Pangilinan joins fellow lawmakers' call to suspend e-sabong franchise until missing 31 surface
'ILABAS NIYO ANG 31 NA NAWAWALANG E-SABONGERO'

SENATOR Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan has joined the call of fellow lawmakers to suspend the operation of e-sabong until the case of the 31 missing persons is resolved.

Through the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Pangilinan signed Proposed Senate Resolution 996 noting the alarming case of missing individuals associated with this online gambling scheme.

"Nakakagulat, nakakalungkot, at nakakagalit na dahil sa isang online gambling scheme ay may mga kababayan tayong nawawala. Panawagan ng kanilang pamilya ang agarang pagkahanap ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay," Pangilinan said.

"Wala talagang magandang dulot ang sugal. Sinasabi nila na 'easy money' daw ito pero anything that comes easy is not worth having. This should serve as a lesson for everyone na mag-ingat sa mga ganitong scheme," he added.

By virtue of the resolution, the lawmakers called for the immediate suspension of the license to operate of Beldevere Vista Corporation, Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc., Visayas Cockers Club Inc., Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies Inc., Newin Cockers Alliance Gaming Corporation, Philippine Cockfighting International Inc., and Golden Buzzer Inc.

During the Senate hearing last week, PAGCOR's acting senior vice-president Diane Erica Jogno expressed the agency's willingness to suspend the operation of online cockfighting pending the investigation of the missing sabungeros.

Pangilinan then urged the investigators as well as the Philippine National Police to continue to put its focus in resolving this case as there might be other cases of the same nature.

"Hindi malayo na may iba pang mga nawawalang indibidwal dahil sa online sabong kaya naman sana'y tutukan talaga ito ng ating PNP at NBI. Huwag na nating antaying maging national crisis din itong usapin ng mga nawawala dahil sa sugal," he said.