Philippine "Agricultural Development and Agrarian Party" (AGAP) Representative Nicanor Briones was removed from his seat in the powerful "Commission on Appointments" (CA) after being caught watching cockfighting (sabong) videos during a plenary session of Congress, sparking public debate.
According to Politiko, Briones was originally competing with Representative Allan Ty of the LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA) for a minority seat in the "Commission on Appointments". However, after images of him watching the cockfighting video during the meeting were captured and spread on social media, it caused an uproar and ultimately led to the loss of his nomination.
Briones did not deny the content of the video, admitting that it was indeed him in the footage, but insisted that he "did not participate in gambling" and was merely checking a video message sent by a relative. Despite this, the incident still negatively impacted his political image.
Currently, the House of Representatives is rearranging its committee members, and Briones' "Cockfighting Gate" scandal has undoubtedly become a focal point of external attention, also reigniting discussions on the behavioral standards of Philippine politicians.
