Following the advice of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the end of E-Sabong activities, noting the cost to society to Filipinos.

According to Duterte, an order prohibiting the use of E-Sabong will be issued by Tuesday.

Duterte's current statement is a break from the administration's prior decision not to suspend e-sabong activities, despite senators' calls for the suspension in Senate Resolution No. 996, citing the unsolved disappearances of certain e-sabong participants.

“It’s his recommendation and I agree with it, E-Sabong will end by tonight, bukas, lalabas ito bukas [tomorrow, the order will come out tomorrow],” he added.

Prior to this, Duterte revealed that he had instructed Año to undertake a survey on the social impact of online sabong through the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

“So ginawa ni Sec. Año ang trabaho niya, he reported and validated yung naririnig ko. Yung amin naman sana, buwis lang ang hinahabol namin dito, sinabi ko na sa inyo P640 million is P640 million but may naririnig na ako, loud and very clear to me that it was working against our values,” Duterte stated.

“So, Sec. Año did his job, he reported and validated what I’m hearing. What we were concerned about is the revenue. P640 million is P640 million but I am hearing things, loud and very clear to me, that it was working against our values.”

“And yung impact sa pamilya pati sa tao e ang labas, di na natutulog yung mga sabungero” he added.

After originally rejecting senators' proposal to ban E-Sabong until the disappearance of over 30 cockfight fans was addressed, Duterte ordered the survey to be conducted.

He had previously mentioned the possibility of revenue loss if e-sabong operations were to be halted.

Sources: https://www.rappler.com/nation/duterte-orders-end-e-sabong-operations/