FORMAL ORDER | Marcos orders continued suspension of e-sabong

December 30, 2022 , 09:59 AM

By Beatrice Puente

(December 30, 2022) – President Bongbong Marcos Jr. ordered the continued suspension of online cockfighting operations, extending the spoken directive issued by his predecessor amid the issues linked to e-sabong.

Dated last Wednesday, Executive Order (EO) No. 9 cited the need “to protect public health and morals” to justify the prevailing suspension. The Office of the Press Secretary issued a copy of the order on Thursday.

“There is an urgent need to reiterate the continued suspension of all e-sabong operations nationwide, clarify the scope of existing regulations, and direct relevant agencies to pursue aggressive crackdown against illegal e-sabong operations, in accordance with the law,” read EO 9.

To recall, former President Rodrigo Duterte pulled the plug on e-sabong through a pronouncement in his late-night public address last May. He said it was made upon the recommendation of Eduardo Año, who was then secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Ang amin sana, buwis lang ang habol namin dito,” said Duterte, noting the P640 million revenue from e-sabong. “But may naririnig ako, loud enough, loud and very clear to me that it was working against our values and ang impact sa pamilya at tao.”

In his order, Marcos said the livestreaming and betting on live cockfights outside the arena must still be banned. But he did not touch on the operations of traditional cockfights that are authorized by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Both the PAGCOR and local government units must coordinate with each other in implementing the order. Meanwhile, the DILG and the Philippine National Police (PNP) can provide assistance.

“The PAGCOR, in coordination with the DILG and the PNP, shall submit regular reports to the president, through the Office of the Executive Secretary,” added EO 9.

As early as February, several lawmakers have repeatedly aired their opposition to e-sabong in light of the cases of kidnapping linked to this online betting activity. Almost three dozen individuals were reported as missing in relation to this.

At least five police officers linked to the kidnapping of a master agent, Ricardo Lasco, in Laguna were dismissed from service, according to PNP chief information officer Col. Redrico Maranan earlier this month. Lasco was abducted in August 2021.

Three of the five suspended PNP personnel—Staff Sgt. Daryl Paghangaan, Pat. Rigell Brosas, and Pat. Roy Navarete—will face robbery and kidnapping charges that the Department of Justice sought to file. The cases of the other respondents were dismissed for lack of probable cause.

Since the banning of e-sabong, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has ordered a crackdown on “guerilla operations,” noting some operators have also “gone international.”

“We do not know if there are criminal syndicates behind this. The games are even rigged, because the people here already know the results,” said Azurin in a report by Philippine Daily Inquirer last December 7.

(PM)

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