MANILA, Philippines — Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David voiced strong condemnation over the tragic death of a 20-year-old altar server who contracted leptospirosis while searching for his missing father. The young man’s story highlights the harsh reality of the illegal gambling law enforcement in the country.
In his recent Facebook post, Cardinal David detailed how Dion Angelo Dela Rosa, also known as Gelo, a third-year Human Resource Services student, braved waist-deep, filthy floodwaters to find his father. The elder Dela Rosa disappeared on July 22, only to be discovered detained in a police station for allegedly violating a decades-old gambling regulation.
Unequal Enforcement of Illegal Gambling Law
Unknown to the family, Dela Rosa’s father was arrested for playing “kara y krus,” a coin-toss betting game prohibited under Presidential Decree No. 1602, enacted in 1978. Cardinal David explained that this law was originally intended to protect the poor from gambling vices.
However, he pointed out, “not a single major gambling lord has been arrested,” while the poor continue to bear the brunt of this enforcement. “Just like during the Tokhang days, when quotas on drug suspects became the ticket for promotion,” he added.
Supporting this view, a high-ranking justice had previously noted that PD 1602 is enforced unevenly. Government-regulated casinos operate legally, but small street games are targeted, disproportionately punishing the impoverished who cannot access licensed gambling venues.
Father Arrested Without Warrant
Cardinal David revealed that Dela Rosa’s father was found handcuffed at a Caloocan police station without a warrant. Despite his pleas, the police refused to notify the family about his detention. The bail was set at an unreachable P30,000, forcing young Gelo to visit him daily through hazardous floodwaters, bringing food and working on his case.
Tragically, Dela Rosa soon fell ill with fever, body aches, chills, and shivering. Unable to serve at church Mass, he was later found lifeless by his three-year-old sister. The cause of death: leptospirosis, a disease transmitted through rat urine-contaminated floodwaters.
Cardinal David’s Call for Justice
“On Sunday night, July 27, the young man who had been the pillar of hope for his family passed away,” Cardinal David lamented. He questioned the police’s focus on arresting those playing “kara y krus,” while online gambling—accessible anytime by anyone, including children—remains unchecked.
He also criticized the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for fueling gambling addiction by promoting online wagering to fund public spending. “While the poor are charged for playing kara y krus, the biggest operator of gambling today is the government itself,” the cardinal said.
Church’s Stand on Online Gambling
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), led by Cardinal David, has urged the government to ban all forms of online gambling, labeling it a “deep and widespread moral crisis.” Despite these calls and proposed legislation, online gambling was notably absent from the recent State of the Nation Address, with officials still studying the issue.
Cardinal David shared that Pagcor’s chair responded, warning that a total ban could impact funding for social programs. Nevertheless, the cardinal challenged this logic, suggesting that if revenue is the goal, then all addictive activities should be legalized—highlighting the moral dilemma.
Systemic Injustice Demands Action
In closing, Cardinal David posed a poignant question: “How many more Gelo’s must die before we confront the systemic injustices that not only destroy livelihoods but also take the very lives of our fellow citizens?”
He urged prayers for the family and the nation, hoping “the floodwaters of injustice will stop rising and that no more young people like Gelo will be robbed of a future because of the irony of a system that punishes the poor and protects the powerful.”
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