Wild West

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

By  March Fianza

There was a time when small developing American towns operated under the barrels of guns. In bigger cities, official functions were at the mercy of organized gangs, while remote settlements were under the control of coldblooded gunslingers.

Imagine true to life events portrayed in “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” a quick 30-second shootout. It was a gunfight that happened at close range when outlaw cowboys chose to shoot it out with the lawmen of Tombstone, Arizona led by Wyatt Earp. It is considered the most famous shootout in the history of the American Old West.

One way to maintain peace and order in a territory is for law enforcers to disarm cowboys who come in the town for rest and recreation or to leave town. This is where the conflict or “accommodation” begins.

More often than not, cowboys engaged in cattle rustling, stagecoach robbery and murder became prevalent in the Old West when the frontier was an open range for outlaws. This was so because outlaws were mostly unrestrained by law, and because city marshals and town sheriffs were thinly assigned on the four corners of old America that left other areas exposed to criminal elements.

Townes Van Zandt’s song “Pancho and Lefty” tells the story of a Mexican bandit named Pancho who wore his guns outside his pants for all the honest world to fear. His friend Lefty was of mysterious character. The song tells about the sad death of Pancho, betrayed by his friend Lefty who was paid off by the Mexican authorities.

American gangster Alphonse Gabriel Capone, boss of the Chicago Outfit illegally supplied alcohol and expanded the bootlegging business through violent means. To survive, Al Capone maintained a profitable relationship with some public officials and the police that kept him safe from the law.

In comparison to the Wild West era, some present-day local governments are no different. Following news reports, President Duterte and PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa started naming public officials linked to drug personalities and promised to go after them.

 To make things easier for this administration, the two had been soliciting cooperation from LGUs and ordinary citizens. As in the Wild West scenarios, the assistance of barangay officials are necessary. The presumption that barangay officials know who their residents are, and residents know who their officials and neighbors are should be put into good use.

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“Rumwar Omuneg Tumaray Cumleb!” That was how young kids here described the ROTC or Reserve Officer Training Corps. The young men in fatigue uniform were then a common sight every Sunday morning until the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 was passed. This gave college students the option to choose between ROTC, Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS), or Literacy Training Services.

With the NSTP law, not only did it decrease the number of ROTC enrollees, it removed the spirit of volunteerism among college men. In emergency cases, we used to witness ROTC men helping save lives and properties during calamities.

Along with senior Boy Scouts and neighborhood policemen, they were the first responders during fire incidents, floods, landslides, and other calamities. They were helpful during the 1990 earthquake.

In peace time, the ROTC help manage traffic and guide visiting motorists during the Holy Week exodus. I have seen them in vehicular accidents in Kennon Road, rescuing victims alongside civic organizations and disaster volunteer groups.

While many lawmakers are seeking to make ROTC as a mandatory course in college, one Anakbayan party-list character is opposed to the idea. He said ROTC has never instilled nationalism, social responsibility or discipline. Obviously, the guy has a problem with something he has not seen nor experienced. You see, he has not even graduated from high school when the ROTC was revised to NSTP.   

President Duterte supports the revival of the mandatory ROTC program for all college students in the next school year saying it will help in the building of discipline and values in the youth, and help build a sense of patriotism among the next generation.

It is one way of having military reservists who can be called in times of emergencies. I can name some of them: MSgt Joseph Zambrano of the PIA, Colonel Cris Bartolo of DzWT, Col. Ramon Tagle and many more.

            I see the President’s dream of raising good citizens and making clean communities. Although, I do not wish to make conclusions that this can be done by shooting all the criminals and unwanted elements as Hitler did in his dream to create a “Master Race” of blonde and blue eyed citizens.

             The proper way is to revive the ROTC program that will focus on community service.