Fr. Dario Cabral, parish priest of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel of the historical Barasoain Church in the City of Malolos wanted to stop the illegal gambling operation inside public carnivals or fun centers also known as “Perya” after learning that the rental payment the churches received came from the income of its illegal operations.
It was learned that some of the said fun fair center or “perya” were renting the lot owned by catholic churches and placed their operation near or besides the church not knowing by the parish priest that there was an operation of illegal gambling.
Their operation lasts to one up to two months where more than 25 fun fair centers operate in Bulacan province alone and expected to be doubled this summer when feasts of towns starts.
Fr. Cabral received information that the rental payment gave by the owner of said “perya” to the churches were came from the income of its illegal gambling inside their carnival fun fair center which they do not know.
He said, as member of the Council Priests of the Diocese of Malolos , he will raise the issue in their regular meeting which will be held before the end of this month to immediately stop such issue where the catholic churches were been used in their alleged illegal operations.
“Ever since ay tutol na ang kaparian o ang Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines sa anomang klase ng ilegal na pasugalan kaya’t sa lalong madaling panahon ay dapat itong matigil at ipahinto,” Fr. Cabral said.
It was also learned that before the end of the year 2017, some concerned citizens and the Catholic sector have expressed dismay that local authorities and the police are reportedly playing “deaf and blind” to the proliferation of illegal gambling operation in some Central Luzon provinces particularly in Bulacan and Pampanga.
They denounced the illegal gambling operation wherein children 8-15 years old are frequently seen playing sugal lupa inside the said public fun center or “Perya” in the towns in Bulacan.
This prompted them to call the attention of the local government particularly the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Central Luzon headed by Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director Chief Supt. Amador Corpus to immediately stop the proliferation of illegal gambling in his area to get rid of their mind that they are receiving “Tong-Pats” or protection money.
Meanwhile, Fr. Cabral said that he was glad with the performance of their city chief executive, Mayor Christian Natividad in curbing the illegal operation not only in drugs but particularly the proliferation of illegal gambling in the said city..
It was learned that only the city of Malolos in the province of Bulacan has no operation of illegal gambling since Natividad assumed post as city mayor in 2011.
Natividad on his first term and until now strictly ordered and implements no gambling in Malolos.
Cabral, a former chairman of the Diocesan Commission on Social Communication of the Diocese of Malolos added that he learned that the perya operation with illegal gambling has invaded all the cities and towns in Bulacan except Malolos City.
A reliable source, a former “payola” collector in Region 3 who requested anonymity, said sugal lupa, along with illegal slot machines known as video karera, loteng, bookies, pula-puti, sakla and tupada, are all going full blast in Pampanga, Bulacan and other nearby provinces.
The said illegal gambling in amusement centers has been proliferating allegedly with knowledge of police, barangay (village) and local officials.