Negros Occidental 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel "Javi" Benitez and 26 other officials face a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman over the operation of a cockfighting arena in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, without a franchise1. The complaint was filed in June 2025 by resident Bernard Ferraris but was only made public on Wednesday, January 71. Benitez was Victorias mayor in 20241.
The respondents are accused of dishonesty, grave abuse of authority, and graft1. Ferraris alleged the officials issued barangay, business, and mayor's permits to Jimmy Banguanga of Sitio Litib-Litib-Litib, Barangay 3, Victorias, to operate Cockpit 6119 in December 2024, despite the facility having no franchise and no resolution of no objection (RONO) from the city council1. Also named were current Mayor Abelardo Bantug III, Vice Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, eight incumbent councilors, three former councilors, five city hall department heads, and seven Barangay 14 officials including village chief Angelo Dorado1.
Ferraris said Cockpit 6119 lacked sufficient parking, violating a Victorias City ordinance, and that a barangay basketball court is now used as a parking lot1. He also questioned its location across from a Gawad Kalinga residential village and a Roman Catholic church, which he said violates the 1974 Cockfighting Law, under which such establishments are prohibited within 200 meters of residential areas, commercial establishments, hospitals, schools, churches, or public buildings1.
The respondents denied wrongdoing in a joint counter-affidavit, calling the complaint "untrue and fabricated"1. Benitez said Victorias has City Ordinance No. 2023-35 regulating cockpit establishment, operation and maintenance, approved by the Negros Occidental provincial board under Resolution No. 0688 on June 20, 2023, and that a franchise is no longer required1. Mayor Bantug said that under the same ordinance a RONO is no longer needed for Cockpit 61191. Ferraris countered that the relevant provisions of the Local Government Code have not been amended1.
"Franchise to operate from Sangguniang Bayan/Panlungsod must come first before the barangay, business and mayor's permits to be granted to any cockpit arena across the country. It's as simple as that."
On November 28, 2025, Ombudsman Philip Camiguing issued a subpoena directing Victorias City Secretary Julien Olis to produce a certified copy of a city ordinance granting the supposed franchise1. Olis has yet to issue a statement1. Benitez said the complaint is pending before the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas in Cebu City, that a counter-affidavit and position paper had been submitted, and that a perjury case against the complainant is pending before the Bacolod City prosecutor's office1. He also cited a motion for intervention dated October 13, 2025, filed by James Francis Anthony Garcia, stating the complainant had no personal knowledge of the alleged facts1.
What it means for players
Cockpit operations in the Philippines are regulated by the Games and Amusements Board rather than the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation1. The dispute turns on whether a local ordinance can remove the franchise and RONO steps that Ferraris says the Local Government Code still requires before barangay, business and mayor's permits are granted1. Until the Ombudsman rules, no change to how cockpits are licensed has been reported. Players at cockpits in Victorias City and elsewhere in Negros Occidental face the same permit framework as before; the complaint concerns the paperwork behind one venue, not the legality of betting at licensed cockpits generally. See our guides to sabong and other Asian gambling games and to who licenses what in Asia, plus gambling in the Philippines.
What happens next
The complaint remains pending before the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas in Cebu City1. The subpoena to the city secretary, issued November 28, 2025, seeks a certified copy of any ordinance granting the franchise; no response from Olis has been reported1. A perjury case against Ferraris is pending before the Bacolod City prosecutor's office1. No ruling or hearing date has been reported.
