Participants to the Bangsamoro Bike for Love and actor Robin Padilla and wife Mariel Rodriguez in Maguindanao province in southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo – Mark Navales)
MAGUINDANAO – A multi-sectoral peace advocacy campaign have drawn bikers on Saturday in the southern Filipino province of Maguindanao, scene of recent clashes between police commandos and Moro Islamic Liberation Front members.
The bikers, participated by security officials and former MILF rebels, started from the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division in Awang town and ended in Buluan town, passing through several areas guarded by troops.
Dubbed as “Bangsamoro Bike for Love,” it was joined by Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo 6th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, government chief peace negotiator Miriam Ferrer and MILF leaders Murad Ebrahim, Moro National Liberation Front chairman Muslimin Sema and other leaders and representatives from the International Monitoring Team, local governments, business sectors, religious groups, police, nongovernmental organizations, among others.
The Aquino government and the MILF are now campaigning for peace in the restive region with both sides saying the deadly clashes will not affect the peace process.
On January 25, MILF members attacked Special Action Force commandos, who killed a Malaysian bomber Zulkifli bin Hir, who hid inside the territory of the former rebel group in the village of Tukanalipao in Mamasapanpo town, sparking daylong clashes that left 44 policemen and 18 gunmen dead. Seven other civilians were reported killed also. Government and MILF leaders claimed the fighting was a mis-encounter between their groups.
Movie actor Robin Padilla and his wife, television host Mariel Rodriguez, also visited families of civilians killed in Mamasapano town. Local mayor Tahirudin Benzar Ampatuan welcomed the celebrity couple. (Mindanao Examiner – Mark Navales)
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