Ex-Palawan governor seeks dismissal of murder raps

MANILA, Philippines - Former Palawan governor Joel Reyes, tagged as the mastermind in the killing of environmental advocate and broadcaster Gerardo Ortega, yesterday urged prosecutors to dismiss the murder case against him, citing lack of evidence.

In a counter-affidavit submitted by his legal counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, to Senior State Prosecutor Edwin Dayog, Reyes said the evidence presented by the victim’s widow, Dr. Patria Gloria Ortega, is insufficient to show probable cause that he was involved in the killing.

Reyes was a no-show in the preliminary investigation at the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday afternoon and was represented by Topacio, who said his client already appeared before Dayog before noontime to affirm his counter-affidavit.

Reyes was accompanied by incumbent Palawan Gov. Abraham Kahlil Mitra, who executed an affidavit to support the former’s denial that he ordered the killing of Ortega.

Aside from Ortega’s wife, his daughter Michaella and mother Dolly Inocencio attended the preliminary investigation. They were represented by lawyer Harry Roque.  

Before the start of the preliminary investigation, Mrs. Ortega demanded the presence of Reyes, and this was supported by Roque.

Topacio, however, objected to this and challenged Roque to show any provision in the Rules of Court or in any quasi-judicial body like the DOJ mandating the presence of the accused in the preliminary investigation.

Topacio argued that the right to confront belongs to the accused, causing Roque to backtrack.

Sought for comment on Reyes’ non-appearance, Mrs. Ortega wondered why the former governor refuses to appear in the preliminary investigation if he is innocent, as he claimed to be.

In his counter-affidavit, Reyes branded the charges against him as “baseless and malicious.”

“The only evidence linking me to the crime is the affidavit of a confessed conspirator to the murder of Ortega,” he said.

Rodolfo Edrad Jr., alias Jun-Jun Bumar, considered the “missing link” between the gunman and the masterminds, implicated Reyes and former Marinduque governor Jose Antonio Carreon as the alleged brains in Ortega’s murder.