6 Koreans held for running online dogfight betting site

CAVITE ,Philippines   – Six Korean nationals, together with their 17 Filipino workers, were arrested Friday night for operating an online dogfight betting station in Indang town this province, police said.

Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao, Cavite police director, identified the arrested Koreans as Kim Jeong Py, 40; Kim Su Jeong, 27; Kim Sang Hyun, 28; Kang Jun Ho, 28; Lee Han Gu, 33; and Kim Min, 31, who temporarily resided in a hotel in Tagaytay City.

Bulalacao said the 17 arrested Filipinos worked as dog caretakers of the six Korean suspects.

Acting on information provided by concerned citizens, Chief Inspector Gil Toralba, deputy chief of the Cavite Intelligence Bureau, and representatives of Animal Kingdom Foundation swooped down on a warehouse in Barangay Mahabang Kahoy, Indang town at around 8 p.m. Friday and apprehended the suspects.

Police rescued from the warehouse 252 pit bulls and seized several electronic materials such as two computer sets, speakers, microphones, headsets, cameras, amplifiers, and scoreboards.

Toralba said the Korean suspects maintained a website where the dogfights were shown live and where their online clients could place bets.

Police said the rescued pit bulls would be turned over to the Animal Kingdom Foundation for safekeeping.

Charges of violation of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 (Republic Act 8485) were being readied against the suspects, he said.