E-sabong ops busted in Negros town; link to provincial board member eyed

BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental Board Member Andrew Montelibano has been named a person of interest following the discovery of a multi-million peso illegal online cockfighting (e-sabong) operation in E.B. Magalona town, Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, director of Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), said on Thursday, July 9.

A police  manhunt operation against a wanted person, whom he identified as Ronel Garde, led to the discovery of an alleged e- sabong operations and the arrest of four individuals in Hacienda Pilar, Barangay Alicante, E.B. Magalona, on Wednesday evening, Cardiño said in a press conference on Thursday.

READ: ‘It destroyed families’: The evil of e-sabong

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The police are investigating Montelibano’s  alleged ownership of the property where the e-sabong operation  was discovered and his alleged presence  in the vicinity during the police operation,  Cardino added.

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The PRO-NIR  is also evaluating reports that the  board member allegedly “provided inaccurate information to the operating teams during the conduct of the operation”.

The operators behind the  e-sabong are allegedly alias Kim, Cano and  Eric, who are the subject of their ongoing operations,  he said.

Based on their initial investigation they are connected  to Montelibano, Cardiño said.

The investigation is ongoing and no conclusion will be drawn unless supported by evidence, he said

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The PRO-NIR investigation will not be influenced  by position, affiliation   or status, Cardiño vowed.

“We  will enforce the law without fear or favor. No one is above the law as long as we have evidence, “ Cardiño said.

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Montelibano said perhaps he was considered a person of interest because the e-sabong operation was discovered  on his family corporation’s property.

However, Montelibano said he was not aware that  e-sabong  operations were happening on his property and he is not part  of that business.

He said a certain Ricky, whom he never met, rented the property through their office to be used as a conditioning area for fighting cocks.

Montelibano said when  he arrived on Wednesday and saw the police, they told him that they were conducting a hot pursuit of someone in the property.

He did not stop the police or ask for  search warrant, he said.

Montelibano said he is happy that the e-sabong operation  was discovered because it is a victory for  the cockfighting industry and he is willing to help in any investigation.

“I am here to cooperate,” Montelibano said, adding that he hopes the police apprehend  the persons  behind the e-sabong operations.

“I thank the PNP for doing something about our fight against online gambling,” he added.

The police operation was launched after law enforcement authorities received information that a wanted person was allegedly hiding inside the farm.

The police chanced upon the  ongoing illegal e-sabong operations and arrested  persons identified only as “JG,” 40;  “FD,” 38;  “RL,” 36; and alias “EC,” 29.

The suspects were allegedly caught engaging in e-sabong betting and failed to present any  legal documents authorizing them to conduct such activity.

It is a well organized  operation with LED walls and computers, Cardiño  said.

Recovered during the operation were 142 live fighting cocks, 106 dead fighting cocks, 156 gaffs, two camera stands, and two television monitors, all believed to have been used in the conduct of the illegal online gambling operation, a police report said.

Charges for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602, as amended by Republic Act No. 9287 (Illegal Gambling), in relation to Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012), are being prepared against the suspects, who are now under the custody of the E.B. Magalona municipal police station.

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Police are continuing efforts to locate the wanted person who was the subject of the original manhunt operation, Cardino said. /jpv