Couple nabbed for Balweg's murder

BAGUIO City, Philippines – Abra’s husband-and-wife top rebel commanders were finally captured on Monday, spelling doom to the communist movement in the entire Cordillera region.

Cordillera police director Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestaño said 58-year-old Jovencio Balweg, a member of the executive committee of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Party Committee, was nabbed at Satellite Market Camp 7 in Baguio City at about 3:45 p.m.

Balweg, alias Ka Rudy and Ka Dawa, holds several important positions in the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) hierarchy in the Ilocos and Cordillera regions.

Right after his arrest, Balweg negotiated for the safe surrender of his rebel wife, Carmen, alias Dumay.

Pestaño said Balweg was on board an owner-type jeep (ADC 265) when accosted by joint elements of the Cordillera police intelligence section, Baguio City Police Office, Abra Police Provincial Office, Regional Intelligence Office 14 and the Benguet police.

The rebel leader was not carrying any identification papers and initially identified himself as Ignacio Madella, a cousin of Bienvenido Balweg, a former professor of the Mountain State Agricultural College in Benguet.

Professor Balweg is the eldest brother of the suspect and former rebel-priest turned paramilitary leader, the late Fr. Conrado Balweg.

In his report to Philippine National Police director General Jesus Verzosa, Pestaño said Balweg admitted his real identity after intense questioning.

“The respectful insistence of the (police) operatives eventually caused him to admit his real identity and submit himself to custody without resistance,” said Pestaño.

Verzosa is scheduled to present Balweg before the media today at Camp Crame.

Senior Superintendent Alex Pumecha, Cordillera police intelligence chief said Balweg was ordered arrested on the strength of a warrant issued by Judge Corpuz Alzate, of the Abra regional trial court Branch 2 for separate murder and frustrated murder cases.

The most prominent victim of Balweg was his own brother, Fr. Balweg, whom he gunned down in their family residence at Buanao, Malibcong, Abra in December 1999.

Fr. Balweg broke away from the NPA and founded the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) in 1986.

The CPLA entered into a peace pact with the government of President Aquino and Fr. Balweg ran for the lone congressional district of Abra but lost.

P1 million reward

For killing his rebel-priest brother, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) offered a P1 million reward for his capture.

Ka Rudy was the municipal secretary of Malibcong town, and a mass leader and organizer when he joined the NPA in 1979, and eventually rose through the ranks.

He was an alternate secretary or Kalihiman, of the provincial education committee; commanding officer of the Provincial Army committee, and political officer of the Provincial Operational Command.

While being interrogated by his captors, Balweg called up Carmen through his cellphone and convinced her to surrender.

Pumecha said police operatives picked up Carmen also in Camp 7 an hour after Balweg’s arrest.

“She decided to surrender for the purpose of clearing her name on the charges against her,” said Pumecha.

The Cordillera intelligence chief said Carmen was listed in the order of battle as the commanding officer of the Provincial Army Committee; medical of­fi­cer of the Provincial Party Committee and a member of the Provincial Political Department of the NPA command in Abra.

The Balwegs are presently under the custody of the Cordillera police intelligence division under Pumecha.

Pestaño accorded Jovencio a medical check-up after he claimed that he was suffering from spinal canal stenosis and had suffered a stroke.

The Cordillera police legal division is studying the charges against the Balweg couple prior to their turnover to the courts. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe