DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año said he has directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and all local government units (LGUs) to immediately shut down all “e-sabong” (online cockfighting) operations in the country even as the biggest operator, Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang, announced his group’s voluntary compliance with the directive.
During his regular ‘Talk to the People’ broadcast last Monday evening, May 2, 2022, President Duterte announced the stop to all e-sabong operations, citing the game’s adverse effect on Filipinos and the result of a “survey” that he said he has directed Año to undertake in order to come up with an informed decision as to its fate.
“The DILG welcomes the President’s decision to stop e-Sabong. Government policies must take heed of the pulse of the people. This decision is rooted in a survey reflecting the sentiment of the people. Hindi ito bara-bara na desisyon,” Año said in a statement released by his office on May 3, 2022.
He added he has directed the PNP and all LGUs to immediately implement the President’s instruction.
Año said that the President’s decision validates the department’s assessment of the situation on the ground as well as a nationwide public survey that reflects the pulse of the public.
“The President’s decision based on public sentiment against on-line gambling is a sign of the responsive governance of his administration.
It serves the common good and the preservation of the moral fabric of our society,” he added, while clarifying that the traditional physical sabong will continue to operate with compliance to minimum public health standards (MPHS) as regulated by local government units (LGUs).
The DILG survey
According to Año, the DILG, through its regional and field offices, conducted the survey with respondents in every city and municipality across the country.
He said a total of 8,463 respondents answered the online sentiment survey of the DILG from April 19 to April 20, 2022.
The survey aims to gauge public perceptions of e-Sabong and to provide the President with a basis for his decision on its fate.
“The respondents were persons who are engaged in e-Sabong whether they are agents, employees, bettors or players, and non-participants or non-players but related or acquainted with the three stakeholders mentioned,” the DILG chief explained.
Based on the survey results, 62 percent or a majority of those surveyed want to put a stop to e-Sabong, which became prominent during the community quarantine in the last two years of the pandemic.
34 percent, meanwhile, want it to continue but with tighter regulation while only 4 percent completely supports it.
The reasons cited by the respondents for opposing e-Sabong include addiction to gambling, bankruptcy of players, indebtedness, cost to family, neglect of work and studies, and crime.
“The DILG recommended suspending the operations of e-Sabong until a better set of framework and regulations are formulated, in such a way that it will not significantly harm any of the stakeholders and lead to the moral decay of society,” Año said in his report to President Duterte.
While the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs recommended limiting the operations of e-Sabong to Sundays and holidays only, Año said “it is still better to stick to the original physical sabong practice with strict observance of MPHS.”
President Duterte earlier dilly-dallied on deciding whether to stop e-sabong or not, citing the significant amount of tax it is giving to the government thru the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). See also related article here.
‘Just wait for further development’—Ang
In a video broadcast just minutes after the President’s broadcast, Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang, chairman of Lucky 8/Pit Master Group said they would “voluntarily heed” the President’s instruction.
As of March 8, 2022, six companies have been authorized by PAGCOR to do e-sabong operations starting in April 2021, of which the biggest is the group of Ang.
“Napanood namin kanina… sa news, na nais ng ating mahal na Pangulo na pansamantalang ipatigil muna ang operasyon ng e-sabong upang mapag-aralan at maiayos ang problema at isyu sa e-sabong,” Ang said in his broadcast.
“Kami po sa Pit Master ay sumusunod sa tawag ng ating Pangulo at kusa kaming titigil ngayong gabi kahit wala pa ang kautusan ng PAGCOR,” Ang said.
Ang also tried to assure their master agents, off-betting stations agents, cock breeders and other stakeholders “not to worry” and just wait while the “correct policies” are still being worked out by the government.
Ang also thanked Pres. Duterte and PAGCOR for giving them the chance to operate e-sabong.
Ang claimed this has also allowed them to help Filipinos, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the victims of calamities thru their ‘Pit Master Foundation.’
E-Sabong franchise already ‘dead’ – senators
On May 3, 2022, during a sortie in Cavite province, Senate President Vicente ‘Tito Sotto III, the presidential running mate of Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, said the public can expect for the e-sabong franchise to be “dead” at the Upper Chamber, a position also supported by his colleagues.
Sotto said they would simply have no time to tackle the franchise this month and that the only thing for its proponents can do is to re-file it in the next Congress.
Aside from ruined family relationship and bankruptcy, online cockfighting is also being hounded by the still unresolved disappearance of more than 30 “sabungeros” whose fate remains unknown up to now.