Archb Soc slams e-casino in city
THE Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese will cease cooperating with the Dagupan City government if the latter allows the operation of e-casino and other gambling games endorsed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).
This was made clear by Archbishop Socrates Villegas, also president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), in a letter he sent to Dagupan Sanggunian Panlungsod and which was read during the SP regular session last Feb. 24.
Villegas sent the letter in connection with a request of Rizal Gaming Corporation seeking a resolution of “no objection” from that body in connection with its intent to open an e-casino and other Pagcor approved games in Dagupan.
“There is no way we can cooperate with the City Government if this gambling operation is approved,” the archbishop wrote.
“In the exercise of my civic and moral duty to insure the best for the citizenry of Dagupan City, I wish to make known the objection of the Roman Catholic Church to such a plan,” Vilegas’ wrote.
He said the opening of e-casino is a “step backward”, “an aggression against family values” and “a temptation to earn without hard work”.
“The City government of Dagupan is rightfully pursuing the generation of livelihood, the protection of the youth and children and the progress of the city. We are with you,” the letter reads.
Villegas underscored that the opening of e-casinos and other addicting gambling activities will harm the city’s moral fiber and will lead to the addiction and exploitation of the weak and the poor,
“Gambling is contrary to the vision of Dagupan that we have set for ourselves. We can pursue the economic goals of Dagupan without gambling”, Archbishop Villegas said.
Villegas also voiced his strong opposition three years ago to then Mayor Benjamin Lim when an e-casino was allowed to operate in the city even without an endorsement from the city council.
The operation of that e-casino was exposed when the Barangay Council of Herrero Perez recalled a business clearance it earlier issued to a company.
Councilor Maybelyn Fernandez, majority floor leader, said the SP members will always be guided by the position of the Church on this issue.
Subsequently, no resolution was filed in the SP relative to the casino project. (Tita Roces/ Leonardo Micua)
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