There are actually 34, not 31, missing cockfight aficionados (sabungeros) missing arising from their attendance at cockpits in Sta. Cruz, Manila; Sta. Cruz, Laguna; and Lipa city (Batangas) last yearn or involvement in online cockfighting or "e-sabong" operations.
This was revealed today, March 4 by Senator Ronald ‘’Bato’’ dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, when he resumed the hybrid hearing on the missing persons. He based this from a Philippine National Police (PNP) report.
PNP Major General Eliseo DC Cruz, acting director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), also announced during the hearing that the CIDG has made a ‘’breakthrough’’ in the Manila Arena case.
He said CIDG would be filing of charges of kidnapping with serious illegal detention against six persons before the Mania Prosecutor’s Office.
When asked for details by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Cruz said the CIDG would await the issuance of arrest warrants against the six.
Thirteen (13) of the 34 were reportedly bundled out of the basement of the Manila Arena by 14 security guards to a green van in January 2021, Cruz said.
The additional three were reported missing for allegedly cloning the website of a legitimate e-sabong operator.
In the hearing, gambling businessman Atong Ang, owner of Lucky Star ad Star Quest which had been granted license to conduct ‘e-sabong’ operations by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
It was at the cockpits of Antonio Ang in Manila, Laguna and Lipa city where all the 31 ‘sabungeros’ went to and were later reported missing.
The absence of CCTV cameras in these cockpits was mentioned.
Officials of other e-sabong licensees were also present in today’s hearing. PAGCOR chairman Andrea Domingo was also present during the hearing.
Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, impressed upon Domingo and Atong Ang on the committee’s desire to know the fate of the 34.
He also stressed the call of senators in their resolution to suspend the operation of ‘e-sabong’ because of its pernicious effects such as bettors getting into heavy debt such as his nephew because they keep on betting, hoping that they could recoup their losses.
Policemen were also forced to commit crimes because of their having been addicted to ‘e-sabong.’
Dela Rosa conceded that part of the billions of pesos in revenues that "e-sabong" operators have remitted to PAGCOR have gone to medical needs of the poor in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.