CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – About a thousand cyclists from the province of Pampanga participated in the ”Bike for Peace and Justice”, an event jointly organized by the members of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) in the City of San Fernando on Saturday.
Authorities said the ride is a call for peace and justice for all victims of the CPP-NPA-NDF, particularly cousin cyclists Keith and Nolven Absalon, who were allegedly killed by NPA terrorists and then blasted with anti-personnel land mines.
The Philippine Army, Philippine National Police (PNP), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and the Provincial Government of Pampanga headed by Gov. Dennis Delta Pineda were present to show support in the said activity.
“From the start ng aking administrasyon yun na rin ang panawagan ko, ayokong bumalik ang probinsya natin sa ganung sitwasyon nung mga 70s, 80s, na magulo po ang probinsya dahil nakapenetrate ang CPP-NPA dito sa ating probinsya. Ngayon po na maunlad na ang probinsya natin hindi na po natin kailangan ng ganyan at ayoko pong magulo ang probinsya natin,” the governor emphasized.
According to Myrvi Favia, Provincial Director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Pampanga, the ride for peace is a nationwide event held 40 days after the deaths Keith and Novlen on July 16.
The 27 km-ride started from the Provincial Capitol to Brgy Mitla in Porac via Megadike access road in Sta Rita.
It was largely participated by private stakeholders, civilians, including families and communities affected by crimes and atrocities of the CPP-NPA-NDF to call for true and lasting peace in their local communities.