Hail to Mangaldan’s kapitans

A COMMENDATION is in order for Mangaldan’s barangay kapitans who signed the resolution condemning the proliferation of different forms of illegal gambling in their town.

Their move, based upon an official manifesto signed by 26 of the 30 members of the town’s Liga ng mga Barangay, is unprecedented because it trashes the long-standing claim of public officials and police authorities that illegal gambling, especially jueteng, is impossible to stop because the people – the common tao — themselves want, tolerate and patronize it as a cheap form of entertainment. Mangaldan’s gallant kapitans have now shown proof that there is genuine concern in the communities over the unabated corruption and distortion of values of our young; that elected officials and police chiefs have merely been hiding behind the common tao justification to protect their monthly payola which ranges from P300,000 to P1 million.

The barangay chiefs, traditionally beholden to local government officials at the municipal level for political and financial debts, also broke new ground by not mincing words when they pointed to their personal knowledge of involvement of certain municipal officials who are known protectors of jueteng, hataw, dropball and other gambling in the town.

And their brave call for change has not been an exercise in futility. Mayor Herminio Romero and the police finally acted with a renewed sense of commitment to curb illegal gambling in town. But the kapitans must not relax their vigilance, they must see to it that the recent public display of the campaign against illegal gambling – dramatically destroying hataw machines — is not for mere good PR. The past disappointing and weak response of the Mangaldan mayor and police chief is symptomatic of most mayors and police chiefs in the province, and a stark indication of how corruption has ruled the officialdom.

Unless the rest of the provincial officialdom act like the Mangaldan kapitans, the continued toleration of illegal gambling today will have its payback time, a far serious consequence that will be seen in our next generation. If we think our present crop of officials are mostly corrupt, imagine how things will be 20 years from now when today’s high school students who are already wise in the culture of illegal gambling and corruption would have taken over.

The kapitans are fighting a good battle. And The PUNCH, let it be known to all officials, will actively support their and other sectors moves to stop illegal gambling in their communities.

Three cheers for the Mangaldan barangay chiefs led by Barangay Buenlag Kapitan Melchor de Guzman. Their example should be emulated across the province.