BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and VICTOR REYES
MONTHS after a public clamor to stop online cockfighting in the country, President Duterte on Monday night ordered the immediate suspension of e-sabong operations and tasked the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement his directive.
During Monday night’s Talk to the People address that was aired on Tuesday morning, the President said the DILG will release the guidelines while the Philippine National Police will oversee the stoppage of e-sabong operations throughout the country.
PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said they will coordinate with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) “since it is the regulating agency pertaining to the operation of e-sabong.”
“We will wait for the official communication how we will implement this, meaning inspection and monitoring of the e-sabong operations particularly the e-sabong (sites) and betting stations so there will be no confusion in the implementation of the President’s order,” said Fajardo.
Duterte said his decision to suspend the operation of e-sabong operators stemmed from the recommendations of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año whom he had earlier ordered to conduct a study and survey related to the social and moral impacts of online cockfighting.
“It’s not, might not be a sophisticated survey but still it is a survey. And the recommendation of Secretary Año is to do away with e-sabong and he cited the validation report coming from all sources. So, it’s his recommendation and I agree with it and it is good. So e-sabong will end by tonight or tomorrow,” the President said.
He reiterated he had initially agreed to allow e-sabong operations to continue due to the P640 million monthly revenue that the government has been generating from the industry.
“Iyong amin lang naman sana, buwis lang ang hinahabol namin dito. Sinabi ko na sa inyo P640 million is P640 million. But may naririnig na ako loud enough, loud and very clear to me that it was working against our values, and iyong impact sa pamilya, pati sa tao (We are only after the taxes. I have already said that P640 million is P640 million. But I heard, loud enough, loud and very clear to me, that it was working against our values, and its negative impact on the family, the people),” he said.
Duterte said there were reports that players have been losing sleep to play the online game for 24 hours.
There were also concerns that e-sabong can easily be accessed by minors online, while others have started to pawn their belongings to be able to bet on the game.
Lawmakers have called for the suspension of e-sabong operations following the disappearance of more than 30 online cockfighters last year. They remain missing and have been presumed dead.
IMMEDIATE
Año said the suspension of online cockfighting games took effect yesterday.
Año said there was no need for a written order from the President. “The instruction of the President is effective today… nevertheless, we are waiting for the signed order of the President. Once signed, it would mean cancellation of all franchises given to operators.”
“The PAGCOR, DILG through PNP, DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) and DOJ (Department of Justice), will implement the suspension of e-sabong,” Año said.
Año said the DILG recommended the suspension of the operation of e-sabong “until a better set of framework and regulations are formulated, in such a way that it will not significantly harm any of the stakeholders and lead to the moral decay of society.”
“The DILG welcomes the President’s decision to stop e-sabong. Government policies must take heed of the pulse of the people. This decision is rooted in a survey reflecting the sentiment of the people. This is not a reckless decision,” Año said.
“The President’s decision based on public sentiment against on-line gambling is a sign of the responsive governance of his administration. It serves the common good and the preservation of the moral fabric of our society,” Año also said.
Año said 8,463 respondents from cities and municipalities across the country took part in the online survey that was conducted by the DILG on April 19 and 20.
The respondents were either e-sabong agents, employees, bettors or players, or non-players but are related or acquainted with agents, employees and bettors.
The DILG said 62 percent of the respondents wanted to put a stop to e-sabong, while 34 percent voted for its continued operation but with tighter regulations. Four percent backed the unconditional continuation of e-sabong.
Respondents opposed to e-sabong cited addiction to the gambling, bankruptcy of players, indebtedness, cost to family, neglect of work and studies and crime as among the reasons why they are against the online game.
Año clarified that the traditional cockfighting will continue, subject to compliance to minimum public health standards, and under regulation by local government units.
WELCOME DECISION
Senators welcomed the President’s decision, saying this will pave the way for individuals addicted to the online game a chance to recover from its effects.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said President Duterte finally heeded their call to stop its operation since playing e-sabong “has created dysfunctional families and instilled questionable morals among the people.”
“The suspension is ideal because no amount of money or riches can replace our values… I am hopeful that the suspension of e-sabong operations in the country, while delayed, will pave the way for families to recover from their financial losses and allow them to renew relationships that were set aside,” Sotto said.
Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, thanked the President for suspending the online gambling as it will give “justice” not only to the 34 sabungeros (cockfight afficionados) who went missing, but to their families, as well.
Sen. Ronald del Rosa said the 24 senators who signed the resolution seeking for e-sabong’s stoppage “were never wrong in supporting the Senate resolution urging Pagcor to stop the operations of e-sabong. I have no further recommendations to the President.”
The Senate has approved Resolution No. 996, which was filed by Dela Rosa and signed by the 22 remaining senators, which urged the Pagcor to suspend the license to operate of e-sabong operators and to immediately stop all activities related to it until the cases of the 34 missing sabungeros are resolved.
With the President’s suspension, Sotto said the legislative franchises to be given by the Senate public services committee to e-sabong operators are already deemed “dead.”
Dela Rosa said: “Lack of material time to act on the franchise bill plus the President’s stoppage order would mean demise of the e-sabong industry unless the next administration would decide to resurrect it.”
There are seven companies that have been given licenses to operate online cockfighting.
These are Belverde Vista Corporation, Lucky 8 Star Quest, Visayas Cockers Club Inc., Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies Inc., Newin Cockers Alliance Gaming Corp., Philippine Cockfighting International Inc., and Golden Buzzer Inc. — With Raymond Africa
