Three organizations identified with the Roman Catholic Church have denounced the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies for being weak in stamping out illegal gambling activities in the province.
The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), the Diocesan Council of the Laity and Diocesan Organization Renewal Movements and Communities (DORMC), in a resolution, also called on local officials to ban the operation of Lotto, “swertres” and Bingo Milyonaryo which is reportedly in full operations in some areas of the province.
In their resolution, the three groups said gambling in the province destroys the lives of countless people, especially the children, the poor and elderly.
The Bingo Milyonaryo, a numbers game similar to lotto, has been introduced in Negros Oriental allegedly to reduce the illegal numbers game “swertres” in the province, hence, making the illegal legal, the resolution stated.
They called on Governor Roel Degamo, all city and municipal mayors and their councils including barangay captains to put an end to all forms of illegal gambling activities in the province.
The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, said it has intensified its campaign against illegal gambling especially “swertres” with 62 operations conducted province-wide.
In a regular meeting with the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), PNP Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas reported that 24 operators, 51 runners or ushers, and 36 bettors were apprehended during the first semester of 2011.
With PNP’s unceasing campaign against illegal gambling, Col Lawas said his unit together with other enforcement agencies able to identify some financiers, thus, cases have been readied for filing to court.
Lawas pledged to double their efforts to contain the illegal numbers game by conducting sustained anti-gambling operations. (Jennifer Catan-Tilos/PIA)