Rody to focus on drugs amid calls for him to shame gambling lords, too

MANILA, Philippines — Reacting to calls for him to identify gambling lords and their protectors, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would like to focus on illegal drugs first as he might spread government forces too thin if he wages a battle on two fronts.

 

“I did not attack gambling now. Why? Because everyone might be off-focused including the police,” Duterte said during the fellowship dinner of San Beda College of Law alumni in Malacañan Palace last Sunday.

 

“Instead of focusing on drugs, we might be stretching warm bodies. If I focus on other things, how can we do it? After dealing with drugs, I still have a problem. There’s a network already. I’ll have to deal with two foes,” he added.

 

Duterte said those involved in illegal drugs could infiltrate gambling networks once their operations are suppressed.

 

“The structure is there. After that, the delivery (of drugs). Look at the dimension. They surrender by the thousands. Can you imagine the number?” he added.

 

Duterte believes the huge number of drug dependents who surrender reflect the seriousness of the problem in the country.

 

“It’s scary,” he added.

 

Earlier, retired Lingayan-Dagupan archbishop and anti-gambling advocate Oscar Cruz dared Duterte to shame those who are involved in illegal gambling. He said Duterte should also ask gambling lords to surrender to authorities and to mend their ways.  

 

Cruz claimed that generals are among those coddling gambling lords but declined to provide specifics.

 

During his first Cabinet meeting last June 30, Duterte said he does not want gambling to proliferate in the country.  

 

He also vowed to curb online gambling, noting that the government cannot collect taxes from it.  

 

The president has also vowed to channel the earnings of the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to health services.

 

“It will go a long way to provide relief to Filipinos,” the president said.