THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday, May 25, 2022, that seven illegal cockfight betting (e-sabong) websites have been shut down amid the government’s crackdown on the unlawful activities.
DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cyber Group is tracking the individuals behind the websites for the filing of charges against them.
He said the police monitored 12 more websites, in which only two were registered in the Philippines and eight were social media platforms engaged in illegal e-sabong operations.
He said they have already coordinated with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) regarding the matter.
They have also requested Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to immediately delete or suspend the pages, noting that illegal e-sabong transactions are easier and more accessible through its platform.
“Once you open the link, you will be able to register and create an account to log in,” he said.
“It’s very easy to register, so even minors are able to access the sites freely,” he added.
Malaya said they are also coordinating with GCash and other electronic financial remittance firms that are commonly used as mode of payment for the illegal transactions.
“These illegal e-sabong outfits are operating without licenses or franchises from the national or local governments and are not remitting a single peso in revenue to the state,” he said.
“It’s a risk to bet on these online platforms because it's unregulated and you are never sure if you will be paid your winnings at the end of the day...Dahil illegal po ito, hindi n'yo po alam kung saan napupunta ang inyong pera or kung may dayaan,” he added.
Malaya asked for the cooperation of the public by immediately reporting to authorities any form of illegal activities.
Earlier, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) identified the sites illegally operating e-sabong as pinassabong.live, pclive1.com, sabong-express.net, phbetting.live, goperya.com, phbet44.bet, phbet.bet and phbetr.bet.
On May 2, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the suspension of e-sabong operations following the recommendation of the DILG.
The recommendation was based on a survey the DILG conducted that showed six out of every 10 individuals are against e-sabong operations.
The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs issued a resolution amid an inquiry into the disappearances of 34 e-sabong enthusiasts, locally known as sabungeros, urging Duterte to order the suspension of e-sabong operations.
Duterte initially turned it down, noting that it will result in P640-million lost revenue for the government each month.
The CIDG is currently handling eight cases related to the disappearances of 34 e-sabong enthusiasts since 2021.
Charges have been filed against over 10 individuals, including policemen, over their alleged involvement in the abduction.
The CIDG is continuously conducting investigations on the incidents. (SunStar Philippines)