BULL'S HIT

Street toughies/Jatropha
RUDY GARCIA

BAGUIO CITY – I believe that some street “toughies” are brave in displaying their arrogance I this summer capital since some, if not all are buddies of cops. In one instance I witnessed last week along Session Road a guy beaten black and blue along upper Mabini Street around midnight by three guys.

The victim was able to run towards Session Road with his two gay friends. The victim flagged down a taxi to have treatment in a nearby hospital while his two gay friends sought assistance from the three policemen seen along Session Road. One of the policemen was able to collar one of the suspects who was positively identified by the two gays as the one who punched and kicked their friend.

As the conversation went along, one of the policeman pulled the suspect and let him free, hence, the two gays yelled in protest upon learning that the suspect was gone free. But these cops berated the gays for presumed ignorance of the law. I came to know later that the suspect was a brother of their buddy along Session Road. Oh, what an attitude some of our Baguio’s Finest have. No wonder, we have plenty of street brawls but few apprehensions. So beware, never fight it out with a toughie who could be a buddy of a cop or you could be the next laughing stock of these cops.
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I can’t help but wonder why most street brawls happen at major city streets like Session Road, Harrison Road and Lower Magsaysay. I believe that police visibility is one if not the best way to avert criminality, but just like what I have said -- if our cops in uniform continue to protect their goon buddies then the campaign to improve peace and order will go nowhere.

Just recently, I was there watching a commotion of two warring groups along the intersection of Session Road and Upper Mabini Street. These groups just came from a drinking bout in the same bar along the street. After the incident, I asked one of those who were involved what happened and he told me they were being challenged by the other group to a fight due to misunderstanding inside the bar. I again asked why they did not fight inside the bar and he answered back “Adda gamin respeto mi idiay establisimento.”

This means they refused to do the untoward acts inside the bar because of respect. Does this mean they preferred doing it outside where policemen are watching? Or did they want to say they lost their respect on our men in uniform?
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Barangay officials should be on the lookout for their respective barangay tanods for they could be more a liability than an asset to their barangays. If they will not be strict enough in recruiting their tanods, they could have an undesirable tanod like in Azcko Barangay. This new tanod of Azcko is a known street troublesome toughie as he had been involved in several street brawls. It is unfortunate he did not mend his ways when he was recruited as tanod in the barangay. This week he was again involved in a street brawl at Session Road and worst, so arrogant to show his uniform and identify himself as barangay police of Azcko.

This tanod must have learned so much he was able to convince the police that his enemies were the ones who provoked the fight and armed with bladed weapons, when it was him whom I saw holding a knife following several persons along Upper Mabini Street. I came to know later from the police that this tanod had been going around with them and the BCPO SWAT for some operation that he became swell headed and this obviously was the reason why the police was trying to cover up his misdeeds.

Well, I hope Azcko Punong Barangay Benjie Pinlac would take appropriate action and not tolerate the actuations of this barangay tanod, under his turf.
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“Jathropha” a wild plant locally known as tagumbao that was recently in the news for its major importance as alternative source of fuel is not really new to me. It was two years ago when this plant was introduced to me by a certain professor from Pangasinan whom my kumare brought along with her all the way to Baguio where we met. She taught me lots of information about this plant. They were at that time looking for lots suitable to plant and start production.

They even persuaded me that my family who owned five hectares land in Pangasinan would be planted and be used for this purpose instead of other crops. Though they had good reasons, they failed to fully convince me the reason so this was set aside and was out from my mind for two years. But when I saw recently print write ups all about this tagumbao, I felt regret why I did not take the opportunity to grab and be a part for this project. I looked for the biology book in my library that was almost already buried in dust in one of my cabinet shelves, just to know more about this plant specie. Anyhow, my kumare and the professor could have been better sources of information about jathropha.

Tagumbao fruits were used by our elders in the provinces as alternative to kerosene used in gas lamps, cooking, etc. and after some further studies, it was found out that these can be among if not the best alternative source of fuel. This, if processed correctly through modern technology. This plant could be a solution to the worsening global energy crisis.

Here in the Philippines, we could find them anywhere. They grow and multiply easily even on mountain slopes. There’s less effort and expense incurred by landowners compared to other agricultural crops when they cultivate these. Normally, a tagumbao seedling would take more or less six months before you can harvest the fruits which become raw materials when mixed with other elements and processed and the finished product is diesel fuel.

So you see, if only we will be serious enough in pushing this project, there could be no reason that the Philippines will not again be recognized in the world map and be great again, and surely our economy will be getting way ahead than the others, unless some of those crocodile politicos will again dip their fingers and pull the strings to fill their pockets from this project then and in that case, we pinoys will go nowhere.