Negros board member faces Ombudsman complaints over e-sabong

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Criminal and administrative complaints have been filed with the Office of the Ombudsman against Negros Occidental 3rd District Board Member Andrew Montelibano over his alleged link to an illegal online cockfighting operation, police confirmed Thursday.

The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said the complaints were formally filed Monday.

The complaints stemmed from a joint operation led by the Regional Special Operations Group against a most wanted person in Barangay Alicante, E.B. Magalona, on July 8.

The operation led authorities to discover an alleged illegal online cockfighting, or e-sabong, operation at the property.

Lt. Col. Joem Malong, PRO-NIR spokesperson, said police would refrain from discussing the specific allegations, evidence, and details of the complaints.

Malong said the complaints were now under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman and remained subject to its evaluation.

In a statement, Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, PRO-NIR director, stressed that the filing and receipt of the complaints were part of the legal process and should not be interpreted as a determination of guilt.

PRO-NIR said it respected the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman in resolving the complaints.

The regional police office said further disclosures could unduly affect the proceedings and that it would defer to the proper legal process.

Montelibano has yet to comment on the complaints.

Authorities earlier tagged Montelibano as a person of interest after he was reportedly found near the alleged multimillion-peso e-sabong operation discovered on a 5-hectare property.

Montelibano denied any involvement in the alleged e-sabong operation.

He said he was a co-owner of the property, which he described as a fishpond owned by a corporation.

Montelibano said he had not operated the property for the past 20 years.

He said the property was leased for gamefowl raising in late December last year.

Montelibano said the transaction resumed this month but had not yet been covered by a formal contract.

He earlier welcomed the police investigation and said he supported authorities’ efforts to stop illegal gambling activities in the province.

Malong said PRO-NIR officials and Montelibano had not discussed the matter since reports emerged about his alleged involvement.

Meanwhile, Malong said four people arrested at the property for allegedly participating in e-sabong had been released because of insufficient evidence.

She said the prosecutor was seeking stronger evidence linking the four to the alleged illegal gambling operation.

Malong said the complaint filed with the prosecutor had yet to be resolved and remained under preliminary investigation.

In August last year, Montelibano, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Games and Amusement, authored an ordinance banning machine-based betting in cockfighting.

The ordinance allowed only traditional betting and directed the implementation of Presidential Decree 449, or the Cockfighting Law of 1974, which regulates cockfighting in the Philippines.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order 9 in December 2022, directing the continued suspension of e-sabong operations nationwide.