A complex web of high-stakes and lucrative online cockfighting games has been exposed as more witnesses have surfaced in the case of the “missing sabungeros.”
DAILY TRIBUNE sources indicated that high-level national and local officials, including lawmakers, were involved in the online gambling operations that generated between P50 million and P80 million weekly.
Those who were killed had tried to rig the games, which the operators attempted to stamp out using extreme measures, according to the sources.
Whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, alias ‘Totoy,’ had earlier pointed to gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang as being behind the massive operation against those involved in the fraud.
A former maritime officer, who was also involved in the lucrative gambling operation, tagged Pitmaster Foundation chairman Ang in the purging of erring mananari and sentensyador who were among the 34 cockfighting aficionados who went missing a few years ago.
Aside from this, he claimed that lawmakers and local government officials made up what was known as the “Alpha Group” that had huge investments in the online cockfighting, more popularly known as talpakan.
The online gambling operation sprouted during the Covid-19 pandemic when the government ordered all cockpits closed. It became a very lucrative source of funds for the government, primarily for programs responding to the global health emergency.
It grew richer than the biggest derbies since the games were held online, reaching a larger audience.
Social monster born
The online games, however, became a social menace after reports of gambling addiction that led, in extreme cases, to crimes being committed. Some who were hooked mortgaged their properties, including land titles, to continue betting.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla had earlier confirmed that there were prominent figures involved in the controversy.
The Daily Tribune source said the executions were confirmed to him by one of Ang’s close-in security guards who happened to be a former bodyguard of a fellow ship captain.
“He told us that those who cheated should never get caught because they were being killed to set an example. They were stuffed into sacks filled with sand and thrown into Taal Lake. Because if this was not done to them, they would continue to cheat the bettors,” he told in Filipino.
Asked who was giving the orders to kill the cheating sabungeros, the source said the bodyguard told him it was Ang.
“What these cheaters were doing was making a strong rooster weak, then placing bets on the opponent. So if someone bet P10 million on the weakened rooster, they would instantly lose,” he explained in Filipino.
On the other hand, he denied allegations that actress Gretchen Barretto, the alleged partner of Ang, was one of those giving orders to kill the missing sabungeros, although he said Barretto knew what was going on.
Big names involved
The source also cited politicians involved who allegedly made millions from e-sabong operations.
“There was one congressman from Mindanao, another from Quezon City, and a senator who belonged to the Alpha Team. They were the big investors in e-sabong. They were making P50 to P80 million a week from e-sabong. Aside from them, there were many others,” the retired ship captain said.
“There were fiscals, mayors, and governors involved as well,” the source added.
On Thursday, Ang filed criminal charges against Patidongan in the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office. (See related story)
No one above the law
Malacañang assured that no one would receive special treatment and justice would be served the families of the missing sabungeros.
“Anyone, whatever their status in life, even if they are famous personalities, the President and the administration will not spare them. Suppose there is someone to be held accountable, in that case, it should be thoroughly investigated so that justice can be given to the families of those we call missing sabungeros,” Palace spokesperson Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing on Thursday.
Castro said the Department of Justice will decide if Patidongan will be tapped as a state witness.
“That would depend on their courage, on the truthfulness of what they will say, and the possibility that they might recant their testimonies. So they must have the courage and conviction to stand by the truth,” Castro said in Filipino.
Another source said that suspicions of game fixing were acted upon immediately because this undermined the credibility of the operations and affected the income being generated.
“When we were betting on e-sabong, you know how it is, sometimes luck just wasn’t on your side. Once when we had three straight losses, Atong Ang came right away to our rooster stable to investigate,” the source said.
The source said he was investigated but a close associate of Ang vouched for him and other members of his team: “Don’t mind them, these are good players. They’re decent people. They were just really unlucky with their roosters,” the associate told Ang.
Despite the assurance, the source said a tense moment was unavoidable. “Your ball sac goes up around your neck out of fear,” he said.
The source explained how games were rigged.
“Let’s say it’s a 5-cock derby, you decide on how many you’re going to lose purposely. For instance, you bring five roosters, of which two are made weak, then you bet on the opponent.”
The source said the winnings were at least double the bet through the underhanded scheme.
“The way the scheme works involves making the rooster drink a lot of water. Once it gets hit, it’ll go down quickly,” the source said.
Another technique is to tighten the blade so it can’t strike the opponent properly. Sometimes they even break a bone of the rooster before a fight or target specific muscles, so the rooster becomes too weak when the encounter begins.
More than 100 sabungeros may have been killed, a figure that far exceeds the previously reported 34 missing.
Remulla said the DoJ was looking at the possibility of a “mass murder.”
