CAVITE, Philippines - The unprecedented caravan of the Philippine National Police (PNP), dubbed as "Padyak para sa Kapayapaan" (Bike for Peace), is expected to go nationwide to drumbeat unity and cooperation among law enforcers and the civilian population in the fight against insurgency and crimes. This developed as the last leg of the "Bike for Peace" in Region 4-A is set to end Friday in Cavite. At least 300 police and civilian bikers, including government officials and peace advocates, are expected to participate in the event. The "Padyak para sa Kapayapaan" is a brainchild of Chief Supt. Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr., chief of Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A or the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (Calabarzon) area. The series of biking events in Calabarzon seeks to promote unity, awareness and goodwill among law enforcers and civilians. Pagdilao launched the 25-km "Bike for Peace" last December in Laguna, the site of PRO-4 headquarters, and Cavite to call on the people to support the initiatives being conducted by the national government with the communist-led National Democratic Front (NDF) in a bid to bring lasting peace in the country. Senior Supt. Danilo L. Maligalig, Cavite Police Provincial Office (CPPO) director and lead host of the last biking event, said there is a move from the PNP hierarchy to extend the peace caravan in other areas in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
"The PNP chief wanted the peace caravan to push through in other areas of the country," Maligalig said in an interview Wednesday at the CPPO headquarters in Camp General Pantaleon G. Garcia in Imus. The PPO director said the last "Bike for Peace" event in Calabarzon will start at the Tagaytay Convention Center compound and end in an area in Carmona town. Pagdilao, Cavite Gov. Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla Jr. and 5th District Rep. Roy M. Loyola, the former mayor of Carmona, Maligalig and other police officers and local officials will lead the biking event, whose routes will cover about 31.6 kilometers. The Calabarzon police chief called on all concerned, particularly local government units, religious groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support the actions for lasting peace and cessation of hostilities between the New People's Army and government forces in line with the initiatives being pursued by the Aquino administration. Aside from "Bike for Peace," Pagdilao is also the brainchild of the PNP's Crisis Management Training Program and the "Pulis Ko, Titser Ko" program, which gained recognition in Calabarzon and Region VI and northern district of Metro Manila where he was once assigned as police director.
