7 Catholic bishops oppose Pangasinan, Ecija casinos

By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY– Seven bishops from Pangasinan, La Union and Nueva Ecija are opposing a plan to open a casino in Urdaneta City and San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.

The following bishops signed June 14 a statement titled Restoring Integrity, Alleviating Poverty: Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese, Bishop Jacinto Jose of Urdaneta, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of San Jose de Nueva Ecija, Bishop Artemio Rillera of San Fernando, La Union, Bishop Marlo Peralta of Alaminos, Auxiliary Bishop Renato Mayugba of Lingayen, Dagupan and Bishop Sofronio Bancud of Cabanatuan.

In a statement, the bishops said, “Now that we are at the dawn of a new beginning for our nation, with hopes high and patriotic fervor at its best, we your Catholic pastors in Pangasinan, La Union and Nueva Ecija comprising the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of Lingayen, Dagupan make a unified stand to oppose the plan to open a casino in Urdaneta City and San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.”

“If it is not legally possible to close all casinos immediately, we plead with the government not to open new ones. Opening another casino will open more doors for corruption and pave the way for the impoverishment of the families of the gamblers,” they said.

They added,” where the casinos operate now, we see the ill-effects on the sociomoral fiber of the citizenry – the rise of criminality, the spread of prostitution and the shameless corruption of those engaged in the business.”