Sen. Hontiveros wants e-Sabong regulated

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Reelectionist Senator Risa Hontiveros is calling on the government to regulate the operation of e-Sabong in the country.

Hontiveros is one of the senators who signed the resolution requesting the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to temporarily suspend the operation of e-Sabong in the country due to the incident of missing sabongeros or those who are engaged in cockfighting.

The senator also urged authorities to continue their investigation.

“Pero kaya ako pumirma dun sa resolution na pansamantalang tigilin na muna yang e-Sabong operation hanggat hindi sila nahahanap ng ligtas at hanggat hindi nagkaroon ng concrete at effective action upang mapigilan ang ganyang klaseng krimen at nakakatakot na gawain in the middle of the comparative new business,” Hontiveros said.

“Dapat kung may bagong negosyo na ipapasok ang kung sino man sa ekonomiya, hindi sasabayan ng ganyang klaseng krimen. So any gambling should be highly regulated,” she added.

Aside from this, Hontiveros also urged e-Sabong operators to make it child-proof, to ensure that minors could not participate in this kind of gambling activity.

Hontiveros added that if these problems will not be resolved, more senators might also join the call of Senator Joel Villanueva to permanently stop the operation of e-Sabong in the country.

“Kung ang ipapakita lang ng e-Sabong ay meron pang ganitong klase ng mga krimen na mag-atach na halos kikidnapin, at mag-didisappear ang mga operators, then posibleng dumami talaga ang bilang namin sa Senado na idagdag kay Senator Joel na ganun ang magiging panawagan,” she said.

She said that operators of e-Sabong should ensure that their business will not become a scene of the crime so that they can continue their operation.

Hontiveros visited Cebu on Thursday, March 3, 2022, to attend different activities and engagements.     /rcg