Manila: The Senate Committee on Games and Amusement announced Wednesday that authorities should target the physical 'studio' hubs of illegal online sabong for raids and build cases against alleged gambling kingpins, rather than merely dismantling websites.

According to Philippines News Agency, during the committee's third public hearing, Senator Erwin Tulfo, the committee chair, emphasized the need to close down cockpits and makeshift backyard setups where cockfights are filmed and streamed online, especially in regions such as Central Luzon, the Cordillera, and Calabarzon.

Tulfo stated that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) must issue orders to raid identified locations, cease live filming operations, seize equipment, and report compliance to the committee before the initiation of a technical working group. He noted that simply blocking websites is inadequate since the source of the streamed fights remains active.

Senator Raffy Tulfo urged authorities to pursue alleged financiers and prominent gambling kingpins, noting that enforcement efforts seem focused on small operators while leaving large-scale figures unscathed. He criticized the lack of arrests despite intelligence information pointing to ongoing large-scale operations in Central Luzon and called for criminal cases against those behind the networks.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) Chair Alejandro Tengco reiterated that Executive Order 9, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is in effect and prohibits issuing licenses for online sabong. Tengco asserted that the order serves as a current law, denying the issuance of any license to anyone.

Officials from the PNP and NBI expressed their commitment to comply with the committee's call for swift action. The committee expects tangible enforcement outcomes, including the closure of identified filming hubs and filing cases against operators and financiers, before advancing with additional legislative measures.