Robbers steal gamefowls from Isabela politicians

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — More than a hundred game fowls were stolen from two politicians in Northern Isabela province in separate incidents at the weekend. Police said robbers had entered the breeding farm of Isabela board member Jimmy Atayde in Luna town before dawn on Sunday and ran off with more than 70 of his prized gamecocks worth P1 million. Another big-time breeder of fighting cocks in the province was victimized a few days earlier. Mayor Fernando Cumigad of Gamu town lost more than 30 game fowls worth P 300,000 to robbers last Tuesday. Isabela police director Senior Superintendent Jaime Rivera told GMANews.TV farm insiders might have been involved in the break-ins. "We are not discounting the possibility of an inside job, but until investigations are complete, we cannot categorically make a judgment," he said. Rivera said they had identified the suspected robbers, but they need more information to justify arrests. "We already have leads but have not arrested anybody," he said in Filipino. — Floro Taguinod/CGL/NPA, GMANews.TV