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3 bishops to partially join 'biking priest' in trek for peace


MANILA, Philippines - At least three senior Catholic bishops will "partially" join biking priest Amado Picardal in his two-month, 4,710-km nationwide trek for peace and pro-life issues starting Monday. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo Valles, Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, and Ilagan Bishop Sergio Utleg will join Picardal in different legs of the tour. "Bagaforo will also join Picardal on Day One of his journey and Utleg will join later in Laoag," the CBCP said in a statement on its Web site Saturday night. Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla will send Picardal off at 8 a.m. on Monday at the Archbishop's residence in Davao City. Picardal, 53, said he plans to preach "the Gospel of life and peace in parishes where I will be staying overnight." During his journey, his sermons would deal with issues such as abortion, armed conflict, extra-judicial killings and environmental destruction due to mining and logging. "I will also speak out against the culture of corruption, which contributes to the perpetuation of the culture of death. I will preach about the sacredness of life and call on everyone to respect life, to say no to abortion, to stop the armed conflict and resume peace negotiations, to defend the environment, and to end the culture of corruption," Picardal said. Picardal said he expects to reach Manila on April 27, then deliver to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo a letter to express his disappointment and indignation over continued corruption under her watch. "In it I will denounce the President for perpetuating the culture of death and corruption and for being a hypocrite (she goes to mass everyday and claims that it is God's will that she is president)," he said. He also said he plans to make public the contents of the letter, as he does not expect Mrs Arroyo to meet him. He also plans to preach at the Manila Cathedral during the Manila leg of his tour. - GMANews.TV
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