Malacañang: DOJ to block Reyes brothers' plan to seek hospital arrest

Malacañang on Saturday said that the Department of Justice should strongly oppose the plan of former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and brother Coron mayor Mario Reyes to seek hospital arrest.

 

"Secretary Leila de Lima will have a strong position on that," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview with state-run dzRB.

 

Valte also cited reports that the Reyes brothers lived like tourists while in Phuket, Thailand.

 

"Certainly, the prosecutors will have something to say about their proposed motion to file for hospital arrest, dahil alam naman po natin na bago po sila [umuwi] very recently ay parang mga turista po ang kanilang pamumuhay doon sa Thailand," she added.

 

The Reyes brothers said that their lawyers will ask the courts to grant them hospital detention while undergoing trial.

 

The brothers were flown to Puerto Princesa City on Friday to face the murder charges filed against them for the killing of environmentalist Gerry Ortega.

 

The brothers were flown back to Manila also on Friday. They were arrested by authorities in Thailand last Sunday. —Andrei Medina/ALG, GMA News