World · Philippines Bureau
Ex-Cebu Mayor Garcia Contests Ombudsman's Cockfighting Liability Finding
Former Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has challenged an Ombudsman ruling holding him administratively liable for failing to prevent unauthorized cockfighting events at a casino resort in 2024. Garcia expressed disagreement with the decision through social media.
LSN Philippines ·
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Former Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia filed a motion for reconsideration against an Ombudsman administrative decision regarding his alleged involvement in unauthorized cockfighting activities.
The Office of the Ombudsman had ruled that Garcia bore administrative liability for his failure to object to illegal cockfighting events hosted at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino Convention Center during 2024. The ruling found Garcia's inaction constituted a violation of his duties as a public official.
Garcia contested the Ombudsman's findings in a statement distributed via social media, signaling his intent to challenge the administrative liability determination through the formal appeal process. The motion for reconsideration represents his first formal legal response to the Ombudsman's decision.
The case centers on the former mayor's responsibility to prevent or intervene in prohibited gaming activities within his jurisdiction. Cockfighting, while culturally significant in parts of the Philippines, remains subject to regulatory restrictions and licensing requirements under Philippine law.
The motion for reconsideration is expected to undergo review by the Ombudsman's office before any further judicial determination.