TWENTY-FOUR individuals were arrested on Saturday in a raid conducted by agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in an “online sabong” facility in Laoac, Pangasinan.
According to PNP-CIDG director Maj. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr., arrested at the Camora Farm in Bgy. Baligi in Laoac town were 18 males and six females who are all employees of the facility.
The suspects were arrested while in the act of conducting the banned game beamed live on Facebook.
Seized during the raid were 676 live fighting cocks and 24 dead fighting cocks.
“All the arrested suspects were caught in the act of engaging in ‘online sabong,’ which is a violation of Presidential Decree 1602 in relation to Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,” Caramat said.
A check showed that a group called “Global Talpakeros-Online Sabong” encourages cockfighting enthusiasts belonging to different Facebook Groups to click and register at https:chillside77.
It was the first major “online sabong” joint dismantled by the PNP-CIDG in Luzon this year amid a directive from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., which prohibited the game since last year.
