A 20-year-old man, Dion Angelo Dela Rosa, died of leptospirosis after spending three days searching for his missing father in floodwaters. Dela Rosa’s father, Jayson, had been detained at a Caloocan police substation since July 25th for allegedly playing “kara y krus,” a form of illegal gambling.
The family was reportedly not notified of the arrest. Jayson was released on August 2nd and denied the charges, with his wife alleging that he may have been a victim of quota-driven arrests.
Two days after locating his father, Dion developed symptoms and later suffered a heart attack. Doctors attributed his death to leptospirosis, contracted through a foot wound aggravated by his exposure to floodwaters.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David expressed grief over Dela Rosa’s death and questioned the legality of Jayson’s arrest under a 1978 law, criticizing the lack of accountability and the targeting of the poor while larger gambling operations continue.
The Cardinal highlighted the irony of arresting individuals for street gambling while the government operates online gambling platforms.
The incident has sparked renewed debate on the enforcement of outdated laws and the alleged practice of quota-driven arrests.
metrosundaily
