Key points:
- Twelve public transport drivers arrested for participating in illegal online gambling
- Operation conducted at PITX following reports of e-sabong activity
- Authorities say gambling losses resulted in fare hikes for passengers
Twelve drivers have been apprehended in Paranaque City for alleged involvement in illegal online gambling activities at the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), the Southern Police District (SPD) confirmed.
As reported by Manila Bulletin, the suspects were arrested at the PITX Taxi Lane in Barangay Tambo on 3 July. They include taxi drivers aged between 35 and 63, along with a ride-hailing driver, a modern jeepney conductor and a jeep operator.
The arrests were the result of a joint operation by the SPD Special Operations Unit, the District Intelligence Division and the Paranaque City Police Substation 3.
Police acted on information provided by a concerned citizen who reported that drivers were placing bets using their phones while waiting for passengers.
Good to know: Online cockfighting or e-sabong was officially banned in June 2025 due to concerns about gambling-related harm and criminal behaviour
Authorities recovered two mobile phones and betting money amounting to PHP 3,545 (US$61). The individuals now face charges under Presidential Decree 1602, which addresses illegal gambling in the Philippines.
Brigadier General Randy Arceo, Director of the SPD, stated that some of the drivers had reportedly increased fares to offset gambling losses. He described the situation as one that goes beyond legal infractions, warning that such actions pose risks to public safety and undermine the integrity of the transport sector.
