MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said it arrested a total of 283 individuals involved in e-sabong or online cockfighting activities from December 5 to 10 in Central Visayas.
PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said police operatives arrested 276 gamers, three tellers, two referees and two operators.
Operatives confiscated gambling bets amounting to P155,779, eight computers, and 52 cellphones.
Police filed 109 cases in court against the arrested individuals.
“The PNP supports Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) in implementing the instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to continue enforcing the nationwide suspension of all e-sabong activities and shutdown of all online infrastructure that patronize these illegal activities,” Azurin said.
Azurin reminded all 17 PNP regional directors and their respective provincial directors, as well as the Director of CIDG to strictly implement his directives on stopping all illegal gambling activities in their respective areas of responsibility.
It can be recalled that Pagcor, during a Senate hearing last month, gave assurance that operations of e-sabong have not returned, and instead affirmed that recent reported cases of e-sabong activities are illegal.
The operations of e-sabong were banned by then-President Rodrigo Duterte just weeks before stepping down from office, citing its adverse social effects.
Its termination was also continued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1584572/still-no-word-on-34-missing-in-e-sabong-abductions
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