Gambling in Bontoc

PACHIE’S POINT
Fr. Marcs Castañeda

I made an attempt to make a social analysis on robbery as one of the consequences of rampant gambling in Bontoc. I tried my best to write an article about it but I decided not to publish it yet. I need to have established foundations. I need to be accurate so as not to lead people to confusion.

I received a police special report via email but it was quite late. I am grateful to the lady police officer who dared to provide me with factual information. I will study and give justice to it in my future writings.

I attended a seminar in Malaybalay, Bukidnon on August 9-12, After eight years I was given again the opportunity to go back to the beautiful place. I saw lots of changes in the city. Nevertheless, the venue of the seminar was quite far from the center. This hindered me from receiving the police special report on time. The internet system was practically poor. I never had the chance to access it.

I made it very clear in my last article that I don’t have the authority to dwell on the legal and technical aspects of the crimes but on the moral sense. According to my previous interviews from reliable sources, there are operating gambling dens in Bontoc and some officials and officers are benefiting from it.

If we allow and tolerate this social epidemic to happen let us not regret if later Bontoc will become a city of gamblers and robbers. Eventually it will lead to a more serious social disorder. Let us not regret later if the younger generation like your children and your children’s children become victims themselves. Victims in a sense that they will be robbers and gamblers or victims of robbery or looting and worse, victims of lost morality.

Your selfishness, greed and vices might not have an evident and immediate negative effect on your life now but see the miserable lives of other people that you have caused. Make sure that when the final judgment comes you can explain yourself to the Judge who will separate the goats from the sheep.

The certain amount being received by some officers and officials from the gambling operations can explain why gambling is being allowed and tolerated. If ever it is really happening I strongly address these points to the conscience of the concerned: Think about the future of your life and your family, think about the destruction you did to the youth and eventually the family, remember that whatever you inflict to the seedbed of life i.e. family will be the volume of destruction we add to its wound.

We need to work hand in hand. If we want to recover our society from the social moral crisis, we need to be teachers of Christian values in words and in deeds. The alarming growth of crime rates demands not only the technical aspect of discipline but more importantly, the work for human and conscience formation.

I reiterate the existential and moral question I posted earlier, “How come it is happening when in fact we have a good number of law enforcers and public officials?” Perhaps this will lead us to another challenge; law enforcers must be moral models themselves. Because it will be a scandal when one of those who enforces the law connives and works in the “ironing of crimes.”

Jesus exhorted his apostles with these powerful lines, “Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” (Luke 12:52) In our first glance of the periscope, it apparently puzzles our minds. We all know that Jesus is the prince of peace how come he is also the cause of division?

I encourage you to look at it with Jesus’ eyes. We will never understand this if we remain glued in our human standard and earthly understanding. Thus, even in his family circle he was straight in correcting the wrongs. He was strong in reprimanding them to change and continue to work for authentic peace. We must continue being witnesses of the truth. We must be prophets to our own families and communities even if it will mean division. Anyway this division is only physical and temporary. What is more essential is the unity we will be enjoying on the judgment day. We will be one and united with Christ because we worked for authentic peace.

The immediate painful consequence if we sincerely work for moral recovery is physical and social separation. We have to be prophets if we want to help in recovering the dying morality of our country. I accidentally saw a poster in one of the corners of the town. It was an advertisement of encouragement for moral recovery. The two words, “moral recovery” entail, something has gone wrong with it and we must do something about it.

To end this may I quote a conclusion made by Police Chief Insp. Marcial Faed in his “accomplishment report on robbery/theft cases and neutralization of crime groups.”

“Some of the suspects might indeed be engaged in gambling activities. However, this police office is not tolerating such practice. Pro- active measures are in place to curb social menace from flourishing. In fact, the campaign on against all forms of gambling is ongoing putting priority on video karera and billiard gambling as it involves children and students. Confiscation of slot machines was made to this effect.

Further, since the neutralization of the above- named crime group and individual robbers, there has been no more report of burglary cases to date.” (For comments and suggestions reach me at pachiespoint@yahoo.com or 09197850528.)