Bishop hits online gambling, warns over lost sabungeros

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

AS controversy surrounding online gambling intensifies—particularly following whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan’s (alias Totoy) revelation implicating gambling tycoon Atong Ang in the case of the 34 missing sabungeros—the Diocese of Legazpi has issued a pastoral exhortation urging collective discernment, compassion, and concrete action.

In response to what he described as a growing moral and social crisis, Most Rev. Joel Z. Baylon, Bishop of Legazpi, released the statement titled “Let Us Not Walk Past the Wounded.” The message, read during Sunday Masses across the diocese, is a localized and pastoral adaptation of the national statement from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which warned of online gambling as a “silent yet devastating threat” to individuals, families, and society.

Bishop Baylon urged the faithful to confront this crisis not with condemnation but with mercy and truth—to stand as Good Samaritans for those silently suffering.

“Online gambling is spreading like a silent virus—ruining lives, destroying relationships, and enslaving many in addiction and debt. It may seem harmless or entertaining at first, but it has become a new face of moral and social crisis in our time,” Baylon said.

He drew on the day’s Gospel, which recounts the Parable of the Good Samaritan—someone who does not turn away from suffering but acts with compassion and courage.

“There is a growing suffering quietly affecting many of our families, especially the youth. It calls not for avoidance or indifference, but for mercy and truth,” he said.

The bishop emphasized that online gambling is not merely a personal failing but a system designed to trap, manipulate, and profit from people’s desperation.

“What begins as a game often ends in quiet despair. Those most affected are often the poor, the young, and those already burdened by life’s pressures.”

He described the issue not only as a moral crisis but also a public and mental health concern. Gambling addiction, he said, can lead to anxiety, depression, broken relationships, and even suicidal thoughts.

“Behind every screen may be a soul silently struggling, a family slowly breaking, a future quietly collapsing. People need healing, not humiliation. They need support, not silence. And they need communities ready to see their wounds, not walk past them.”

In this Jubilee of Hope, Baylon proclaimed that freedom from gambling addiction does not come from willpower alone, but through truth, grace, and the support of others.

“To those already struggling with gambling addiction: You are not alone. There is a way forward. The Church is here to walk with you toward freedom. Let us not be silent when families are hurting. Let us not call ‘entertainment’ what Christ sees as bondage. Let us be neighbors to one another.”

He also issued practical guidance to various sectors of the community:

To parents: Speak openly with your children. Guide their use of digital platforms. Show them what is true, what is good, and what is harmful.

To young people: Guard your hearts. Do not be deceived by false promises of quick success. The freedom you protect today will shape the life you live tomorrow.

To those who are struggling: Do not be ashamed. Seek help. Speak to someone you trust. God’s mercy is greater than your fears.

To parishes and communities: Create spaces of listening, prayer, and support. Be a place where healing can begin.

To local leaders and public servants: Choose people over profit. Protect the vulnerable. Ban what exploits. Support what restores. Help bring back true freedom by choosing what is right, by protecting families, and by helping those who have fallen to rise again.

Bishop Baylon closed his message with a call for compassion rooted in the Gospel:

“True love does not avoid the wounded. It draws near. It stops. It cares. In the face of the quiet crisis of online gambling, may we be Good Samaritans—offering not judgment, but mercy; not distance, but presence. May the Blessed Mother, Nuestra Señora de Salvación, pray for us, and may the Lord who came to bring liberty to captives bless us with courage, wisdom, and peace.”