De Lima now personally monitoring Ortega slay probe

After initially inhibiting herself from the case, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Wednesday said she is now personally monitoring developments in her department’s reinvestigation into the killing of Palawan broadcaster Gerry Ortega. De Lima said she is now taking a "hands on" stance on the case to make sure that the Department of Justice panel is handling the probe properly. "I am monitoring now para ma-assuage naman lalo na ‘yung family ng victim at ang mga taga-Palawan. Kasi parang they are accusing me na wala akong pakialam just because may previous professional relationship sa alleged mastermind," she told reporters after the DOJ budget briefing at the House of Representatives. In March, De Lima inhibited from the inquiry into Ortega’s killing as the primary suspect, former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, used to be her client when she was still in private practice. But on Wednesday, De Lima stressed that she "cannot really influence" the reinvestigation since DOJ prosecutors are the ones conducting it. "I decided this para masiguro ko na tamang proseso ang nagaganap doon sa level ng prosecutors," she said. Ortega slay case 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 Reyes may have ordered the killing because of her husband's vocal anti-mining advocacy. But in a resolution issued last June 14, the DOJ panel cleared the former Palawan governor of involvement in Ortega’s killing, citing insufficient evidence. Ortega’s wife, Patria, then asked the DOJ in July to reconsider its ruling, and to include Reyes and five others in the case. This prompted the DOJ panel to reinvestigate the case, according to De Lima. — RSJ, GMA News