By NITZ ARANCON and LITO RULONA Correspondents COUNCILOR Yam Lam Lim yesterday committed to help the police as it vowed to rid the city of illegal gambling activities in two months. Lim said the local Liga ng mga Barangay which he heads was ready to help in the announced crackdown. He also expressed his support for Councilor Zaldy Ocon’s proposal to create a task force against illegal gambling. Lim said this a day after city police director Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga promised the city council that the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) would rid the city of illegal gambling activities in one to two months. “Lisod kini nga  promise, Mr. Chairman,” Cariaga told the city council presiding officer, “pero among paningkamotan nga within one to two months, akong sumpo-on ang illegal gambling especially ang illegal Swertres.” Cariaga also promised to step down as city police director if he failed after two months. Lim said the police should be “sincere” in its campaign if it expects any effort against illegal gambling activities to succeed. “Ang akong gusto kanang sincere gyud kay kon wala-wala ang kampanya batok sa illegal gambling, maayo lang ug na-a maayog wala, ah gamiton lamang kini nga panapi sa mga  otoridad,” Lim said. He said he was also ready to help Councilor Ocon in his proposed task force. “Kon  gikinahanglan ni Councilor Ocon ang akong tabang, andam ako mo-apil anang iyang giplano nga pag-create og task force.” Lim however downplayed claims that illegal gambling activities were rampant in the city, saying that only the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) was making the assertion because its revenues in the region plunged. He said illegal drugs, and not illegal gambling activities, posed a bigger problem in the city. But for Councilor Reuben  Daba, it would be better to legalize the gambling operations so that the government could generate more revenues than start a crackdown that may not be sustained. Divina Salvacion,  PCSO regional director, said the PCSO’s collections in the region dropped by 50 percent due to the illegal gambling activities. She said PCSO had to reduce its financial aid to the needy. Vice Mayor Reineir Joaquin Uy tasked the city council’s committees on games and amusement, and police, fire and public safety to look into the matter. Astrid Jose Bana, presidente of the Misamis Oriental-Cagayan de Oro Lotto Agents Association, said, “Dako kini nga gira, kay daghan ang among mabangga niini.” Bana said the police and Councilor Ocon would be going against people behind illegal gambling activities and officials who are allegedly on the take.