EIGHTEEN persons engaged in illegal online sabong or e-sabong were nabbed by police operatives in Cebu last week, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. reported yesterday.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Azurin said the 18 were arrested by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Field Unit 7 last Friday afternoon in Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City.
Azurin said the suspects were nabbed “while in the act of engaging in illegal cockfight games which was streamed live through mobile phone apps.”
Earlier last week, Azurin said an e-sabong personnel was arrested by operatives of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 7 in Barangay Bugbo, San Fernando town.
“Seven other suspects involved in that e-sabong operation eluded arrest,” said Azurin.
Azurin said policemen seized various electronic equipment used in the livestreaming of cockfights and cash bets were seized during the operation.
E-sabong operations were ordered stopped in May last year by President Duterte on the recommendation of the Interior Department due to its ill effects on society.
Last month, President Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order 9 calling for the continued suspension of e-sabong.
Azurin said the President’s order “is being vigorously implemented by police units nationwide.”
Azurin also said Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has formed a multi-agency body to identify e-sabong operators.
He said the body includes representatives from the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
“The PNP is on the enforcement side but we need the DICT for technology because this is not the normal sabong or tupada (cockfighting). Technology is being used here,” he said.
He said the DITC and the NTC should help in the monitoring of platforms being used in e-sabong.
“The NTC should help all the law enforcement agencies to identify the operators of e-sabong,” said Azurin.
