Senatorial candidate and Representative Alan Peter Cayetano called out the government on Wednesday over its "deafening silence" amid deaths that are reportedly linked to e-sabong or online cockfighting.
"Sobrang nakakabingi na ang katahimikan ng gobyerno sa nangyayari dito sa e-sabong. Talagang ang media lang ang naririnig kong may sinasabi," he told DZRH in an interview.
(The government’s silence is extremely deafening over the situation of e-sabong. The only thing I hear talking about this (issue) is the media.)
He said that he has not heard anything from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on the regulations they plan to implement to avoid such deaths linked to e-sabong, especially to kids.
"Wala po tayong marinig lalo sa PAGCOR nung mga paghihigpit na gagawin nila sa e-sabong para hindi to mangyari lalo na sa mga bata," he said.
(We have not heard anything from PAGCOR on regulations that they would implement to prevent this from happening to kids.)
The lawmaker made the remarks after reported deaths linked to the online cockfighting industry, where people were found either murdered or killed themselves over suspected debts related to e-sabong.
Cayetano said that online cockfighting should be halted altogether. And if not, they should be strongly regulated to avoid addiction, especially to minors.
"Kung ako tatanungin, ipagbawal 'to. Ngayon kung hindi to ipagbabawal, eh kailangan pa rin mahigpit 'yung regulasyon at monitoring. Kung 'yung Facebook nga may nakakalusot na mga bata, eh multibillion dollar 'yan, 'yun pa kaya na sa e-sabong?" he said.
(If you ask me, it should be prohibited. Now if that cannot happen, it still needs strict regulation and monitoring. If Facebook can be penetrated by kids, and that’s already a multibillion-dollar firm, what more for e-sabong?)
Cayetano has been a staunch opposer of the e-sabong, particularly the recent government's move grant a 25-year franchise to an e-sabong firm.
He previously said that there are other things the government should be prioritizing amid the pandemic instead of granting franchises to online cockfighting firms.
