DOJ clears ex-Palawan gov, 5 others in broadcaster's killing

(Updated 7:22 p.m.) A Department of Justice panel has dismissed the criminal charges filed against former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, who was accused of masterminding the killing of hard-hitting broadcaster Gerry Ortega last January. In a 21-page resolution dated June 8, the panel said there was insufficient evidence to indict Reyes, and the other respondents, namely: former Marinduque Gov. Jose Carreon; former Palawan provincial administrator Romeo Serratubias; Coron, Palawan Mayor Mario Reyes, and suspects Arturo Regalado and Percival Lecias. The DOJ panel, however, recommended the filing of murder charges against Rodolfo "Bumar" Edrad Jr., a former close-in security aide of Carreon; suspects Armando Noel, Dennis Aranas, and Arwin Arandia. "Wherefore, this panel of prosecutors finds probable cause for murder against Rodolfo Edrad Jr., Armando Noel, Dennis Aranas, and Arwin Arandia. The complaint against Gov. Mario Joel T. Reyes, Jose Antonio N. Carrion, Mayor Mario T. Reyes, Atty Romeo Serratubias, Arturo Regalado, and Percival B. Lecias is dismissed for insufficiency of evidence," the DOJ panel said. As of posting time, GMA News Online was still trying to reach the complainant, Patria Ortega, Gerry's wife, for comment. The panel was headed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Edwin Dayog, with Assistant State Prosecutors Bryan Cacha, and John Benedict Medina as members. On January 24, Ortega was gunned down in Puerto Princesa City after his radio program for the day. Ortega, 47, was the main news anchor and commentator of Radyo Mo Nationwide's (RMN)'s Palawan station dwAR. Ortega's wife has claimed that Joel Reyes may have ordered the killing because of her husband's vocal anti-mining advocacy. Lack of evidence But the DOJ said that Edrad's extrajudicial confession that Reyes was involved in the killing was insufficient to warrant the filing of murder charges against the former Palawan governor. "The alleged conversations between Gov. Reyes and Edrad that purport to show that the former masterminded the killing of Doc Gerry; the alleged payment to Edrad by Gov. Reyes of P15,000 in Marriott Hotel on 4 July 2010 and P100,00 in Dasmarinas Village on 8 January 2011; and the alleged payment by respondent Mayor Reyes to Edrad of P500,000 in Ayala Alabang on request of Gov. Reyes rest solely on the statements of Edrad in his extrajudicial confession, and no independent evidence corroborates all such statements," said the DOJ panel. 'Cheated' Sought for comment, Ortega's daughter, Mika, decried the DOJ panel's resolution as a "grave injustice." "We lost dad and now we feel blatantly cheated. The panel said there was lack of evidence but absolved the owner of the gun (Serratubias) and the self-confessed middlemen. They saw probable cause only in the cases of the accused who testified against JTR [former Governor Reyes]," Mika said in a text message. She also said she is perplexed why the panel recommended the indictment of Arandia when he only confessed to buying bullets that were not even used. For his part, the lawyer for the Ortega family said he will file with the DOJ panel a motion for reconsideration to appeal the "unacceptable" resolution. In a statement, lawyer Harry Roque said that he could not understand why the DOJ cleared the former ranking officials and yet recommended the indictment of the four men whose services were only contracted. "We refuse to accept the resolution of the DOJ that found probable cause against the hired killers, but absolved the principal/mastermind who contracted their services. To accept the DOJ resolution would be to encourage more media killings, and further promote the culture of impunity that already exists in the country," Roque said. Reyes vows reckoning Meanwhile, Reyes described the DOJ panel's decision as the wheels of justice grinding "exceptionally well." He added that those who tried to malign his name by linking him to Ortega's killing will face consequences. "Those who have planned this nefarious deed will have their day of reckoning. Those who have plotted to unjustly destroy us, those who have perjured themselves and manufactured evidence, and who have tried to use the justice system to perpetrate this foulest of deeds, shall rue the day when they contrived this evil scheme" said Reyes in a press statement. "We shall expose them for who they really are, so that they will never again deceive anyone, anymore, at any time," he added. — RSJ/HS/KBK, GMA News