Church to campaign against pro-STL officials

BACOLOD City, Philippines – The diocese of Bacolod will launch a campaign against city officials who are promoting gambling, whether legal or illegal, Social Action Center director Fr. Ernie Larida said yesterday.

The move came after the Bacolod city council granted last week a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) to Super Lucky Beagler Inc. to operate the Small Town Lottery (STL) here.

Councilors Alex Paglumotan, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Noli Villarosa, Em Ang, Caesar Distrito and Roberto Rojas voted in favor of the resolution while Councilors El Cid Familiaran and Sonya Verdeflor voted against it.

Super Lucky Beagler president Jexter Mercado asked the council for permission to open STL branches in the city last Aug. 11. The company operates in several areas in Negros Occidental province and is the sole authorized agent-corporation of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office for the province.

The SP resolution will be forwarded to Mayor Monico Puentevella for approval. Asked if he will approve the operation of STL, Puentevella said he has not yet read the transcript of the SP and that he needs to study it first.

He stressed, though, that those who oppose STL should expand their crusade against the numbers game because it is already operating elsewhere in the province.

“Why do they express their opposition to STL in Bacolod City only?” the mayor asked.

But Larida said in his letter to the council that “there are better options of helping your constituents and our city other than legalizing organized gambling in Bacolod City.”

He added that the church is against all forms of gambling, whether legal or illegal, aside from saying that the church was not consulted before the RONO grant.

As what the diocese of Bacolod did to the Reproductive Health (RH) supporters, Larida said they would also hang streamers to inform the public of the local officials who voted in favor of legalized gambling.

“It would be an educational campaign to guide the public on who they should vote for in the 2016 elections,” he claimed.

At the height of the 2013 senatorial elections, the Church labeled pro-RH senators as “Team Patay” and those against as “Team Buhay.”

Larida explained that the church is opposing STL because it promotes the culture of gambling and leads to a culture of indolence among the people.

“We should not vote for these officials who promote illegal gambling. Instead of creating more jobs for the people, they are creating a culture of gambling,” he said.

Larida believes that allowing STL in the city would only make people poorer as they would bet their last money instead of buying basic needs.