No reason to allow e-sabong if laws cannot control its operations; cites the many social ills caused by gambling- De Lima

Reelectionist Senator Leila M. de Lima reiterated her call for the immediate action and resolution on the alarming surge in the number of missing persons involved in e-sabong.

De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, said she supports the proposed Senate Resolution of Senate President Vicente Sotto III urging the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) to suspend the license of e-sabong operators until there is an acceptable conclusion on the cases of disappearances.

"Kaisa ako sa mga kapwa ko Senador na nananawagan na hindi lamang imbestigahan ang mga kaganapan na pumapaligid sa isyung ito, kundi maging na rin ang aralin ang tunay na epekto ng e-sabong sa pamilyang Pilipino lalo na sa panahong ito na unti-unti pa lamang tayong bumabangon mula sa pandemya," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 1223.

"If our laws cannot control the operations of this e-sabong and protect our people from those who seek to operate beyond the bounds of the law, there is no reason to allow it to continue to operate," she added. During the recent hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Sotto proposed that the panel issue a resolution calling on PAGCOR to suspend all the licenses of e-sabong operators "until we find an acceptable conclusion to what's happening to these 31 missing personalities." Vice President of E-Sabong Licensing Department of PAGCOR, Diane Erica Jogno, who was present in the hearing, said the Proposed Resolution sits well with the regulatory body but they will still seek the approval of the Office of the President to suspend. When talking about sabong and e-sabong, De Lima said they are also speaking of the many ills that they contaminate society with.

"Hindi sikreto na marami sa mga Pilipinong pinadapa ng krisis ay kumapit na nga sa patalim at ginamit na panandalian at mabilisang pag-ahon sa kahirapan ang online talpakan. Maraming kwento na ng mga pamilyang nabaon sa utang dahil dito - mga padre de pamilya na isinanla ang tahanan at kabuhayan upang maka-taya, mga kabataang nalulong sa sugal," she said.

"Nilalason nito ang mga Pilipino at pinapaniwalaang makikita sa sugal ang solusyon sa problema ng kahirapan," she added.

The lady Senator from Bicol maintained that gambling should not be promoted as a way of life for Filipinos and remove the notion that it can help save people from poverty.

"The safety and welfare of our people is paramount. No form of gambling should be worth the lives of Filipinos," she said.

"We cannot let this stand. Not for a minute longer. Panagutin ang dapat panagutin, at bigyan na ng sagot ang mga katanungan ng mga pamilyang nangungulila," she added.

It can be noted that De Lima was the one to first and consistently call out and seek investigation on the issue of missing sabungeros.