E-Sabong: Under new mismanagement

E-Sabong has quietly resurfaced and is now operating nationwide with an estimated 200 betting sites “under new mismanagement.” Yes, online sabong is back, but without Mr. Charlie “Atong” Ang or his “investors” or founding members.

Whoever is operating the current online sabong is unknown, airing pre-recorded chicken fights where the same set of individuals fight chickens one after another, which means the fights are not for competition or sport like the Atong Ang version, but simply to have two roosters fighting so people can bet online. Veteran cockfighters also suspect that the ongoing online fights are rigged and aired later so the operators have an “in-house” advantage.

A lawyer sabungero a.k.a “Aguila” whom I recently met suggested that we call the attention of the BIR, Malacañang and the Chief PNP to the fact that this new online sabong is totally unregulated, does not pay taxes to local and national governments and is suspected of giving or sharing profits with PNP officials because despite complaints and reports about such illegal online cockfights, PNP officials almost always say it’s impossible to find the e-Sabong operators.

The interesting thing is, certain beneficiaries from the WPC online sabong are now gathering the troops, “repackaging” a better and socially responsible e-Sabong to present to House Speaker Martin Romualdez and hopefully President Bongbong Marcos so that the original operators of e-Sabong can operate “a new and improved version” of online cockfighting, generate revenues that will add to the government’s coffers and help revive the gamefowl industry. Let’s just hope that the national government gets as good a share as LGUs get from local cockpits (percent of bets) compared to the pittance that the PAGCOR collected from e-Sabong in the past.

Sabungeros agree that in order to gain support, Atong Ang and associates need to guarantee that minors will not be able to bet, along with minimum wage earners or laborers. In order to do this, the minimum bet should be raised to P5,000 along with strict rules for engagement. Others insisted that all local cockpits be kept open and be allowed alongside e-Sabong, and for the WPC group to promote