Suspected rebel leader released
Source: Sunstar
THE government peace panel announced Friday that a suspected rebel leader has been released as a "confidence building measure" in negotiations with communist insurgents.
According to a press statement from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp), charges against Jovencio Balweg have been dismissed.
Balweg, believed to be a ranking leader of the New People's Army (NPA) in Abra, was accused of being behind the death of his brother, Conrado Balweg, a rebel priest.
Balweg, arrested in May 2010, was ordered released by Judge Corpus Alzate of the Bangued, Abra Regional Trial Court, Opapp said.
Alexander Padilla, chairman of the government peace panel with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), said Balweg's release was "indeed welcome" and that it sets the stage for continued negotiations.
The release of NDF consultants protected under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) has been a sore point in peace negotiations in a conflict that began in 1969.
The government peace panel committed in February this year to "continue to work on appropriate measures to effect the expeditious release of all or most of the 14 NDF-listed Jasig consultants and personalities before the second round of the formal talks."
THE government peace panel announced Friday that a suspected rebel leader has been released as a "confidence building measure" in negotiations with communist insurgents.
According to a press statement from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp), charges against Jovencio Balweg have been dismissed.
Balweg, believed to be a ranking leader of the New People's Army (NPA) in Abra, was accused of being behind the death of his brother, Conrado Balweg, a rebel priest.
Balweg, arrested in May 2010, was ordered released by Judge Corpus Alzate of the Bangued, Abra Regional Trial Court, Opapp said.
Alexander Padilla, chairman of the government peace panel with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), said Balweg's release was "indeed welcome" and that it sets the stage for continued negotiations.
The release of NDF consultants protected under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) has been a sore point in peace negotiations in a conflict that began in 1969.
The government peace panel committed in February this year to "continue to work on appropriate measures to effect the expeditious release of all or most of the 14 NDF-listed Jasig consultants and personalities before the second round of the formal talks."
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