De Lima to probe 'bribe try' on Ortega slay witness

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) will look into the allegation of a key witness in the Jan. 24 killing of broadcaster Gerry Ortega that he was offered P25 million for him to recant his testimony implicating former governors Joel Reyes of Palawan and Jose Antonio Carrion of Marinduque in the murder.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said she would order the DOJ task force on political and media killings to “take appropriate action” on the allegation of Rodolfo Edrad Jr., alias Junjun Bumar, during the preliminary investigation last Friday.

De Lima said she would ask Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, which is in charge of the task force, and the supervising undersecretary in the Ortega murder case “to either direct a separate probe or assign it to a different prosecutor.”

De Lima opted to act on Edrad’s allegation despite her earlier decision to inhibit herself from the case, as Reyes was her former client when she was still an election lawyer in 2004.

“A high-profile case such as this, I am monitoring the same with the end view that the case be expeditiously and justly disposed of,” she said.

Last Friday, Edrad, through lawyer Alex Avisado, submitted to the DOJ investigating panel a supplemental affidavit alleging the bribe attempt.

“I have been offered no less than P25 million in exchange for recanting my previous statements against the masterminds of the murder of Dr. Gerry Ortega,” Edrad said.

“I have refused and will continue to refuse any bribe offered to me. The truth cannot be bought. I will not and will never recant,” he added.

Edrad reiterated his testimony that Reyes, through Carrion, allegedly tapped him to hire fellow suspects Marlon Recamata, Dennis Aranas and Armando Noel to kill Ortega.

Reyes’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said their camp would answer the allegation when they submit a rejoinder in the next hearing on May 3.

In the same hearing, the National Bureau of Investigation submitted a supplemental affidavit belying the allegation of one of the suspects, Percival Lesias, that NBI agents based in Palawan had coerced him into admitting his participation in the killing.

Prior to his recantation, Lesias had corroborated Edrad’s claim along with another witness, Arwin Arandia.

The case stemmed from the murder complaint filed by Ortega’s wife Patria Gloria.

Last Feb. 14, the widow sought the indictment of Reyes based on the testimonies of the suspects who either surrendered or were arrested.

She also named Reyes’ brother, Coron Mayor Mario Reyes Jr., as accessory to the crime for having allegedly given the money to the gang hired to kill her husband.

Ricamata, alias Marvin Alcaraz, reportedly confessed before a Palawan court last Feb. 11 that he was the one who shot Ortega.