Cebu City gov't gets a beating from Church officials over jai alai

CEBU CITY - Church officials criticized the seeming lack of interest of the city government in preventing the entry of jai alai in the city.

Msgr. Achilles Dakay, Cebu archdiocesan media liaison officer, said the Church was saddened by Mayor Alvin Garcia's statement that the city cannot do anything to prevent the entry of jai alai because of a similar experience with lotto two years ago when the courts ruled in favor of the legalized gambling operation.

"Why are they giving in to the forces of evil?" Dakay asked.

Despite admitting he cannot do anything to stop the entry of booking outlets of the numbers game here, Garcia, however, accepted the Church's challenge but maintained that the city can only regulate the operations of booking outlets.

"I will join the Church in any crusade against gambling but I think that for my part as city mayor, I have exhausted all the ways possible to discourage and stop this. I have even gone all the way to the Supreme Court but lost," Garcia said.

However, Dakay said Garcia should not give up the fight against jai alai because the questions on its legality are totally different from that of lotto.

Dakay also criticized the proposal of city councilor Edgardo Labella to impose a 100-meter radius on the establishment of jai alai booking stations, arguing this will only regulate but not totally stop the proliferation of the numbers game.

But councilor Michael Rama, the majority floor leader, vowed to try his best to stop the proliferation of jai alai in the city.

Rama has prepared a resolution addressed to the city council and national government, expressing his opposition to the numbers game.

Archdiocesan officials are waiting for the arrival of Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who is attending a conference of bishops in Bangkok, to clearly map out the Church's plans against jai alai.

The Freedom Coalition, an umbrella organization of all non-government and people's organization in the city headed by Vidal, is ready to stage a mass protest against the proposed constitutional amendments and the proliferation of gambling on Jan. 25.

The scheduled rally, which will converge at Fuente Osmeña, coincides with the Church's celebration of the Great Jubilee Year 2000.

Jai alai was reintroduced in the city via an off-fronton booking office operated by Suba barangay captain Nicasio Jaca which opened last Dec. 23.

Seven more booking stations are set to open as more barangay leaders and private individuals are interested in operating booking stations.