March 28, 2024

Senator Francis Tolentino said the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to end e-sabong (online cockfighting) was the right thing to do.

Tolentino said he was glad the word “value” was mentioned by the President, adding that technology should be driven not just by need, but likewise by human values.

He said if ever someone eventually pushes for a bill to resume e-sabong operations in the country, the measure should be in line with Filipino values.

“Will this promote hard work? Will this promote all things that we cherish as a culture, as a nation?If we will craft a law, we also should talk about the loopholes. The middlemen, the facilitators of online payments, how would the taxation work? How about the digital regulation?” Tolentino said.

He also urged the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to order the removal of the online cock fighting feature from existing e-wallet applications.

Since Duterte already cut the legal umbilical cord of the e-sabong industry, Tolentino said removing the online cockfighting feature from e-wallet applications like GCash and Paymaya will avert possible illegal betting from unsanctioned cockfights.

He said the reason why e-sabong has proliferated and become a multi-billion industry is the fact that the BSP recognized those licenses issued by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to online cockfighting operators and allowed cockfight aficionados to place the bets through e-wallet services. – PNA