In a move that has not happened in the province of Bohol, the local government of Anda had shut down the operation of the town's lone cockpit arena, which is owned by the previous mayor of the tourist-favorite town, due to alleged non-payment of taxes. The decision of the LGU to halt operation of ex-Mayor Paul Amper's cockpit arena, the first of its kind of order issued by a local government in Bohol, came amid reports that for more than two decades, the management of the gambling den did not reportedly pay the actual amount of tax to the town treasury and to the province. While the closure shocked gamblers in the town, wives and children of gambler-fathers however have hailed the political will of the incumbent mayor, according to several sources.

Municipal Treasurer Pedro Castrodes, who by authority of Mayor Metodio “Dodong” Amper, issued the order before the weekend, in a peaceful manner. “For this year, the cockpit arena has been operating without a license and a permit,” Mayor Amper said. “The municipality cannot also issue both the license and the permit because the cockpit management has not paid its outstanding tax obligation.” Asked whether the closure order was tainted with a political color, the mayor said the LGU did not single out the ex-mayor's gambling business, adding that the same order may be issued to any other establishments which failed or refused to pay taxes despite repeated government demands.

“We are only following the law. No one is above the law. The law must be followed. Since there is a violation on tax payments, the LGU is forced to implement the closure order,” Mayor Amper said. Mayor Amper, who was elected in last year's election in a slim victory over P. Amper (not related with the mayor), told media he would look into reports that the cockpit arena has not been paying the true amount of tax during the last 20 years. “We are going to verify all the past records to confirm whether all taxes had been duly paid,” the mayor said. “If we found fraud and dishonesty in previous records, this will be subject to a court case.”

Reacting to the closure order, Anda councilor lawyer Ferdinand Visaya Berongoy said: “The stoppage/closure of the cockpit arena in Anda is bound to happen since the day it operates.” He explained that “the cockpit is just one of the many establishments in our town that was ordered by the Mayor to stop operate until they will comply with all legal requirements for registration.” Berongoy said the cockpit arena operated, and continues to operate without mayor's/business permit, adding that it has no franchise, and most importantly, the management has not been paying taxes to the province as well as to the municipality. “The ordinary Juan Dela Cruz who is selling banana cue in the sidewalk is even mandated to comply with business permit and must be ordered to close/stop if it is not complied, then, why is the law any different to this cockpit arena? I see no reason for any distinction,” quipped Berongoy.

“The law may be harsh, but, it is the law,” Berongoy said, reechoing the mayor's statement on the supremacy of law. One of the thousands of Anda residents who praised the LGU's closure order is New York-based Don Dela Peña, who stressed that “this kind of gambling -- (or if you want it called recreation, I raise no objection) -- has an endemic adverse effects upon children who, instead of obtaining a good education, plummet to become an addict gambler, drug addict and become lazy to go to school; consequently, they become part of the community's problems, instead of a solution.” Dela Peña said that Anda has been facing “too many problems ranging from poverty, education, gambling and now the proliferation of illegal drug distribution.”He noted: “It's not an easy task to counter this deeply rooted, gas chamber, Damocles' swords systemic problems which were mindlessly left ignored by previous town officials.” “This administration has just been in its 13th month toward reforming for a dynamic and progressive community. Let it continue to inspire with your unqualified support and encouragement for a good cause. Having said this, we are certain that it will undoubtedly redound to benefit our children and the next succeeding generation,” Dela Peña urged his friends on Facebook.