Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed on Wednesday, March 9, that he signed a memorandum dated March 8 stating that operations of e-sabong licensees not being investigated for violations can continue, even as police and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) conduct a probe into breaches of e-sabong agreements1.
The memorandum ordered the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a "thorough investigation" into the disappearance of at least 34 e-sabong players, and to submit reports on the probe to the Office of the President "within 30 days from the issuance of this order"1. PAGCOR was directed to investigate any violation of its e-sabong licensees and to make sure operators comply with security and surveillance requirements, "particularly the installation of CCTV systems in e-sabong gaming sites"1.
"Unless otherwise directed, the operations of e-sabong licensees shall remain unaffected, pending the result of the above investigations"
The Palace memorandum responded to Senate Resolution No. 996, in which senators urged Malacañang to order the suspension of online cockfighting while the disappearances of players remain unsolved1. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, championed that call; he and Senate President Vicente Sotto III had claimed in late February that they heard Duterte say he agreed to suspend online cockfighting permits1. PAGCOR chairperson Andrea Domingo had said at the time that Medialdea told her the President had yet to issue such an order1.
Domingo also told senators that suspending the online gambling operations would have budgetary and economic implications, as the industry has earned at least P640 million monthly ($12,378,847.12) since January1. On March 29, President Rodrigo Duterte publicly justified not halting the operations on the same figure: "I make it public now, it's 640 million a month. In years time, it's billions plus"2.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Memorandum date | March 8, 20221 |
| Confirmed by | Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, March 9, 20221 |
| Investigations ordered | PNP and NBI on at least 34 missing e-sabong players; PAGCOR on licensee violations1 |
| Report deadline | Within 30 days from issuance of the order1 |
| Monthly industry earnings cited | At least P640 million ($12,378,847.12) since January1 |
| Senate trigger | Senate Resolution No. 9961 |
What it means for players
E-sabong licensees not under investigation for violations were allowed to keep taking bets while the probes ran, so players on those platforms faced no immediate shutdown from the March 8 memorandum1. The memorandum did not say which licensees were under investigation, and no list of affected operators appears in the reporting1. PAGCOR's remit covered licensee violations and security and surveillance requirements at gaming sites, including CCTV installation1. The 34 missing players were the subject of the PNP and NBI investigation, with a report due to the Office of the President within 30 days of the order1. The Senate had sought a suspension instead, and senators and the Palace gave conflicting accounts of the President's position in late February1.
What happens next
The PNP and NBI were to submit their reports on the disappearances to the Office of the President within 30 days from the issuance of the March 8 order1. PAGCOR was to investigate licensee violations and compliance with security and surveillance requirements1. Operations of licensees not under investigation were to remain unaffected pending the results of those investigations, "unless otherwise directed"1. No further steps beyond those were reported.
For background on the game and its legal status, see E-sabong: Online Cockfight Betting and Its Legal Status and Sabong: Cockfight Betting in the Philippines. For the wider regional picture, see Asian Gambling Games, and for licensing and venue rules in the country, see Can I Gamble in the Philippines?.
