Kidnapping was once unheard of in Cebu!

A couple of weeks ago, I was told by a friend about an ongoing kidnapping of a Cebuano businessman, but I hit the blank wall when I started asking questions. In fact, my friend appealed to me, asking me not even to write anything that could jeopardize the ongoing talks. Well now the cat is out of the bag and the kidnapped victim back safely with his family... we now know that there are very rich kidnappers out there who believe that crime after all does pay handsomely!

Apparently, there were two kidnappings here; one victimized a Cebuano Chinese businessman, while the other was a Manila-based Chinese businessman. Whatever it is, suddenly I feel that Cebu (despite the ongoing vigilante killings) have finally become vulnerable to kidnappings, unlike in the past when kidnappings were practically unheard of! No thanks to the family of the kidnapped victim for making this a totally secret affair. I'm sure that the police could have helped... but then, who knows, the kidnappers may have links with the police or the military?

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It seems that when we started writing about the return of the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) so many people have e-mailed us their responses to this issue. Here's another e-mailed response to our article about bringing back ROTC.

"Dear Mr. Avila, The public knows your column always 'shoot's straight', but in my point of view about the ROTC, I think it missed the mark. For one thing, I'm a remnant or a casualty of the ROTC program- I never earned my degree because of it, I failed to meet the requirements, which was money. The idea of learning discipline in attending ROTC is not in any way reasonable, since only boys are subjected to it... does this mean that only boys need discipline? Maybe, but some may think otherwise.

The armed forces' reason is also quite misleading in making it compulsory, they say that we are in danger of depleted manpower in times of war, or we wont have enough officers. And they think ROTC is the answer- Is it? There is a big flaw to their reasoning. Do you think if the country is in 'Clear and Present Danger' (I really love the way they use it) that ROTC can make a difference? Even the question of mobilizing the reserved officers in times of crisis is very remote in the way the situation of our country is for several decades. Its better to draft and create an officers eligibility exam. (In my experience in CAT & ROTC, I don't ever want to be led into a real combat by the officers in my squad, platoon or company, some have become officers through favors, and some are just rich kids).

If they really want to put back the ROTC, I think it should be offered for FREE with all the uniforms and such, just like in the army, and ROTC should also give students some allowance, I don't think its right you should pay to die for your country. They are even used in Sinulog as crowd control!! I don't think that's discipline, its exploitation, and somewhere someone's making money. Also they should send in a Full Drill Sergeant, that can be seen in the field on all times, not just a Corporal that sits in his air-conditioned office the whole day and getting his nail cleaned by a manicurist, and let the student ranking officers handle the field who is by the way paying the same tuition with the non-officer students. The case of democracy in its absolute. I know my view may be a bit off for some, but I know someone out there also feels the same. Thanks by the way on your enlightening column. 'Great experience can be fleeting, but in written words it can be felt forever.' JV Mendoza."

Thanks Mr. JV Mendoza for your letter... which once more proves our point... that ROTC should never have been removed because of corruption. Too bad you couldn't finish ROTC because of lack of money. Then perhaps the government should also have offered scholarships or grants to poor and impoverished students... then that should have solved the problem. You said, "I don't think its right you should pay to die for your country." Please read what the great US General George C. Patton once said to his soldiers, "You're not here to die for your country... you're here to make sure that the other fella dies for his!" The ROTC trains reserve forces to back up our Armed Forces... if we didn't have the ROTC and we run out of soldiers in the battlefield... who would now defend our shores? Don't tell me that surrender is the only option left? That's why we should make ROTC compulsory, like what they do in almost all the great countries of this world!

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