Mayor instructs police to stop e-sabong in city

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has instructed Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to stop online cockfighting operations in the metro following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Mayor Jerry Treñas instructed ICPO chief Police Colonel Leo Batiles to not allow any e-sabong operations in Iloilo City in accordance with the orders of the President,” the Iloilo City Public Information Office (PIO) said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

The order came after the President announced in his weekly public address on Monday night that all e-sabong operations in the country will stop following the recommendation of Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary (DILG) Eduardo Año.

The President cited the findings of the survey that he ordered Año to conduct regarding the social impact of e-sabong.

“The recommendation of Secretary Año is to do away with e-sabong and he cited the validation report coming from all sources. So, it’s his recommendation and I agree with it and it is good. So e-sabong will end by tonight or tomorrow,” he said.

Meanwhile, Councilor Carlos “Jojo” Javellana, chairman of the committee on games and amusement said he is still waiting for a written order from the DILG regarding the stoppage of all online cockfighting operations.

“Ginahulat namon subong ang order sang DILG para i-implement naton ang syudad kay hambal lang or pronouncement ang iya ni Pres. Duterte,” he said in an interview on Thursday.

The city councilor added that he instructed the police to check the permits of those who are conducting e-sabong in the metro while they await the written order from the DILG.

Javellana also appealed to the operators and patrons of e-sabong in Iloilo City to cooperate with the order of the President.

“Dapat masunod gid sila sang mando sang presidente ugaling ginahulat pa naton gid ang written order. Ginapangayo ko gid nga tumanon ta lang ang laye. Once magabot ang order, automatic masirado gid sila,” he stressed. (DG)