Usec. Jonathan Malaya
Spokesperson

We wish to remind Meta Platforms, Inc. that as a business entity operating in the Philippines, they are subject to Philippine laws, rules, and regulations and must comply with them at all times.

We have submitted to them the list of Facebook pages, groups, accounts, and sites encouraging people to play illegal on-line sabong but despite official communication and public appeals, Meta Platforms has ignored the request of Philippine authorities. The said accounts are still operational — in violation of the Presidential directive and of the Cockfighting Law as amended by PD 1612 — and we have not received a reply from Meta to this date.

Their continued inaction on the request of this Department, the Philippine National Police, and other government agencies to take-down pages, accounts, and other links encouraging people to patronize illegal e-sabong is tantamount to tolerating illegal activity in their platform. It is not only a violation of Philippine Law but also a violation of Facebook’s own community standards.

We are, therefore, making this final appeal to Meta to immediately and without further delay take down these pages! We also ask the public to support the ban on all forms of illegal e-sabong on social media so that we can finally put a stop to this social menace that has destroyed the lives of so many of our countrymen.

Original Article at: https://dilg.gov.ph/news/Statement-of-the-Department-of-the-Interior-and-Local-Government/NC-2022-1073