Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III on Thursday, March 10 pushed for the suspension of ‘e-sabong’ (cockfighting) operations, as he underscored the authority of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) tto ‘motu propio’ act on the recommendation of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.
Sotto said the charter creating PAGCOR allows it to unilaterally initiate actions against gaming industry players which are under investigation by the agency or other investigative bodies, or those which have been found to be violating existing laws.
“At least suspend the operation of ‘e-sabong’ since the recent hearings have already exposed its vulnerability to addiction and criminality. Our government should protect our values and people rather than just the profit it might generate,” he said.
The Senate chief said PAGCOR could put on hold the operation of “e-sabong” while the issue is still being investigated by the Senate panel and while lawmakers and the executive come up with measures to plug the loopholes in the management of online cockfighting.
The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Senator Ronald dela Rosa has already held two hearings on the issue, and it was during the first hearing that the Senate issued a resolution urging Pagcor to suspend ‘e-sabong’ operations, which a representative from the agency supported.
Dela Rosa even reported to Sotto that President Duterte has agreed to its temporary suspension, but the PAGCOR, during the second day of hearing, told senators that the President has yet to issue an order.
Sotto stressed what the Senate was asking was a mere suspension of ‘e-sabong’ licenses, not their revocation.
“Ako ay nalulungkot na ang PAGCOR ay dinala pa sa Presidente ang usapin (I am disappointed that Pagcor brought the issue to the President). So, ano ang rekomendasyon nila? (So what is the recommendation?) Sabi ni Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea inaantay pa nila ang recommendation ng Pagcor at ang Senate resolution (Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said they are waiting for the recommendation of Pagcor and the Senate resolution). Pero base sa batas, puwedeng manggaling lang sa Pagcor ang desisyon kasi suspension lang naman (But based on the law, Pagcor could decide because it is a mere suspension) The mere fact that it brought up the matter to the President indicates that Pagcor does not want to suspend e-sabong),” Sotto said.
“The disappointment of the Senate cannot be compared to the disappointment of the families affected — hindi lang ‘yung mga nawawalang kaanak, kundi doon din sa mga namomroblema sa nalulong na kapamilya (not only the families of the missing persons, but also families who are worried over relatives’ addiction to e-sabong),” he also said.
Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson agreed with Sotto that PAGCOR does not need to wait for Malacañang’s approval before it suspends the licenses of “e-sabong” operators.
“Kung ikaw may power mag-license, may power ka rin na mag-suspend (If you have the power to grant licenses, you also have the power to suspend),” Lacson said in a press conference during the tandem’s campaign run in Pasig City on Wednesday.
Sotto and Lacson made their remarks after Malacañang turned down a recommendation by the Senate to temporarily suspend the licenses of e-sabong operators while the cases of 34 missing sabungeros or cockfighters have not been resolved.
The Senate President said it was obvious why PAGCOR was going soft on the “e-sabong” issue – the business rakes in an estimated P640 million a month to the agency’s earnings.
“That’s why it is useless to appeal for the reconsideration of Malacañang’s decision,” Sotto said.