Headline
Duterte decision on fate of ‘e-sabong’ known Monday
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte said he will decide on the fate of e-sabong (online cockfighting) operations by Monday.
In a speech in San Fernando City, Pampanga during the inspection of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital on Sunday, Duterte said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has finished drafting a recommendation on whether or not to suspend e-sabong operations.
“There is a department, si DILG, I tasked it to make a serious study of the e-sabong. The recommendation is on my table now. So pagdating doon, babasahin ko and maybe by Monday, malaman natin kung ituloy natin o hindi (So when I get there, I will read it and maybe by Monday we will find out if we will allow its continued operations or not),” Duterte said.
The DILG recommendation comes as the disappearance of some e-sabong aficionados (sabungeros), which started late last year, remains unsolved up to this day.
Duterte acknowledged that the government is earning millions of pesos from the betting game, but noted that there is apparently a “social problem”.
“Ako, kung mayroon lang ganun, susugal ako (If it was just me, I would take a risk). But there is apparently a social problem evolving sa pagpatakbo nitong e-sabong (running e-sabong operations). So, we have a problem there and we want to be fair to everybody but then again, we must study seriously or take into consideration ‘yung (the) social issues,” he said.
He expressed concern that the game is luring many Filipino families, including minors and police officers.
Meanwhile, he defended his decision to allow the continued operation of e-sabong even after some senators urged the Palace to order its suspension after 30 sabungeros have been reported missing.
“The only reason, the sole and only reason why I, we in the Executive department, allowed it kasi ang estimate ni (because the estimate of) [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation chair and CEO] Ms. [Andrea] Domingo is that it would help us something like PHP640 million a month. That would give us at the end of the year billions,” he said.
Duterte has previously asked Congress to regulate the operations of the betting game by issuing a legislative franchise.
He said he might be forced to order the suspension of e-sabong if the situation gets out of hand.
In February, the Senate filed a resolution urging Pagcor to suspend operations until the case of the missing sabungeros are resolved.
Malacañang, in response, ordered a thorough investigation on the disappearances and directed an inquiry into online sabong licensees for possible violations.
The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has filed kidnapping and robbery charges against five police officers and “several John Does” who might be involved in the alleged kidnappings.
Jessica
May 1, 2022 at 7:50 PM
Tanggalin mo nlng yan Mr. President madami pa namang pagkakakitaan na pwdeng makatulong sa ating ekonomiya at mabigyan ng marangal na pang kabuhayan Ang ating mamamayang pilipino.
Jarry H.Egang
May 1, 2022 at 11:30 PM
Para sa akin gawin na lang sanang legal at magkaroon ng permit ang Online sabong kase sa dami ng sabungero dito sa atin at sa mga nahihilig sa online sabong malaki yung buwis at income na pwede makuha ng gobyerno mula dito.Pag aralan lang nila ng mabuti kung paano nila maipapatupad ang Online sabong para di maabuso ng iilan sa mga iperator.Bigyan din ng kaukulang batas para hindi mahumaling ang mga menor de edad sa pagsusugal sa online sabong.
Jarry H.Egang
May 1, 2022 at 11:36 PM
Kung gagawing legal ang pag operate ng online sabong makakatulong djn naman sa gobyerno ang kita galing sa mga operators ng e sabong kase sa dami ng nahuhumaling na sabungero sa sugal na ito sigurado tataas ang porsyento ng buwis na pwede makuha ng gobyerno mula sa kanila.Malaking tulong yun para kahit paano may dagdag na budget sa pondo ng bayan para sa mga programa ng gobyerno.
Dianne Slee
May 2, 2022 at 11:08 AM
We regard this as a security issue, and I am hopeful that President Duterte will figure out how to put an end to the lunacy. Yes, E-Sabong can be both advantageous and deadly; another player will vanish and no one will be found. My greatest idea is to look ahead, to new mechanics that provide security to their players, and to much greater organization that will take and reorganize the game.
Christopher Burac
May 3, 2022 at 9:05 PM
I’m very glad to hear that the government is finally doing an action to address this online sabong. Subjectively speaking, online sabong has completely ruined so many filipino lives including mine. My father is a sabong/online sabong addict and because of his addiction he always have misunderstanding with my mom. They used to fight always because he gambles every single money that he has to the point that there will be no longer left to us, his family.I am full of hostility towards my father because of his addiction that led him to being an irresponsible father.I also heard that the reason for those people that has gone missing is linked to sabong and their whereabouts is still unknown. Sabong, is proven to be a home wrecker and this must be stopped I mean it must have been stopped earlier but the government chose not to. If the government benifits from this they must atleast realize that there is much more who don’t benifit from this and it is us the ordinary citizen. I’m quite disappointed that they waited for so long until they finally decided to take an action regarding with this online sabong. I know that it’s their choice whether to play online sabong or not ,but believe me, it’s like a drug to them, it’s very addictive,they can’t resist to play it and in order for them to overcome their addiction is to stop all the operations that regards to “cockfight”.