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MANILA - Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa warned Tuesday against the dangers of being addicted to e-sabong, saying even minors are getting hooked to online cockfights.

Dela Rosa, who led a Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs investigation on the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts, said there are some 350 online cockfights daily.

"You can just imagine ang bilis mong malulong. Nakaupo ka lang sa loob ng kwarto mo, pindot ka lang ng pindot ng cellphone mo, voila, panalo ka na o nabaon ka na sa financial problems. The more you desire to recover your losses the more ka na nalululong," he said in an ANC Headstart interview.

(You can just imagine how fast you can get addicted. You're just sitting in your room on your cellphone then voila you won or you're deep in financial problems. The more you desire to recover your losses the more you get addicted.)

During the interview, Dela Rosa again insisted President Rodrigo Duterte had agreed with the Senate panel resolution urging the country's gaming regulator to suspend e-sabong operations.

This, after Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chairperson Andrea Domingo said the President did not say anything about a Senate panel resolution to suspend the popular game.

• Senate panel approves resolution to suspend e-sabong licenses amid disappearances

"Ang totoo is my impression during our short conversation in Davao City where I told the President the Senate has prepared a resolution urging PAGCOR to suspend the license to operate of all e-sabong operators until mabigyan ng linaw itong imbestigasyon nitong mga missing 34 sabongero. His reply to me was 'o sige sige,'" the senator said.

(The truth is my impression during our short conversation in Davao City where I told the President the Senate has prepared a resolution urging PAGCOR to suspend the license to operate of all e-sabong operators until our investigation has shed light on the missing 34 cockfight enthusiasts. His reply to me was 'alright, alright.')

Dela Rosa said he would not appeal again to the President for the suspension of e-sabong operations.

"No, not again. Nagsabi na ako sa kanya. The ball is in their hands. Bahala na sila kung i-shoot nila ang bola for the victory of the Filipino people or i-dribble hanggang matapos ang 18th Congress," he said.

(I've already appealed to him. The ball is in their hands. It's up to them whether to shoot it for the victory of the Filipino people or dibble it until the 18th Congress ends.)

The former Philippine National Police chief, who led the President's drug war, urged the public to give him and Duterte "the benefit of the doubt."

"Baka na-misinterpret ko ang sinabi ni President Duterte na 'sige sige.'
Pakinggan natin ano official stand niya in this issue," he said.

(Maybe I misinterpreted what President Duterte said. Let's listen to his official stand in this issue.)