Dela Rosa wants e-sabong ‘properly regulated’

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Wednesday said online cockfighting or e-sabong should be properly regulated to ensure only eligible individuals take part in the activity.

“Kasama po yan sa tutukan natin, dapat maregulate talaga ng properly ‘yan. Ako ha ang tingin ko baka hindi natin pwedeng ihinto dahil you can never stop gambling pero iregulate natin ng husto ito para mabawasan yung addiction sa ating mga nagsusugal na mga sabungero,” Dela Rosa said in an interview with DZBB radio.

(That is part of our focus, it should be properly regulated. I think we can't stop it because you can never stop gambling but let's regulate it properly to reduce the addiction of the cockfighting enthusiasts.)

“Kasi di ba nangyari ito 24/7 non-stop, isang araw 24 hours kang nagsusugal siguradong malilibing ka talaga sa utang, mauubos ang pera mo,” he added.

(It is continuous 24/7 non-stop, you can gamble for 24 hours, you will definitely be buried in debt, you will run out of money.)

The senator said even overseas Filipino workers can participate in online sabong, noting that it can affect their financial expenses if they become addicted to it.

“At saka yung coverage niya abot sa ibang bansa pati yung mga kababayan natin OFW wala na rin perang maipadala dito sa kanilang pamilya dahil naubos yung kanilang kita doon sa e-sabong,” he said.

(And its coverage can reach other countries as well as including our fellow OFWs. If they become addicted to gambling, there will be no money to send to their families because their income has been used from e-sabong.)

Regulation of live cockfighting in cockpit arenas is regulated by the local government concerned.

Regulation of online sabong or e-sabong is regulated by the Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Missing sabungeros

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa said several families of missing sabungeros will be physically present in the Senate investigation on Thursday into the rising number of cockfight enthusiasts reported missing by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Sana magcooperate lahat ng mga persons of interest at saka yung mga establishment of interest, sana magcooperate sila para maganda ang takbo ng investigation, pero kung may tinatago sila at ayaw nilang magcooperate medyo mahirapan tayo. They cannot hide from the long arm of the law siguradong aabutin pa rin sila,” he said.

(I hope all the persons of interest will cooperate. I hope they cooperate so that the investigation goes well, but if they are hiding something and they don't want to cooperate, it will be a bit difficult for us. They cannot hide from the long arm of the law.)

PNP chief Police General Dionardo Carlos on Wednesday said it gathered strong information in the investigation into the missing cockfighting enthusiasts, noting that the number of missing individuals increased to 31.

The PNP said continuous coordination with the different banks are being done by the investigators where there are reported ATM cash withdrawals made by unidentified persons using the victims’ bank accounts.

Carlos said the additional cases and developments will be included in the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)’s report during the Senate inquiry on Thursday.—LDF, GMA News