TABUK CITY, Kalinga, Philippines — Claiming to be the genuine Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), the CPLA-Balweg Wing petitioned the Regional Trial Court (RTC) here to nullify a new memorandum of agreement (MoA) for peace between the national government and another faction of the CPLA.

The new peace agreement being questioned by the Balweg Wing was signed on July 4, 2011 by Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita Deles in behalf of the government and Arsenio Humiding, purported CPLA chairman and Marcelina Bahatan, CPLA president.

It puts into fore the so-called “closure” which demobilizes armed CPLA units in the different parts of the region and provides for the implementation of an economic program for 53 villages where the CPLA members live.

The new agreement supposedly puts an end to the 25-year peace process which began when former President Corazon C. Aquino and the CPLA, then led by priest-rebel Fr. Conrado Balweg entered into a “sipat” otherwise known as ceasefire agreement putting on hold the insurgency movement in the region.

Balweg Wing petitioners Andes Ngao-I, Michael Sugguiao, Pedro Abbacan and Leonardo Bun-as told the Tabuk RTC Branch 25 that Humiding and Bahatan cannot represent the CPLA as they are neither officers nor members in good standing of the group.