In a prerecorded Talk to the People on Wednesday, President Duterte said that he has rejected calls to suspend e-sabong in the country as the government earns billions of pesos from its operations.
The President acknowledged that there’s a strong clamor from congress to suspend e-sabong operations following the disappearance of 34 individuals involved in it. However, Duterte said that the operations should continue as the government is short of money and earns a lot from it.
“Ang appeal ko lang sa mga congressman, huwag na lang niyong anuhin iyan, kumikita iyan. Walang nakikinabang diyan ha, except Pagcor and except ‘yung mga malalaking player,” Duterte said, as reported by the PNA.
Pagcor chair Andrea Domingo told Duterte that from April to December 2021, the government was able to collect around PHP 3.69 billion from the operations of eight e-sabong licensees.
While from January to March 15, 2022, the government collected around PHP 1.37 billion from seven licensees.
Two of the eight e-sabong operators were already suspended for their failure to comply with their “financial obligations.”
As for the missing sabungeros, Duterte raised the possibility that some of them are involved in “widespread game-fixing.”
The PNP and the NBI are still investigating.
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