Senate panel: If next admin revives e-sabong, limit operations to Sundays, holidays

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MANILA, Philippines — If e-sabong operations will be allowed by the next administration, a Senate panel recommended the crafting of a law that would allow its operations only during Sundays and legal holidays.

Under Committee Report No. 646, the Senate public order committee stressed the need to craft a law to regulate the e-sabong industry.

“In case the next administration decides to allow the operation of e-sabong, there is a need to craft a law regulating the e-sabong industry which includes, among others, limiting e-sabong operations to Sundays and legal holidays, almost similar to that provided in Presidential Decree No. 449 or the ‘Cockfighting Law of 1974’,” a portion of the committee report read.

“Such regulation will also include clear delineation of powers and functions of government agencies involved in sabong,” it added.

Further, the Senate panel said there should be strict implementation of the imposition of taxes on e-sabong operators and its agents as well as the installation of CCTV cameras “not only in betting stations but as well as in areas where the actual cockfighting are being conducted.”

The committee report is the product of several hearings conducted by the Senate panel, chaired by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. This investigation stemmed from the disappearance of over 30 cockfight enthusiasts.

READ: Senators want halt to ‘e-sabong,’ hear tearful kin of missing 31

In the early stages of the Senate probe in February, senators called for the suspension of e-sabong operations until the cases of the missing “sabungeros” have been resolved.

President Rodrigo Duterte rejected this call, pointing to potential revenue losses for the government.

But in early May, Duterte ordered a stop to e-sabong operations, citing its social cost to Filipinos.

READ: Duterte stops ‘e-sabong,’ cites survey by DILG

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