Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon revealed that the Php640 million collection from e-sabong of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation is only a pittance.
The lawmaker made the reaction after gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang disclosed that his e-sabong firm alone is earns a monthly income of at least Php3 billion.
The revelation was made as the Senate holds a hearing on the missing “sabongeros”.
“I just want to place on record the magnitudes of the money we are talking about here which could give rise to incidents such as these,” Drilon said.
Ang said his firm, Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc., receives Php1-2 billion pesos a day and earns Php60 billion per month. He explained that they also need to pay the sabongero agents and other expenses.
“More or less nasa P900, P800 million ang matitira,” he said. “Kung P3 billion ang kinikita ng Lucky 8, baka po payat ang P640 million na sinasabi ng PAGCOR na kanilang income dito sa e-sabong,” Drilon said.
Belvedere Vista Corp., Visayas Cockers Club Inc., Jade Entertainment And Gaming Technologies, Inc., Newin Cockers Alliance Gaming Corp., Philippine Cockfighting International Inc. and Golden Buzzer, Inc., are other e-sabong firms tagged in the Senate probe on the missing “sabungeros.”
The Senate signed a resolution seeking to suspend e-sabong operations until the issue of missing sabongeros has been resolved.