AFP joins anti-insurgency motorcade

FILE: RIDERS VS. INSURGENCY. Hundreds of motorcycle riders from various groups join the movement “Ride, Ride, Ride to End Communist Insurgency Now” at the Quezon City Memorial Circle on Saturday (May 11, 2019). The day-long motorcade aims to raise awareness among voters so they would not vote for party-lists linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front during the mid-term polls on May 13, 2019. (PNA photo by Oliver Marquez)

MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday joined members of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in a day-long motorcade to advocate against the decades-long communist insurgency in the Philippines.

“We support the NTF-ELCAC in this activity because this spreads awareness about the task force’s advocacy to end local communist armed conflict, which is also one of our main missions in the AFP,” AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., said in a statement.

Almost 1,000 motorcycle and bicycle riders from 14 different groups, spearheaded by Bantay Bayan founder Dr. Ben Caralde, assembled at the Quezon City Memorial Circle and passed through Quirino Grandstand.

Aside from Caralde, Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) Director, Brig. Gen. Roberto Fajardo; Quezon City Police District Chief, Brig. Gen. Joselito Esquivel; and AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for civil-military operations, Major Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. were also present in the activity.

The Joint Task Force National Capital Region provided security to ensure the safety of the riders who participated in the rally.

“We will continue to strengthen our interagency efforts to eradicate communist terrorism in our country, and hopefully we can achieve the peace we are all working hard for,” Madrigal said.