NEWSFLASH

CORDILLERA CHURCH OFFICIALS WANTED FOR BALWEG SLAY

Baguio City, April 2, 2000 - Three priests and 14 lay church workers in Ilocos and Abra provinces are now in hiding after a a court ordered their arrest for allegedly conspiring with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the assassination of former guerrilla-priest Conrado Balweg last New Year’s Eve.

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines said an Abra court issued warrants last Friday for Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) priests, Reverends Noel Dacuycuy and Evelyn Dacuycuy, Pastor Francisco Bonuan of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Northern Luzon Jurisdiction).

The arrest orders also covered 14 lay members based in IFI and UCCP churches in Abra, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. The original arrest warrants were for only six NPA rebels and Balweg’s brother Jovencio.

Lawyer Jose Molintas, of the Baguio-based organization Dinteg (Cordillera Indigenous People Law Center), expressed alarm over the arrest orders.

The church groups asked President Estrada to honor an agreement forged during the administration of former president Ramos, requiring the AFP and police to report to church superiors prior to arrests.

Molintas said the arrest warrant was based on an amended complaint filed by Corazon Balweg, wife of the slain rebel leader. He said he would challenge the issuance of new warrants without preliminary investigation.

The lawyer also alleged that the charge sheet does not contain specific allegations as to how those charged participated in the murder of Balweg.

Meanwhile, National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP) secretary-general Sharon Rose Joy Duremdes decried the harrassment of church workers. Bishop Sarte said he would seek support of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and call for a congressional inquiry on the “persecution” of church workers.