LOCAL lawmakers are urging Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno to hasten the creation of a task force that will go after illegal gambling following the creation of a similar task force at the Provincial Government and the heightened anti-illegal gambling campaign by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Councilor Teodulfo Lao said forming a task force is an executive function but said the City Council can manifest its support through either a resolution or an ordinance.
"It should be the mayor who will create the task force. Dili dapat kuhaan og gahum ang mayor. Ang role sa City Council is to support through a resolution or ordinance ilabi na kung authority ang atong ihatag," Lao said.
Lao said the mayor should not delay the creation of the task force and get the best people to work on the eradication of illegal gambling in the city.
"Dapat masiguro nga dili mohunong ang task force sa paghimo sa trabaho aron masiguro nga dili mobalik ang illegal operations," Lao said.
The Misamis Oriental-Cagayan de Oro City Lotto Agents Association, Inc. (MOCLAAI) had earlier vowed to go after illegal gambling operators and financiers with the help of police, if the City Government fails to form the task force.
"Pag wala pa gihapon until Friday October 14 ang task force, moduol mi sa committee police ni Councilor Calizo pero pag wala gyud gihapon kami na lang molihok ug dili nami magsalig," MOCLAAI president Astrid Bana had said.
Opposition councilor Leon Gan said he could not understand Moreno's seeming inaction on the problem of illegal gambling.
Gan said Moreno seems to be lacking political will to implement the laws and existing ordinances against illegal gambling personalities.
A task force may not even be necessary as it will only duplicate the job of the police.
Gan also questioned whether the City Government is sincere in its efforts to combat illegal gambling saying the said task force could have been created long before.
Gan recalled that officials of the local Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the group of legal lotto agents had sought help from the City Government in 2013 against the proliferation of illegal gambling operations.
"Dili na unta kinahanglan kay kung seryoso ang mayor nga masumpo ang illegal activity dugay ra unta na gihimo ang task force katong niduol ang taga PCSO sa unta kay nagpatabang. Lantaran gud nang illegal dili gud na patago ilang activities," Gan said.
Gan added that the task force will only duplicate the work of the police and it cannot prosecute the suspects.
"We all have the laws and enforcement agencies to implement. Kulang ta sa enforcement nga dapat maggikan gayud sa mayor kay siya man ang head," Gan added.
The City Council’s committee on games and amusement chaired by councilor Zaldy Ocon will convene on Tuesday, October 18.
Ocon said the committee will be inviting representatives from law enforcement and other concerned agencies and will look into the creation of an anti-illegal gambling task force.
"Na-busy mi kay nagbyahe kay nag attend og seminar so ipatawag na karong October 18 ang tanan concerns para maka-create na og task force and we'll seek help sa mga retired police," Ocon said.