PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte's call for a comprehensive investigation into the case of at least 34 missing e-sabong players by the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.

In an ambush interview during his visit to fire victims in BASECO Port Area, Manila on Wednesday, March 9, Go said that law enforcement should have been more proactive in dealing with the matter of the missing sabungeros, and asked them to solve the case as soon as possible.

“Dapat talagang imbestigahan dahil trabaho po ng mga pulis, mga law enforcer na imbestigahan. Dapat hindi na po umabot sa ganun kalaki ‘yung mga nawalang tao,” said Go.

“Isa pa lang may nangyaring problema dapat inimbestigahan na. trabaho po ito ng mga pulis, ng NBI, law enforcers, dapat mabigyan ng solusyon ito dahil buhay po nang nawala dito,” he added.

In a memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Wednesday, the Palace directed the PNP and the NBI to conduct a “thorough investigation” into the missing sabungeros and submit the result of their findings to the President and the Department of Justice within 30 days.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation was also ordered to investigate alleged e-sabong license infractions. Meanwhile, e-sabong licensees which are not being probed are allowed to continue their operations.

Earlier, Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee Chair Ronald dela Rosa indicated that the missing people included players, "master agents" or recruiters, and drivers whose whereabouts are still unknown.

Senators have filed a resolution requesting PAGCOR to halt the issuance of "e-sabong" licenses until the legal issues are resolved.

Go said that he is not privy to the details of the conversations between the President and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, as well as with Senator dela Rosa, related to the memorandum permitting e-sabong operations to continue. He speculated that the decision may be based on the government's best interests, especially during this time of pandemic.

“With regard naman doon sa tanong mo about ES at tsaka sa Senado, hindi ko naman po alam kung anong pinag-usapan nila – ng ES at ng Pangulo, at ni Sen. Bato at ng Pangulo. So stick po ako doon sa posisyon bilang isang senador, magkaiba po ang trabaho ng mga law enforcers at iba po ang trabaho ng PAGCOR,” said Go.

“Siguro separate naman po ‘yung issue ng PAGCOR kung dapat nilang ipatigil. Siguro priority po ng gobyerno ‘yung revenues… lalong-lalo na po ngayon,” he added.

For the time being, Go said that his priority concern is to ensure the safety of the missing sabungeros and to resolve the case.

“Basta importante sa akin mabigyan ng solusyon, ma-resolve agad itong mga nawawala. Kahit isa lang ang nawala, dapat mabigyan ng solusyon,” said Go.

“Buhay po dito ang nawawala, ‘di po ito biro,” he ended. (OSBG)