'Old school' Bongbong ready to 'let go' e-sabong revenues, says spox

Leading presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is looking at the ill-effects of e-sabong as he sees the need to balance making revenues and valuing families, his spokesperson said Thursday.

Attorney Vic Rodriguez was asked in a television interview what were the thoughts of the former senator on the controversial online cockfighting, which had been blamed on the disappearance of certain individuals early this year.

Rodriguez said Marcos, being an "old school," seems to be more concerned on the ill-effects of e-sabong on families, instead of the revenues it could give to the government.

"He has his thoughts on the e-sabong and he's also mindful of the social cost so yeah pag-uusapan 'yan, how to balance 'yung the need of the government for revenue, especially now he will be faced with P13 trillion debt but at the same time old school talaga itong si president-elect Bongbong, he values family," Rodriguez told ANC. 

"He's also looking at the downside of it which is 'yung social cost, may mga report na may mga bata na nagsusugal na rin (there are reports that some children are into online sabong as well)... so 'yan binabantayan niya 'yan. Para sa kanya at the end of the day, 'yung revenue puwede i-let go kung magsasakripisyo naman 'yung basic unit which is the family (He's looking into it. For him, at the end of the day, we could let go of revenues)," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte had approved the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) recommendation to stop e-sabong or online cockfighting operations.

This came following a survey conducted by DILG in cities and provinces regarding e-sabong operations,.

As to the foregone government revenues from e-sabong, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said the government trusts the PAGCOR’s capabilities to generate new revenues.—AOL, GMA News