The Palace said Tuesday there is no documentation to show that the President has suspended e-sabong or online cockfighting permits, despite a statement from Senate President Vicente Sotto III that he did.
In a public forum in Lucena City, Quezon, Sotto said government efforts to locate 31 missing online cockfighting enthusiasts or “sabungeros” who were linked to game-fixing would continue after President Rodrigo Duterte agreed to suspend the licenses of seven e-sabong companies that might be connected to the case.
But Nograles said no official document has been transmitted either to Malacanang or to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to suspend online cockfighting.
E-sabong or the remote wagering of bets in live cockfights is a P50-billion industry in the Philippines and employs at least 385,000 people, with many working as farm workers and cockpit staff.
“On this matter, there should be a Senate resolution recommending the suspension, which will be sent to the Philippine Gaming Corporation, which will then give its advice to the Office of the President,” Nograles said.
“As of the moment, there is no indication that there is a Senate resolution to that effect, given to Pagcor or even to the Office of the President,” he added.
“These are all reports that we read in the newspaper. These are reports that we hear,” Nograles said.
Meanwhile, Senator Ronald dela Rosa said senators want to transfer the authority to issue online e-sabong licenses from Pagcor to Congress.
In an interview on radio dzBB, Dela Rosa said this is one of the recommendations being discussed in a bid to properly regulate online cockfighting activities.
Congress also has the oversight power over online cockfighting though the Senate committee on games and amusement, he added.
Dela Rosa also said addiction is one of e-sabong’s social costs, as he batted for reducing the frequency of online cockfights, which go on for 24 hours.
He acknowledged there could be a problem in the House, where some members also operate cockpits.
Dela Rosa added that a 25-year congressional franchise would also be a problem.
As of Tuesday, 23 senators have already signed a proposed Senate resolution urging PAGCOR to suspend the online cockfighting licenses until the missing sabungeros are found.
On Monday, Sotto said based on what senators gathered during their first hearing on the matter on Thursday, there might be more than 31 people that needed to be accounted for, including a driver and a 14-year-old sibling of one of the victims who also disappeared.
“The number of those who were reported missing is 31 at the moment, but we are told by the PNP (Philippine National Police) there might be more than 31 who are lost. Now, we will have another hearing for it this Friday,” Sotto said in Filipino.
Sotto already filed a resolution for PAGCOR to suspend the licenses of seven e-sabong firms that are involved in the case, which Partido Reporma presidential candidate and fellow Senator Panfilo Lacson seconded.
Dela Rosa, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, which has been leading the investigation on the abduction case said PAGCOR has referred it to President Duterte, who agreed to cancel the operations of the implicated e-sabong firms.
“According to President Duterte, he is allowing the suspension of the licenses of the e-sabong firms… So, by Friday, they are all suspended—the seven licensed companies,” he said.
Senator Francis Pangilinan has joined the call of fellow lawmakers to suspend the operation of e-sabong until the case of the 31 missing persons is resolved.
By virtue of the resolution, the lawmakers called for the immediate suspension of the license to operate of Beldevere Vista Corporation,
Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc., Visayas Cockers Club Inc., Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies Inc., Newin Cockers Alliance Gaming
Corporation, Philippine Cockfighting International Inc., and Golden Buzzer Inc.
