Police Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has ordered an intensified campaign against the illegal operation of online sabong (cockfighting).
The order came after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) tasked the Philippine National Police and the local government units to step up the operation against online sabong amid reports of the proliferation of guerrilla operations of the game.
President Duterte earlier ordered the suspension of online sabong operations, citing the serious problems that it brings to the people who are usually buried in debt.
Among those whose lives were reportedly destroyed by the online sabong were policemen, some of them were arrested for engaging in illegal activities like robbery, just to sustain the gambling addiction.
Cruz said they have already conducted several operations against illegal online sabong operations.
He said that since March this year, they have already arrested 41 individuals and filed at least nine cases in court.
The CIDG is also handling the cases of more than 30 missing online sabong players, their cases led to widespread calls to stop online sabong. The missing online sabong players are yet to be accounted.
"I have already ordered a full swing police operation against e-sabong immediately after receiving reports that online sabong still exists and operating," said Cruz.
"Meanwhile, the Special Operating Units down the Regional and Provincial Field Units of the Group began with its monitoring and case build-up on websites and social media platforms allegedly involved in this illegal activity," he added.