Lacson dismayed at PNP for slow work in ‘e-sabong’ probe

Presidential candidate Sen Panfilo Lacson (PHOTO FROM LACSON’S OFFICE)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson of the Partido Reporma expressed dismay over the police work on the disappearances of 31 people purportedly in connection with online cockfighting, or “sabong” in Filipino.

“Didn’t the first cases of disappearance happen in April last year? Then another in August. So our request to the [Philippine National Police] is to speed up the investigation because 31 disappearances is not normal,” said the 73-year-old former police chief.

“And if they cannot resolve even a single case, we told the leadership that this says a lot about the capability of the PNP,” he said on the sidelines of a campaign sortie in Camarines Norte.

Lacson’s running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told him that President Rodrigo Duterte was inclined to heed the Senate call for the suspension of “e-sabong” licenses and that Malacañang might issue the order on Monday.

The Senate on Thursday issued a resolution calling for the suspension of all e-sabong franchises and the board of directors of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., which issues the licenses, recommended the stoppage.

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