Rebel leader Jovencio Balweg freed

Communist rebel leader Jovencio Balweg has been released from detention after the dismissal of all criminal cases against him, the government panel for the peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF announced Friday.

Balweg, brother and the suspected assassin of former priest Conrado Balweg of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army, was ordered released on July 19 by Judge Corpus Alzate of the regional trial court in Bangued, Abra.

“The release of Mr. Balweg is indeed welcome. It sets the stage for the continuation of the peace negotiations, particularly the meeting of the Reciprocal Working Committees on Socio-Economic Reforms in August,” GPH panel chair Alexander Padilla said in a statement.

Padilla said the release of NDF consultants is part of the confidence building measures by the GPH Panel for the peace process. Norman Bordadora