MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday directed the police to find and stop illegal e-sabong operations, as some betting sites supposedly continued defying President Rodrigo Duterte's order stopping it.

• Duterte orders immediate stop to e-sabong operations

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and PNP units across the country to go after unregulated online cockfighting sites.

Citing reports, the DILG said 7 online cockfighting outfits were still on their usual business activities. The agency earlier said only physical sabong is allowed to continue after the President's directive.

• PNP: 8 cops involved in e-sabong already facing raps

“These illegal e-sabong outfits are operating without licenses or franchises from the national or local governments and are not remitting a single peso in revenue to the state,” Interior Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

“Dahil illegal po ito, hindi n'yo po alam kung saan napupunta ang inyong pera or kung may dayaan," he added.

He also urged the public to call the police if they found online sabong betting sites still operating in their areas.

Duterte earlier this month ordered killing e-sabong operations due to its negative social impact on Filipinos, even after repeatedly defending it due to the billions that it gives government in revenue.

At least 30 sabungeros have gone missing. Duterte had blamed "evil men" for their disappearances.

• Palace: PAGCOR will find new revenue source after e-sabong closure

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation had said it earned P3.7 billion from e-sabong from April to December 2021, and at least P1.4 billion in the first 3 months of this year.

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