Vigil for murdered longboarder held in Fuente Osmeña

THE LOCAL longboarding and frisbee community in Cebu staged a prayer vigil at the Fuente Osmeña Circle yesterday as they seek justice for Loreen Ramirez and Nikki Piñero, who were stabbed to death in a beach resort in Barangay Solangon, San Juan town in Siquijor province last Sunday.

Ramirez, 17, was a participant of a longboarding competition dubbed the Visayan Longboard Trilogy. Piñero was in Siquijor for a short vacation.

The suspect, Michael Manayon of Lapu-Lapu City, was caught by the police after a hot pursuit operation. The 34-year-old Manayon was attending the longboarding competition.

The organizers of the competition didn’t grant this writer an interview as advised by their lawyer. But they had a written statement posted on their official Facebook page.

“On Behalf of the entire longboarding community, we, the Visayan Longboarding Tour 2017:Siquijor Edition organizers, would like to extend our deepest condolences and warmest sympathies to the bereaved families of the victims of the unfortunate tragedy,” part of the statement read.

“We condemn, to the fullest extent, the contemptible act done to our beloved sisters. Since the incident happened, we have resolute in prioritizing the giving of assistance to the families of he victims. Likewise, we have made our selves readily available to the authorities, they could gather all the needed information in their investigation. Yet, emotions have caught up wih us and we cannot hold back our shock and despair anymore.”