Ex-Makati vice mayor among Reyes brothers' associates

MANILA, Philippines - Former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado was among the business associates shadowed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) while hunting fugitives former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and his brother ex-mayor Mario Reyes of Coron, both accused in the murder of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega in 2011, sources said.

The source claimed that the Reyes brothers had been calling their close associates, including Mercado, while they were hiding in Thailand.

The PNP traced the calls made by the Reyes brothers to their associates through tedious technical research and call data and SMS records on contact numbers 66834540216 and 6699486167 that originated from Thailand.

Among the monitored calls of the Reyes brothers were to a wife, to resort owner Teddy Teontangco, a fishing magnate based in Navotas, and Mercado, who also owns a resort and a cockpit in Palawan.

Thai authorities arrested the Reyes brothers in Phuket following information provided by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detective Management (CIDG).

An informant emailed to the CIDG the pictures and location of the Reyes brothers, who were deported to the Philippines after Thai police arrested them for violation of immigration laws.

The Reyes brothers are accused of masterminding the killing of Ortega on Jan. 24, 2011.

According to the PNP report, cell phone number 6699486167 called the following numbers: 0926-6442255 14 times; 0916-4004126 seven times; 0916-4007807 five times; twice each to 0915-3523916, 09064103828, and 66819781011 (a Thai number); and one call each to 0917-4751533, 0915-4612940 and 0927-9453056.

The STAR source, however, failed to pinpoint the number of Mercado among those listed above.

He added that they even followed Mercado to a remote area in Aurora province and in several other areas in Metro Manila and the provinces of Cebu, Palawan and Nueva Ecija, but the Reyes brothers were nowhere to be found.

It was not clear whether the PNP was also monitoring Mercado during his appearance at the Senate hearing on the corruption charges against his former ally and now nemesis Vice President Jejomar Binay.

According to the source, they also coordinated with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) with regard to the bank accounts of the Reyeses, but this yielded negative results.

“They have no money in the banks. And it appears that they withdrew their money before the AMLC could move in,” the source added.

One to go

Meanwhile, police said that out of the five high-profile fugitives known as the “Big 5,” only Dinagat Island Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. remains at large.

The other high profile fugitives – including the Reyes brothers, Globe Asiatique developer Delfin Lee and retired general Jovito Palparan – have been arrested in separate police operations in 2014 and this year.

Each of the top five fugitives has a P2-million bounty for their arrest.

Lee was arrested on March 6, 2014 for syndicated estafa in connection with Globe Asiatique’s Xevera housing projects in Bacolor and Mabalacat towns in Pampanga province. Lee has denied the charges.

Palparan was arrested on Aug 12, 2014 for kidnapping and serious illegal detention of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan, who have disappeared. He has denied the charges.

Ecleo has been in hiding since his conviction for parricide.

The Cebu City Regional Trial Court found Ecleo guilty of killing his wife Alona Bacolod and was sentenced to reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of up to 40 years.

In November 2012, then interior secretary Mar Roxas signed two joint orders by the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government detailing updated rewards for wanted leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines, New Peoples’ Army and National Democratic Front, as well as the Abu Sayyaf Group.

– With Cecille Suerte Felipe