MANILA (AFP) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to ban online cockfighting following outcry over the industry sparked by the disappearance of dozens of workers and concerns about the social costs of gambling.
Cockfighting is a popular sport in the Philippines, but COVID-19 forced the closure of traditional arenas where spectators flock to watch roosters wearing bladed spurs fight to the death.
The government instead granted franchises to seven firms to show the contests and take bets online – known as ‘e-sabong’ – 24 hours a day.
Duterte previously rejected calls to stop the practice, noting that the roughly USD12 million in monthly taxes from the industry were helping to replenish government coffers depleted by the pandemic.
But in a recorded television address aired yesterday, Duterte said “e-sabong will end by tonight”.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano advised Duterte to ban it due to its “social impact”.
“This is his recommendation and I agree with it,” Duterte said.
A presidential palace official told AFP yesterday a ban had not yet been issued.
Online cockfighting came under scrutiny this year after the alleged kidnapping and suspected murder of 34 people who supplied roosters to a licenced e-sabong operator.
