PNP-ACG recommends making e-sabong illegal under law

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday said their Anti-Cyber Group (ACG) has recommended including e-sabong or online cockfighting as a prohibited gambling game under the law.

“The PNP-ACG has recommended [the] inclusion of e-sabong to illegal gambling activities penalized under Presidential Decree 1602, and sanctions against service providers that will fail to block or takedown e-sabong websites,” Azurin said at a public briefing.

“It should be noted that e-sabong websites hosted outside the Philippines can only be blocked, not taken down, as these sites can continue to operate via virtual private network,” he added.

The PNP is monitoring 272 platforms for e-sabong activities including 146 websites, 67 Facebook accounts, 31 Facebook groups, 18 Facebook pages and 10 mobile applications, Azurin said.

The police also asked the Department of Information and Communication Technology and the National Telecommunications Commission to take down five active websites that continue to host e-sabong.

So far, 102 platforms have been either blocked or taken down, 76 other platforms were deleted or deactivated, while 39 websites and a Facebook page have been rendered inactive and out of service.

Azurin said 28 more suspects in e-sabong games were arrested in separate operations in Mandaluyong City, Lapu-Lapu City and Santiago City recently.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in December 2022 issued Executive Order No. 9 ordering the continued suspension of all e-sabong activities.

In May 2022, former President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to stop e-sabong as these were blamed for the deterioration of moral values among many Filipinos. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News