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Conrado Balweg was born in 1944 to a poor farmer family in Cordilleras
Mountains. The family belonged to the Tingguian, a tribal minority often referred
as “people from the mountains”, primitive and underdeveloped. Many people believed that the tribe were into
headhunting and animism. To escape from the branding, Conrado and his siblings were
sent on mission schools. His parents chosen the career of a priest for Conrado.
Conrado attended a priest school of the international order
of the Steyler missionaries, the "Societas Verbi Divini" (SVD). From
here, he heard the teachings of Marxism and the Liberation Theology.
The lectures of Liberation theology has more influence on
Conrado. According to the teachings of
the Liberation Theology the church has to focus its attention to social work
especially to the poor and discriminated people. Some of the supporters of the
Liberation Theology sympathize with socialist, also communist society models.
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However, the Roman Catholic Church frowned upon the
teachings of Liberation Theology. Pope Paul II asserted that the Church must do
social work but “the conception of Christ as a political figure, as a
revolutionary or person engaged in subversive activities does not correspond to
the catechism of the church.” Those who contradict the teachings of the Rome
especially for theologians, priests and nuns entered the possibility of
excommunication.
In 1974, at the height of Martial Law,
Conrado was ordained and became the first priest from the tribe of the
Tingguian. Even before he was a seminarian, he devoted his time to social work.
While he was serving as a priest in baranguay Sal-Lapadan, he called for structural
reforms. He protested against the multinational timber companies which invaded
and disproved the historical claims of ownership of the natives due to lack of
documents. He accused the Marcos government of being corrupt and uncontrolled.
In 1979, Conrado set aside his Bible and carried a gun as he
joined the Cordillera People’s Army, the NPA in his region. He was nicknamed Ka
Ambo and became “Robin Hood of the Cordilleras,” a local idol. He married his
comrade Corazon "Azon" Cortel and gave birth to five children. At
that time he was excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church.
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Conrado spoke in his CPA teachings the necessary use of
counter-violence against rulers and big landowners. He maintained that “guns
will not win the war, but the justness of the cause will … we have the support
of the masses.”
He admitted in a newspaper interview that his group killed 46
government soldiers and six armed forces informers in 29 collisions with the
armed forces. Because of his admission, the Marcos government put a price on
his head and ordered his capture – dead or alive.
During the course of his struggle, Conrado denounced the
CPA/NPA as a totalitarian organization, acting against the interests of the
Igorots and ruled by city dwellers in the lowland. He formed his paramilitary
group Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA). The two groups fought each other, accusing
each one of crimes and tortured of people. It was a fight between brothers
because CPA was headed by Jovencio, Conrado’s brother.
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In 1986, when President Corazon Aquino took the seat in
Malacanang, Conrado and his CPLA agreed to sit in the negotiating table. He was
given amnesty and the government considered the comprehensive regional autonomy
he was fighting for Cordillera Region.
In 1987, a film biography of Conrado’s life was release.
In 1999, Conrado was murdered.
According to reports, Conrado was on vacation in their
family house in Malibong, Abra. He and Jovencio had an argument and a shot went
through from outside the house killing Conrado on the spot. It was believe at
that time that Jovencio was engaged in his assassination. Police reported that Conrado
was killed by Jovencio but the statement was later retracted and pointed to an
NPA hit man as the killer.
In 2000, investigations revealed that it was not Jovencio who
killed Conrado but a communist guerrilla. Procorpio Tauro alias Pyro and Ka
Lito was the masked gunman who shot dead with an Armalite rifle the leader of
the CPLA in December 31, 1999.
Father Conrado Balweg fought for the self-determination of
the people of Cordillera that lead to the creation of Cordillera Administrative
Region.
Source: Insights Philippines
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