Negros Occidental Board Member Faces Charges Over Illegal E-Sabong Link

The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) has filed criminal and administrative complaints against Negros Occidental 3rd District Board Member Andrew Gerard Montelibano before the Office of the Ombudsman. The complaints were filed on July 20 by the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG), the PRO NIR confirmed in a press statement on Thursday, July 23. The regional police command did not specify the charges it lodged against Montelibano who was tagged for alleged links to an illegal online sabong operation in a property his family corporation owned in Barangay Alicante of E.B. Magalona town. The illegal activity was discovered following an arrest operation against a wanted person in Negros Occidental on July 8. Montelibano on Thursday told the Inquirer he could not give a comment yet about the RSOG charges as he was not aware of the filing of the complaints. The PRO NIR emphasized that the filing and receipt of these complaints are part of the legal process and should not be construed as a determination of guilt. The PRO NIR refrained from discussing the specific details, evidence, and allegations contained in the complaints, as these are now under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman and remain subject to its evaluation. The police command said any further disclosure may unduly affect the proceedings and, as such, will defer to the proper legal process. “The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold the rule of law through professional, impartial, and evidence-based law enforcement, while respecting the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman in the disposition of the complaints,” the PRO NIR said. Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, PRO NIR director, at a press conference on July 9, said Montelibano has been named a “person of interest” following the discovery of a multi-million peso illegal online cockfighting (e-sabong) operation located on his property in E.B. Magalona town. A police manhunt operation for a person wanted for murder and frustrated murder, led to the discovery of the alleged e-sabong operations and the arrest of four individuals in Hacienda Pilar, Barangay Alicante. Montelibano said he was not aware that e-sabong operations were happening on his property and he is not part of that business. He said a certain Ricky, whom he has never met, rented the property through his family corporation’s office. /jpv