121 arrested for e-sabong in Cebu City

Facebook logo over cockfighting scene. File Photo

CEBU CITY — At least 121 persons in this city face charges for engaging in e-sabong or online cockfighting.

Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said cops arrested the suspects in separate operations from Dec. 2 to 8 for taking part in e-sabong.

Dalogdog, however, believed that there were no longer e-sabong operators in the city as most of the arrested merely downloaded the online cockfighting application on their smartphones, laptops, or tablets.

“We just cannot stop those involved in e-sabong since they are using an app. We don’t have a betting station in the city,” he said.

The 121 arrested suspects would be charged with illegal gambling at the Cebu City Prosecutors Office within the week.

Dalogdog appealed to bettors to stop patronizing e-sabong since it would not do them any good.

“If you are into gambling, especially e-sabong, this will have a negative effect on the family. First, if you don’t have money to bet anymore, you can sell things at home, get a loan, and there’s a chance that you and your wife or husband will fight,” he said.

Early this year, former President Duterte stopped the e-sabong operations after 34 cockfight bettors went missing.

General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., Philippine National Police director, ordered all city and provincial police and other unit commanders to go after e-sabong.

Dalogdog called on the public to help authorities stop e-sabong by reporting the illegal operations to them.

Brigadier General Roderick Augustus Alba, Central Visayas police director, said the local police were eager to end these illegal activities spreading across online platforms.

“With the unending support of our community and other law enforcement agencies, together, we will find the root of the proliferation of the guerrilla operations of online sabong and stop it from growing,” Alba said.

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