For generations, cockfighting has been more than just a sport in the Philippines—it’s a ritual of pride, passion, and high-stakes gambling woven deep into the fabric of Filipino culture. In dusty arenas and neon-lit stadiums, the clang of blades and the roar of bettors echo a tradition passed down through bloodlines. But between 2021 and 2023, that familiar world took a sinister turn.
One by one, sabungeros—men deeply tied to the cockfighting trade—began to vanish. Not a handful. Dozens. Fathers, brothers, operators, handlers—gone without a trace. What began as scattered headlines soon erupted into a nationwide mystery, shaking the very core of a centuries-old pastime. At the heart of the storm? The explosive rise of e-sabong, a digital evolution of cockfighting that turned backroom wagers into billion-peso profits almost overnight.
This investigation dives deep into the murky waters of those disappearances. Who were these missing men? What did they know? And who stood to gain from their silence? As we trace the threads linking greed, corruption, and organized crime, a chilling picture begins to emerge—one where lives were expendable, and tradition became a cover for something far more dangerous.
💻 From Cockpits to Clicks: The Rise of E-Sabong
The e-sabong industry was a direct product of the COVID-19 pandemic. When traditional cockpits were forced to close due to lockdowns, the old ways of betting and brawling moved online. This digital shift transformed the industry almost overnight.
💰 A Multi-Billion Peso Empire
E-sabong allowed bettors to place wagers from the comfort of their homes, watch live-streamed fights, and transact digitally. This removed geographical barriers and centralized a decentralized industry, making it incredibly profitable. It was estimated to be a multi-billion peso industry, generating a staggering amount of money for its operators and the government in taxes. This sudden influx of wealth attracted powerful players and, with it, the shadowy world of organized crime.
The table below illustrates the dramatic shift and the scale of the industry.
🕵️ The Eerie Pattern of a Coordinated Silence
The disappearances were not random. They followed a chilling and consistent pattern that suggested a well-orchestrated operation. Between 2021 and 2023, dozens of individuals vanished, their cases linked by common threads that pointed to a single, terrifying truth.
⛓️ The Vanishing Act: Common Threads
An analysis of the missing persons reports and witness testimonies reveals a consistent narrative.
- Targeted Individuals: The missing men were not just casual bettors. They were often experienced sabungeros who were either breeders, gamefowl handlers, or avid high-stakes bettors. Their deep knowledge of the industry suggests they may have been privy to information that others were not.
- The Time and Place: The abductions frequently occurred near cockpits or while the men were traveling to or from e-sabong events. This timing points to a professional, well-informed group that knew their targets’ movements.
- The Suddenness: In almost every case, the men simply vanished. There were no ransom demands, no threats, and no clear signs of a struggle. This points to a highly efficient operation designed to leave no trace.
📹 The Evidence That Wasn’t There
The most unsettling aspect of the investigation was the consistent lack of evidence. In a modern society supposedly saturated with digital surveillance, the abductions left no digital footprint.
- CCTV Blackouts: In several cases, CCTV cameras near the locations of the abductions were either mysteriously non-functional or had their footage erased during the crucial time windows. This suggests a level of technical sophistication and possible insider knowledge.
- A Silence from Witnesses: Despite the large number of disappearances, a wall of silence from witnesses and the wider cockfighting community made the investigation incredibly difficult. Fear and intimidation were believed to be a major factor.
💰 Billions at Stake: The Web of Power and Greed
The immense profitability of e-sabong provides the most compelling motive for the abductions. A multi-billion peso industry, largely unregulated in its early days, was ripe for foul play.
🤝 A Conspiracy of Insiders?
The primary theory is that the disappearances were a result of an internal conflict within powerful syndicates that controlled the e-sabong operations.
- Cheating Scandals: Some believe that the missing men may have uncovered a large-scale cheating operation, such as a “scripting” system that manipulated the outcomes of fights. They were silenced to protect a multi-million peso scam.
- Debt and Retaliation: Another theory suggests that the men were kidnapped over massive, unpaid gambling debts. The silence and lack of ransom demands, however, make this a less likely scenario.
- The Involvement of Law Enforcement: The eerie efficiency of the abductions and the consistent lack of evidence led to speculation about the involvement of corrupt law enforcement officials or insiders within the system. Their alleged role would be to facilitate the abductions and ensure that no trace was left behind.
The table below provides a hypothetical scale of the industry, highlighting the potential for corruption.
🏛️ A Slow Response and a Nation’s Fear
The government’s initial response to the disappearances was widely criticized as being too slow and inadequate. For months, the missing persons cases were treated as isolated incidents, with little to no coordinated action. This delayed response fueled public suspicion and solidified the belief that the disappearances were part of a larger conspiracy.
Eventually, under immense public pressure and a Senate inquiry, the government suspended all e-sabong operations. While this was a victory for the families of the missing, it was a move that came too late for those who had already disappeared. The slow response, combined with the suddenness of the disappearances, gave the impression of an establishment either unwilling or unable to act against powerful forces.
The tragic story of the missing sabungeros is an unresolved scar on the nation’s conscience. It is a cautionary tale about how a traditional subculture can be weaponized by technology, creating a high-stakes, unregulated industry ripe for exploitation and foul play. The men who disappeared were more than just bettors; they were sons, fathers, and husbands. Their families have been left to grieve in a state of eternal limbo, caught between hope and despair.
Were these disappearances orchestrated to protect a multi-billion peso illegal empire, and were insiders or law enforcement officials involved? Why have the families of these men never received justice, and why does the nation seem to have forgotten this dark chapter? The silence from the cockpits, once filled with the roar of a crowd, now feels hollow and menacing. The shadows of greed, power, and death have fallen over a beloved Filipino tradition, and the search for the vanished men, and the truth behind their disappearance, continues.
