QUEZON  CITY – Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has urged the House of Representatives to muster enough courage “to put an end to the silent epidemic of online gambling.”

In a privilege speech, the Mindanao lawmaker told his colleagues that he could not remain silent as Filipino families are being torn apart and devastated by the digital plague of online gambling, including e-sabong.

“The numbers and stories paint a disturbing reality. Gambling, once confined to casinos and cockpits, now hides in our mobile phones — accessible 24/7 to our people, including children and the youth, often with no age restrictions, and just a click away from financial ruin. Today, any person, even a minor, can register on a gambling app, fund it through an e-wallet, and lose everything within minutes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David decried the death of a 20-year-old altar server due to leptospirosis contracted while looking for his father, who had gone missing last month and was found detained in a police station for allegedly engaging in “cara y cruz.”

David said Dion Angelo dela Rosa, or Gelo, a third-year human resource services student at Malabon City College, had waded through filthy, waist-deep floodwaters to search for his father, who went missing on July 22.

David questioned why the police would make an effort to arrest those playing cara y crus when anyone, including children, can now gamble anywhere and anytime online on their phones.

The cardinal also called out the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for “being the biggest pusher of gambling addiction” for allowing online gambling, supposedly to generate extra income for public spending.

According to David, Dela Rosa’s father was later found handcuffed at a police station in Caloocan City. He had been arrested without a warrant, and despite his pleas, the police had refused to inform his family of his situation.

His bail, set at P30,000, was an “impossible amount” for Dela Rosa’s family, the cardinal said, leaving the son to brave dirty floodwaters every day to bring his father food.

Soon after, Dela Rosa developed a fever and body aches and sent word to the new Longos Mission Station church that he would not be able to serve at upcoming Masses. He was later found dead by his 3-year-old sister.

Rodriguez cited a 2025 study by Digital Risk Observatory showing that an estimated 34 million Filipinos — roughly one in three adults — have participated in online gambling.

He said some 64 percent of surveyed users admitted to betting online, with many of them doing so daily.

“Around 30 percent of users are between the ages of 15 and 24, and many of them started playing before reaching the age of 18. Our laws and our digital systems are failing to protect our youth,” Rodriguez said.

The Mindanao lawmaker expressed alarm over how gambling is being vigorously promoted online.

“We see celebrities, influencers, even beauty queens, endorsing apps like Bingo Plus, ArenaPlus, OKBet, and Stake.com, enticing millions of Filipinos with promises of instant wealth. As of this year, over 15 top Filipino celebrities are directly or indirectly promoting gambling platforms,” he said.

He said the celebrity endorsements “are often packaged as lifestyle content, making gambling appear harmless and aspirational.”

However, Rodriguez said behind the flashy promotions lie broken homes, ruined lives, exhausted savings, and shattered futures.

He pointed out that no amount of money is worth the life of a Filipino or the happiness of a family.