LINGAYEN,Pangasinan, July 18 (PIA) - - Various biker’s association in Pangasinan showed their support to the government efforts to attain lasting peace by joining the nationwide Bike for Peace and Justice activity staged here, Saturday. 

Led by the cycling clubs of Metro-Dagupan, Calasiao, Basista, Dasol and Alaminos City, some 150 bikers pedalled  their way  to the baywalk of the Lingayen Gulf in said town completing a 20-kilometer route.

Roy Velasquez, public relations officer of the Metro-Dagupan Cycling Club, Inc (MDCCI), said the activity is the bikers’ way of creating  and urging  support  for lasting peace and condemning the use of anti-personal landmines and other violation of the International Humanitarian Law.

“Kaming mga bikers at lahat naman tayo, walang ibang layunin kundi ang kapayapaan. Pag naglalakad o nagba-bike sa gabi o kahit anong oras, hindi ka matatakot,” Velasquez said in an interview.

Among those who participated is 81-year-old Raymond Ramos who said that the propaganda of the communist-terrorist groups have to stop to attain peace in the country. 

As a show of support, representatives from the government which includes  the provincial government of Pangasinan led by Governor Amado Espino III, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and  Management Office, Provincial Information Office, Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine Information Agency, who are all members of the Regional and Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC),  gave theIr messages during the short program. 

The activity coincided with the  40th day of the passing of  cousins Keith and Nolven Absalon who were killed during an explosion caused by terrorist groups in Masbate City. 

An audio-visual presentation showing the message of Absalon’s mother seeking justice and urging people to support the eradication of terrorist groups was shown during the program.

This was followed by the  testimonials of four former rebels who have now returned to the government’s side because they have, according to them,  realized that all the promises of the communist groups are all false and malicious. 

The bikers also pledged their support and signed a manifesto condemning the CTGs and the threats they pose to the Filipino’s right to life, right family and the right to have a true and lasting peace. (JCR/VHS/PIA Pangasinan) 

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PHOTO: Some 150 bikers from  the cycling clubs of Metro-Dagupan, Calasiao, Basista, Dasol and Alaminos City showed their support to the government efforts to attain lasting peace by joining the nationwide Bike for Peace and Justice activity staged at the Lingayen baywalk in Pangasinan on July 17. (RPM/PIA)