Senate should focus on social cost of e-sabong — Lacson

E-sabong involves remote betting on cockfights.

Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate should focus on tackling the social cost of the e-sabong rather than its revenues, according to Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, who noted that Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) was concerned about their monthly income of P1.4 billion from online cockfighting after lawmakers pushed to suspend the industry. 

Lacson, who is vying for the presidency in this year's elections, was among the 23 senators who earlier signed a resolution urging e-sabong regulator Pagcor to suspend the licenses of e-sabong firms amid investigations on the disappearances of 31 online cockfighting aficionadoes.

In response to the Senate's resolution, President Rodrigo Duterte's office ordered agencies, including the police force, to conduct investigations and check for the compliance of the e-sabong licensees, but allowed the industry to continue.

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/03/11/2166586/senate-should-focus-social-cost-e-sabong-lacson