Raps vs Balweg killers dismissed

Pidigan, Abra — Charges against the alleged brains of the murder of former rebel priest Conrado Balweg in 1999 were dismissed on Friday.

Judge Loreto Seares of the Pidigan Municipal Circuit Trial Court ruled that Lorna Rivera-Baba, a church worker accused by the military as a top-ranking officer of the New People’s Army (NPA), "is not the subject of the warrants used to arrest her, thus the restraint made on her person is illegal."

Seares added that "all objects and evidences obtained during the illegal arrest are unlawful and inadmissible."

Baba, a member of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) was arrested by military intelligence agents here on March 17, 2000. She was tagged as the same person as Miel Laurenaria, an alleged CPP-NPA Central Committee member. But the true Laurenaria was arrested on October 2002 and was even presented to the media by President Arroyo.

"The dismissal of the illegal use of alias and illegal possession of firearms filed against Baba gave her a long-delayed justice sought by her, her family and friends," said Baguio-based human rights lawyer Randy Kinaud.

The Abra-based Agustin Begnalen Command of the mainstream CPP-NPA has claimed responsibility for Balweg’s slay. — Artemio Dumlao