Duterte apologizes for e-sabong operations
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte apologized for the effects of e-sabong operations around a month after he ordered to end the online cockfighting activities, following Senate probes into the disappearances of over thirty aficionados.
"'Yung e-sabong, I'm sorry na I did not really realize that it would be like [that]. Akala ko kasi, 'yung ano, the moving factor there was na imbyerna kasi ako. 640 million a month tapos so many billion a year because our, marami nagooperate eh," he said during the inspection of the National Academy of Sports in Tarlac on Tuesday.
("About e-sabong, I'm sorry I did not realize that it would be like that. I really thought...the moving factor there was I really got annoyed. It brought in P640 million a month so that's billions a year because there were many firms operating.")
Duterte earlier defended e-sabong as an activity which generates revenues that will support the Philippine government's programs, but changed his mind and called for an immediate halt to its activities after the Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año conducted an April survey on the social impact of e-sabong on Filipinos.
The survey, which considered the insights of over 8,400 respondents, showed that 62% were not in favor of e-sabong.
"I realized very late, and I'm very sorry that it had to happen. Hindi ko akalain na ganun. (I didn't think that it would happen)," he said on Tuesday of the ill effects of the e-sabong industry.
Earlier this year, lawmakers held four hearings into the cases of over 30 missing people reportedly linked to e-sabong activities. Lawmakers, including Sen. Bato dela Rosa, who led the probes, urged Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) through a resolution to suspend the licenses of all e-sabong operators while the investigations are going on.
In response, Malacanang issued a memorandum in March allowing the online cockfighting to continue, but ordered the Philippine National Police and National Bureau to investigate the disappearances.
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