Tolentino wants cockpits reopened to curb 'e-sabong' operations

Allowing the resumption of traditional cockfighting events will somehow lure gamblers away from wagering bets online, Senator Francis Tolentino said.

STAR / File

MANILA, Philippines — Re-opening cockpits and operating the traditional derbies may chip away at "e-sabong" operations or the remote wagering of bets in live cockfights, Sen. Francis Tolentino said.

This comes after the Senate finished its first hearing on the disappearances of 31 individuals described as cockfighting afficionados. "E-sabong" has boomed during the pandemic as restrictions hampered movement and activities.

"If you will allow the operations of your local cockpits, and [they] are not illegally run...it will do away with operations little by little of online sabong," Tolentino said in a statement posted on the Senate's website late Tuesday.

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/03/02/2164402/tolentino-wants-cockpits-reopened-curb-e-sabong-operations