DOJ to pursue murder rap vs ex-Palawan governor over Gerry Ortega killing
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the Department of Justice will pursue a murder charge against former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, who is the alleged mastermind behind the killing of broadcast journalist Gerry Ortega.
Remulla revealed this in an ambush interview with reporters on Thursday, a day after Reyes surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
"We will pursue the prosecution because it cannot proceed without him," Remulla said in an interview with members of the press in Filipino.
Meanwhile, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon said the NBI will present Reyes before a court where he is set to be arraigned.
“The case has been archived for several years. Now that he has been apprehended, the NBI will bring him before the court where the case is pending. Prosecutors will request to have the case revived and removed from the archives,” Fadullon said.
According to the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) on Wednesday, Reyes surrendered to the NBI.
Reyes and his brother, former Coron town mayor Mario Reyes, along with eight others, are facing murder charges in connection with Ortega's death.
The Supreme Court had ordered Reyes' re-arrest after ruling that the courts did not commit grave abuse of discretion in finding the former governor liable for Ortega's killing.
The high court also allowed the transfer of his trial from Palawan to a Quezon City court earlier this year.
Reyes is also facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan over the alleged misuse of Malampaya funds.
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