MANILA 2nd District Representative Rolando “Rolan” Valeriano, filed in the 20th Congress his bill prohibiting e-sabong and all forms of online gambling.
Under House Bill No. 1455, the live-streaming, broadcasting, placing, receiving, transmitting and processing of bets on cockfights through online betting platforms shall be prohibited. The operation of an e-sabong betting platform shall be totally disallowed.
“The bill prohibiting e-sabong passed on 3rd reading in the last Congress. Unfortunately, there was no Senate counterpart that passed.
Sa mga karumal dumal na krimen pa lang, na hanggang ngayon ay nananatiling unresolved, alam na nating kailangang permanenteng tuldukan na ang e-sabong. Baka magpalit lamang ng administrasyon, bumalik na ang salot na ito. Alam natin ito ay pinakinabangan lamang ng iilan, kasama na ang tiwaling mga opisyal, subalit nagdulot ng pagwasak ng buhay ng karamihan.”, reasoned the 3rd term congressman.
Valeriano’s bill likewise prohibits all forms of online gambling. These include horse racing, dog racing, pula puti, online casino and sports betting. All permits and licenses of e-sabong operators and other forms of online gambling issued by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) shall be revoked and declared invalid. No permit or license for e-sabong and online gambling shall thereafter be issued. Violators shall be punished with imprisonment of 6 to 20 years and/or fine of Five Hundred Thousand to Five Million Pesos.
“Mainit po ang pagtatalo kung dapat total prohibition or magkaroon lamang ng mahigpit na regulation ng online gambling. Naniniwala po ako na dapat magkaroon ng total prohibition.
Sa napakaraming sulok ng ating bansa, habang may legal na pasugalan, gaya ng horse racing at lotto, naglipana din ang mga illegal na bookies. Henerasyon na ang lumilipas pero hindi pa din nasasawata ang mga ilegal na pasugalang ito.
Lalo pa sa online. Naparaming makabagong pamamaraan kung paano maiikutan ang mga regulasyon. Kasama na dito ang kahirapan upang hindi magkaroon ng access ang minors sa online gambling.
Sa dakong huli, ang kailangan ay maghanap ang ating pamahalaan ng mga sources of revenue bukod sa sugal. Hindi matutumbasan ng katiting na kita ng gobyerno ang irreversible na pagkasira ng buhay at kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan dahilan sa online gambling.”, concluded Valeriano, the former Chairperson of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development.
