Ka Leody wants e-sabong, other gambling activities stopped

Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman on Tuesday said he would stop the operations of all gamblimg activities in the country, including the controversial "e-sabong" or online cockfighting, if he wins the May 2022 elections.

During Go Negosyo's KandidaTalks, the labor leader said gambling, which he linked to crimes, should be stopped to pave the way for a more productive source of income among the public.

“Talagang ang usapin ng mga sugal, ang sugal ay karugtong ng mga krimen kasi may chance may dayaan. Talagang hindi magandang kultura ‘yan na ipapamana natin sa ating mga mamamayan,” he said.

(Gambling is connected to crimes because there is a chance of deception in it. That is really not a good culture that we should pass on to our people.)

“Huwag nating payagan ang ating mamamayan ay mabuhay na galing sa mga sugal. Marami namang produktibong bagay na nakikita tayo na hindi sugal ang ituturo natin na by chance, na para bang yayaman ka dahil kukunin mo ‘yung pera ng iba. Anong klaseng pag-iisip ‘yun? Parang mapanglamang,” he added.

(Let us not allow our people to live off gambling. There are many productive things that we could teach them instead of them earning by taking others’ money.)

De Guzman then opposed President Rodrigo Duterte's decision not to suspend the operation of online cockfight considering the billions of pesos of income that the government receives from it.

He also stressed that e-sabong should be stopped entirely and not just be “properly regulated,” as proposed by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to ensure that only eligible individuals take part in the activity.

“Ang ating gobyerno, dahil sa napakalaki daw ng ibinibayad sa kanila, gusto nilang manatili, i-regulate na lang. Sa akin, hindi. Dapat ipatigil ‘yan,” de Guzman said.

(Our government wants e-sabong to remain and just be regulated because it earns from it. To me, no. E-sabong must be stopped.)

“Hindi lang sabong, lahat ng klase ng sugal na hindi nagtuturo ng maganda sa ating mamamayan, ipatitigil natin. Gusto nating lumahok ang ating mamamayan sa isang produktibong bagay na benepisyal sa lahat,” he added.

(We will stop not just cockfighting, but all kinds of gambling that is not good for our people. We want the people to participate in something productive that benefits everyone.)

Proposals to suspend e-sabong operations stemmed from the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts or "sabungeros," most of whom allegedly involved in game rigging. —KBK, GMA News