Philippine police arrest 10 in e-sabong raid
Those arrested include a village council member from Hindang.
The Philippines.- Police have arrested 10 people, including a village council official, over their alleged involvement in illegal e-sabong (online cockfighting) at the Hindang Amusement Centre in Hindang, Leyte province. A raid was conducted by the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) on Friday, May 29, following intelligence reports.
Among those arrested was a man referred to as “Wel”, a barangay kagawad, or village council member, from Hindang, who allegedly served as a cockfight pit referee. Police also detained people named as “Anton”, “Nathan”, Ben” and “Gino”. The remaining suspects were five alleged cockpit IT technicians identified from different municipalities in Leyte.
Authorities seized internet routers, a desktop computer server, a CCTV digital video recorder and CCTV cameras connected to an online streaming platform. The suspects and confiscated items were taken to the Hindang Municipal Police Station for documentation and the filing of charges under Presidential Decree No. 1602 on illegal gambling, Executive Order No. 9 and Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
PRO-8 regional director Brigadier General Jason Capoy said the raid demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations. He said police would be “relentless in our efforts to suppress illegal gambling activities and ensure the safety and welfare of our communities.”
The operation was carried out under a directive from Philippine National Police chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr to intensify enforcement against all forms of illegal gambling nationwide.
