MANILA, Philippines - Former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and his brother former Coron mayor Mario Reyes sought hospital detention yesterday as they were flown back to the province to face charges for the 2011 murder of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega.
The former governor said he and his ailing brother plan to seek, through their lawyers, hospital detention while undergoing trial.
He also claimed that they had long wanted to return to the country but could not do so because their Philippine passports had been cancelled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The brothers, who fled the country in 2012 using fake passports, were arrested as overstaying tourists in Rawai, Phuket, Thailand on Sunday.
Police accosted the ex-governor as he was leaving the house to buy medicine for his ailing brother.
Joel insisted yesterday that he and his brother Mario “voluntarily submitted” themselves to the Royal Thai police when they were taken into custody as “overstaying aliens” in Bangkok.
“There is no truth to reports that we have fake Philippine passports. In fact, we still have them with us, which we showed to the Thai authorities,” Reyes told reporters.
Malacañang assured the public that the wheels of justice would continue to grind regardless of who takes over the post to be vacated by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who is expected to announce her senatorial bid on Monday.
Private prosecutor Alex Avisado yesterday urged De Lima to resolve the petition for review filed by Ortega’s relatives questioning the resolution dismissing the murder charges.
He believed that reinstating the murder charges would dispel rumors that De Lima is biased for the Reyes brothers, pointing out that the justice secretary was their former defense counsel.
In yesterday’s presentation, the duo was not allowed to issue any statement and members of the press were also barred from asking questions.
But they were allowed to do so at the Puerto Princesa City Jail, where they will be detained prior to their presentation to the court on Monday.
RGMA Palawan quoted Marlito Anza, the jail’s public information officer, saying the duo would be detained in an ordinary cell, with a wooden bed and common toilet, at an “isolated dorm.”
Wearing a yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the word “Detainee,” the former Palawan governor took pains to clarify their reported “arrest” in Bangkok.
Reyes pointed out he and his brother turned themselves in to Thai authorities when they were accosted and taken to jail in Bangkok along with other illegal aliens from Myanmar, Cambodia and other countries.
Continuing with his narration, Joel recalled that their passports were invalidated by the DFA and they were placed on a “lookout” list by the Interpol upon request of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In his own narration of facts, the ex-governor admitted that the Thai police picked him up near the residence where he and his brother have been staying under assumed names.
He added that a Thai policeman called him by his assumed name when he came out of the house to run an errand for his brother. When asked if his real name was Joel Reyes, he said he readily admitted to being one and the same person and told them he was on his way to buy medicine for his sick brother.
Reyes thanked the Thai police authorities for the kind treatment they were given when they were taken to Bangkok for detention.
Police Criminal Investigation and Detention Group (CIDG) director Chief Supt. Victor Deona said they were not handcuffed on their flight home and were only served their respective arrest warrants, issued by Judge Angelo Arizalda of Regional Trial Court Branch 52 in Palawan, after their arrival in Manila at 3:20 a.m. yesterday.
Deona said the Miranda rights were also read to the Reyes brothers to inform them of their right to remain silent and the right to have a lawyer of their own choice.
After the media presentation, the brothers were booked at the CIDG office where they had their mug shots and fingerprints taken. They also went through a routine medical examination at the PNP Health Service.
The brothers were taken to the airport under tight CIDG security at around 10:30 a.m. yesterday for their afternoon flight to Palawan, where they are to be presented to the court on Monday.
Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento congratulated the CIDG for the arrest of the brothers. “On behalf of the national leadership I would like to extend the commendation of President Aquino to the PNP under Director General Ricardo Marquez for this landmark accomplishment. This only goes to show that the long arm of the law will eventually catch anyone who challenges its majesty,” he said.
“This is only an initial victory. From here we shall continue to support the other pillars and ensure the successful prosecution of the case until its logical conclusion,” he added.
Marquez credited the arrest of the Reyes brothers to the strong partnership between the PNP, the Royal Thai Police and the Interpol.
Case background
Prior to the killing, Ortega was a vocal critic of local officials for their alleged misuse of funds derived from the operation of the Malampaya gas field in Palawan.
The Reyes brothers were tagged as masterminds behind the killing and were initially charged with murder. However, they assailed the ruling and sought to have it dismissed.
The Court of Appeals directed De Lima in October 2014 to resolve the petition for review filed by Ortega’s relatives to assail a decision dismissing the murder charge as it also junked a separate petition filed by the former governor to prevent De Lima from conducting further investigation on the case.
Joel Reyes wanted De Lima to inhibit from resolving the petition for review following her statement alleging that his camp employed “foul tactics and illicit means” in order to get a favorable decision from the appellate court.
The Court of Appeals earlier cleared the Reyes brothers of the murder charges, citing insufficiency of evidence. – With Rudy Santos, Edu Punay, Delon Porcalla