020Updated: 12:35am, 29 Oct 2020

A Philippine police officer was killed during a raid on an illegal cockfight after a rooster’s blade sliced his femoral artery, an official said Tuesday.

Cockfighting is a popular blood sport in the archipelago where money is bet on the outcome of a fight – often to the death – between two colourful birds armed with bladed spurs.

It has been banned along with other sporting and cultural events during the coronavirus pandemic to prevent large crowds from gathering and spreading the contagion.

This is the first time in my 25 years as a policeman that I lost a man due to a fighting cock’s spur

Colonel Arnel Apud, police chief

Monday’s freak accident in the central province of Northern Samar happened when Lieutenant Christian Bolok picked up a fighting cock as he gathered evidence of the unlawful event.

Its blade struck his left thigh and he bled to death, said provincial police chief Colonel Arnel Apud.

“It was an unfortunate accident and a piece of bad luck that I cannot explain,” he said.

“I could not believe it when it was first reported to me. This is the first time in my 25 years as a policeman that I lost a man due to a fighting cock’s spur.”

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