10 nabbed in Leyte e-sabong bust
TACLOBAN CITY — Ten individuals were arrested during an anti-illegal online cockfighting (e-sabong) operation at the Hindang Amusement Center in Barangay Poblacion 2, Hindang, Leyte, on Friday evening, May 29.
Authorities also seized several pieces of information and communications technology (ICT) equipment allegedly used in the operation.
The operation stemmed from intelligence reports received by law enforcement authorities regarding the alleged conduct of illegal e-sabong activities at the amusement center.
To establish evidence of the alleged violation, a police officer, acting as a deponent, registered an account on an online betting platform and placed a P500 bet through GCash at 5:57 p.m. on the same day.
READ: PNP stands by Tondo e-sabong bust amid allegations of anomalies
At 6:46 p.m., the operating teams proceeded to the target area and coordinated with personnel from the Hindang Municipal Police Station and the 1st Leyte Provincial Mobile Force Company. Upon arrival, the composite team secured the perimeter and conducted an on-site inspection.
Authorities discovered ICT equipment connected to an online betting platform while live CCTV footage from the cockpit arena was being streamed online.
Following the inspection, the chief of the Regional Intelligence Division 8, together with personnel from Hindang MPS, announced that illegal e-sabong activities were allegedly being conducted inside the arena in violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602, in relation to Executive Order No. 9 and Republic Act No. 10175, otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Recovered from the site were a modem router, a TP-Link router, a desktop computer set believed to have been used as a server, a CCTV digital video recorder, and two CCTV cameras, all allegedly utilized in the online cockfighting operation.
The suspects and the recovered evidence were brought to the Hindang Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition, while charges for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602, in relation to Executive Order No. 9 and Republic Act No. 10175, are being prepared against them. /mcm
