Tolentino wants cockpits reopened to curb 'e-sabong' operations
MANILA, Philippines — Re-opening cockpits and operating the traditional derbies may chip away at "e-sabong" operations or the remote wagering of bets in live cockfights, Sen. Francis Tolentino said.
This comes after the Senate finished its first hearing on the disappearances of 31 individuals described as cockfighting afficionados. "E-sabong" has boomed during the pandemic as restrictions hampered movement and activities.
"If you will allow the operations of your local cockpits, and [they] are not illegally run...it will do away with operations little by little of online sabong," Tolentino said in a statement posted on the Senate's website late Tuesday.
Citing the cases of dozens of sabungeros who went missing over the course of a year, Tolentino claimed that e-sabong has brought about "deleterious effects" to society.
He chairs the Senate local government committee.
Local government units are tasked to regulate live cockfighting events. Meanwhile, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) is in charge of regulating e-sabong.
Twenty-three senators, including Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Sen. Tolentino, earlier signed a resolution urging Pagcor to suspend the e-sabong licenses of seven firms so long as the cases of missing sabungeros remains unresolved. Sen. Leila De Lima was not able to sign but has indicated support for the proposal in a dispatch from detentjon.
The senators observed that the abductions seemed to be "well-planned" and were probably done by trained and organization groups. In their hearing last week, they discovered that authorities had a difficult time in investigating the disappearances due to a lack of evidence, including CCTV footage.
If Pagcor approves of the suggested suspension of e-sabong, now a P50-billion industry, these licensed companies stand to be affected:
- Belvedere Vista Corp.
- Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc.,
- Visayas Cockers Club, Inc.
- Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies, Inc.
- Newin Cockers Alliance Gaming Corp.
- Philippine Cockfighting International Inc.; and
- Golden Buzzer, Inc.
Although the Palace has not given its official statement yet on the proposed suspension of e-sabong licenses, Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said that President Rodrigo Duterte has indicated support for the suspension of "e-sabong."
On Tuesday, acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said Malacañang has not yet received any official document or resolution calling for the suspension of e-sabong permits.
READ: Palace: No official communication yet on suspending e-sabong permits
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