On July 28, during the election of the new Speaker of the House in the Philippines, a congressman was caught on camera playing with his phone and watching a live broadcast of "electronic cockfighting" during the meeting, completely ignoring the voting process. This footage, once exposed, quickly sparked a lot of criticism on social media.
Netizens condemned the congressman for "gambling instead of attending the meeting," considering it a desecration of public trust and treating his duties frivolously. Some even sarcastically commented, "The inefficiency of the parliament is because someone is betting on cockfighting!"
Although "electronic cockfighting" is legal on some platforms in the Philippines, it has long been associated with illegal gambling and money laundering issues, and remains controversial. As a member of the legislative body, publicly watching gambling content during significant political occasions has severely damaged the image of the House of Representatives.
The identity of the congressman involved has not been disclosed, and the House of Representatives has not yet made an official response. The public calls for an immediate investigation and accountability to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
This incident has also intensified public concerns about the infiltration of "online gambling" into politics. Finance Minister Ralph Recto recently revealed that President Marcos Jr. is paying attention to the issue, and whether to ban it completely is still under evaluation.
