Thursday, November 08, 2007 Editorial: Wickedness, cowardice
Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra is serious in his quest to fight STL (Small Town Lottery) in Bacolod.
Aside from leading an anti-STL caravan Wednesday, the good bishop also criticized the mayor saying that latter's act on STL is an "act of wickedness and cowardice."
And the bishop is ready to use the pulpit of the church just to inform and educate the public about STL.
He even vowed to mobilize the priests in the Diocese of Bacolod, among other church people, to spread his words against STL.
Meaning Bishop Navarra is not joking anymore.
He really wants to show to his flock that STL is bad, anti-poor, root of evil, etc., etc.
Thus Navarra wants to show to the public that the Church is willing to take a risk just to protect its faithful from the evil to be brought by STL soon.
Is Mayor Bing not afraid of these warnings from no less than the Bishop of Bacolod?
Well, hearing Mayor Leonardia's line of reasoning why he wants to approve STL, one can say that the mayor has also some points to consider.
He had cited as examples some localities in Negros that are currently hosting STL operations like Manapla, EB Magalona, Silay, Talisay, among others.
However, Mayor Leonardia should also consider the words of the "Man of God."
And Bishop Navarra is somebody who won't come out in the open and speak if he knows that his cause won't benefit the poor.
And because he already criticized STL and the people behind this controversial numbers game, hope that Mayor Leonardia would listen to the bishop.
After all, what's in STL that the mayor or some councilors want? Well, the answer remains to be known later.
But if we say that STL is for "kawang gawa" or truly for the poor, then it's very, very ironic because in STL, the money also comes from the poor people and these poor people are those who always like to hope for the luck every morning.
As to the case of Leonardia, of course, he has still time to visualize or examine the bishop's warning.
