Murcia officials who met yesterday afternoon stood pat on the call for the removal of two Roman Catholic priests from their town, while parish priest Fr. Greg Patiño called the move a diversionary tactic from the real issues that should be addressed.

What he and several pastors in Murcia are calling for is to put a stop to the proliferation of illegal drugs and gambling in the town, Patiño said.

They did not pinpoint any individuals in their campaign, he is surprised that the mayor has reacted the way he has, he said.

Meanwhile, Murcia Councilor Roel Villarosa yesterday denied insinuations that he is still engaged in the jai alai business in Murcia.

Since he has become a councilor, he has not been engaged in the jai alai business, he said.

Montelibano told him to stop such operations and he did, Villarosa said.

There are about three groups from Bacolod reportedly financing the illegal numbers game in Murcia now, he said.

Montelibano said he, the vice mayor, councilors and barangay captains of Murcia met yesterday afternoon to discuss the situation in their town and came up with a resolution that will be read Monday morning after the flag ceremony in Murcia.

He said they have nothing against the Catholic Church, they just want the two priests in the town replaced.

Montelibano, who underwent a drug tests along with other municipal employees of Murcia Thursday, said the results will be out in a week.

We underwent the tests to show to the people of Murcia that there is no drug proliferation in the municipal hall, he said.

As to the allegations of illegal gambling, the mayor said this is being financed by capitalists from Bacolod, and is not being operated by a local officials.

Police records will also show that arrests versus illegal gambling and drugs have been made in his town, Montelibano said.

He said his call for the ouster of the two priests is not a diversionary tactic, it is because of their putting Murcia in a bad light.

Patiño said he is not fighting with Montelibano, he and the pastors are just airing their opposition to illegal drugs, gambling and cockfighting that is their obligation to their flock as clergymen.

He has briefed Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra on the developments in Murcia, Patiño said.

Patiño also gave the DAILY STAR a copy of a letter the Murcia Interdenominational Ministers Forum, a group of pastors, and priests and heads of various churches in this municipality, furnished the mayor earlier.

In the letter informing the mayor of their concerns, they said that “as caretakers of the flock, entrusted to us by Jesus Christ”, they are appealing for his kind intervention before it is too late.”

They “are also ready to collaborate with any action that can promote peace and order, protection of the lives of our people,” they told the mayor.

In the letter, they told Montelibano they wanted to bring to his attention their collective observations on the problems affecting the people of Murcia.

They said in Murcia, it is a common knowledge that buying and selling illegal drugs is rampant. There were crimes generated both recorded and unrecorded, such as robbery, hold-up with homicide, juvenile delinquencies, sex trade and domestic violence that are drug-related, they also said.

Recent alleged intelligence reports revealed that Murcia is currently the drug supplier of other towns and cities of the province, they also wrote.

Hazardous and illegal drugs poison the minds and destroy the lives and future of the users both young and old, they added.

Rampant illegal gambling like jai-alai in Murcia is also spreading like cancer, the clergymen also wrote.

“It has disastrous and evil effects in the lives of our people. Far from being illegal, it never promotes economic and more productivity,” they wrote.

Jai alai and illegal gambling promote corruption among some government officials and men in uniform who are considered protectors and beneficiaries, they said.

Gambling like jai alai destroys the moral fiber of people, weakens personal industry, relies on chance or luck and makes a person lazy, they said.

The clergymen also complained that several times, cockfights have been held in the Murcia municipal gym - a place designed for sports and cultural activities of the town, and adjacent to the center of governance and the parish church, the clergymen also told the mayor.

The Cockfighting Law of 1974 Sec. 5, states, “Cockfighting shall be allowed only at the licensed cockpits during Sundays, legal holidays, local fiestas and agro fair. It shall be approved by the Police Provincial Director and it shall be held in places according to the zoning law, in an appropriate and specific portion of land to be used for cockfighting,” they pointed out.

“We, the priests and pastors of Murcia consider the holding of cockfighting in the municipal gym using the Barangay Hall as a cock house improper, and an outright mockery of the image of the town,” they also wrote.

Given these realities and their implications on the people of Murcia, the clergymen asked the mayor in their letter, for immediate intervention.*CPG

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