BISHOP Emanuel Cabajar of the Pagadian Diocese has urged City Mayor Sammy Co to stop the operation of illegal gambling in the city.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Co last March 30 with a copy furnished the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace and read by Cabajar in his monthly meeting last March 31, Bishop Cabajar said that “the primary victims of this immoral and scandalous form of exploitation are the poor. What makes that even immoral is the fact that it lures them into an ‘addictive vice’ that pushes to an even more terrible and dehumanizing situation of misery” as he refers to the illegal gambling activities not only in the City of Pagadian but also in other neighboring municipalities in Zamboanga del Sur.

Cabajar also emphasized in his letter that it is incumbent upon the city government to address the issue of illegal gambling.

“The just ordering of society is first and foremost the responsibility of the government. I believe that your office has the capability to stop all forms of illegal gambling in the city. That is a big challenge but if you are sincere about serving the people as their Mayor, they will surely reciprocate and cooperate towards the eradication of this form of cancer in our society. The people are well aware that no form of illegal gambling will thrive and proliferate without some protection,” Cabajar said in his letter.

“An assurance that the local church of Pagadian Diocese will not just sit in the sidelines but that, in consonance with its proper role, it will try to support honest initiatives to promote the welfare of the people”, Cabajar concluded.

Moreover, the convenors and members of the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace supported the letter as illegal gambling is one of the issues they focused now. Accordingly, illegal gambling activities like video karera and swertres are seen in the city and accessible even to minors.

On the other hand, City Mayor Sammy Co said to this weekly that he already gave instructions to the City PNP to act on the matter immediately, and as the City Mayor, he could not tolerate these activities in the city saying that he is still trying to figure out the best way to solve this problem.

Last update : 21-04-2008 12:33

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