While President Duterte didn’t explicitly mention the cases of missing sabungeros, he ordered cops to “solve the crime” that involves “many personalities”.
PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE — The President threatened to stop online sabong franchises in the Philippines and said that he’s willing to forego billions of pesos in revenue from the gambling platform if authorities link illegal activities to it.
While he didn’t explicitly mention the cases of missing sabungeros, the President ordered cops to “solve the crime” that involves “many personalities”.
“Ang problema ganito. I have heard itong mga ito nagpupusta lahat, nagsasangla na para magpusta, ‘yun ang sabi ng taga-labas. If it is true, hihintuin ko ‘yan, masigurado ninyo,” the President said. “Before I go I will stop it kung totoo, but I have to sacrifice I said the billions that you would have earned kung nandyan ‘yan.”
In his speech during the groundbreaking of an OFW center in Las Piñas City on Thursday, the President said that he has allowed online sabong to continue because the pandemic has depleted other funds.
According to the President, his funds for contingency plans and intelligence were already depleted because of the coronavirus pandemic. The President didn’t mention how much of those funds went to the government’s pandemic response.
“Ngayon, at the end of the year, if I have the billions at 640 million a month, ‘yun na ang maitulong ko kaagad. Iyong pandemic, naubos ang contingency plan ko pati ‘yung intelligence fund,” the President said.
READ ALSO: President Duterte Says Disappearance Of Missing Sabungeros Shouldn’t Blame On Online Sabong Ops
Several groups and lawmakers have appealed for a stop to online sabong after more than 30 sabungeros linked to its operations have gone missing since last year.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Investigation Group Sabungero (SITG) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed complaints of serious illegal detention and kidnapping against the management and security personnel of a cockfighting arena.
GMA News Online reported that the PNP initially reported that the missing cockfighting enthusiasts disappeared after participating in a cockfight in Sta. Cruz on January 13.
The President earlier said that the disappearance of sabungeros shouldn’t be blamed on online sabong operations but on “evil men doing something wrong”.
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