In recent weeks during the summer, divers have been exploring the depths of a lake in southern Manila in search of missing bodies, victims of violence linked to what has become a national industry in the Philippines: “electronic betting on cockfighting.”
According to one testimony, these individuals were allegedly killed for their involvement in manipulating match outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when the country witnessed a surge in the game known as “e-sabong.”
Following these disappearances, former President Rodrigo Duterte banned online betting in 2022.
However, three years later, the lucrative “e-sabong” market remains thriving. In Bulacan, a suburb of Manila, in a bustling venue witnessing intense cockfighting matches, cash is exchanged freely. Marcelo Barang, a 60-year-old participant, operates comfortably, as physical betting is still permitted.
He states, “We are not afraid here; we are at ease. The matches are conducted completely legally.”
The atmosphere here starkly contrasts with the nightmare experienced by Ray Gibraltar, like many others engaged in this hobby, during the pandemic.
Gibraltar hails from a family of cockfighting enthusiasts and regularly visited “tarians,” which are designated arenas for this activity.
However, with lockdown measures in place during the pandemic, he began wagering online at a frantic pace, often winning or losing as much as $15,000 a day.
The former executive recounts, “I didn’t eat. I was drinking coffee and smoking, I couldn’t sleep,” adding that the money he lost could have bought him a house and a car.
Before entering a rehabilitation center, he wagered his last 300 pesos in his e-wallet.
Regan Braveroza, the founder of a gambling recovery center in the Philippines, explains, “In tarian, you have to travel distances to place a bet,” unlike online betting.
Authorities estimate that the revenue from this industry generates millions of dollars weekly.
However, these profits often benefit organized crime syndicates.
Since the ban on online betting sites, authorities have shut down more than 6,800 such platforms, as noted by police officer Bernard Yang.
Yet, the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) often makes it difficult to identify users.
Acknowledging that penalties of up to 1,000 pesos ($17) are not a strong deterrent, Yang asserts that the issue is “not as serious” as it once was. Nevertheless, the situation remains concerning enough that the central bank, after consulting with parliament, has ordered e-wallet companies to halt all activities with illegal sites within 48 hours.