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==[[Marinduque News]]==
==[[Marinduque News]]==
'''DOJ orders murder raps filed vs. Palawan former gov., 4 others in Ortega killing'''
'''Ortegas eye hold-departure order vs Reyes, et al'''
*Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/251261/news/nation/doj-orders-murder-raps-filed-vs-palawan-former-gov-4-others-in-ortega-killing
*Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/03/14/12/ortegas-eye-hold-departure-order-vs-reyes-et-al
*March 13, 2012 2:26pm
*03/14/2012 4:40 PM | Updated as of 03/14/2012 7:23 PM
:by MARK MERUEÑAS, GMA NEWS
:by Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News




(Updated 3:27 p.m.) The Department of Justice on Tuesday reversed its previous decision and ordered that murder charges be filed against Palawan former Governor Joel Reyes and four others for the killing of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega.
MANILA, Philippines - The family of slain environmentalist and radio broadcaster Dr. Gerardo "Doc Gerry" Ortega welcomed the finding of probable cause by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against ex-Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes for the killing of Ortega last January 2011.
 
Also ordered charged were former Palawan administrator Romeo Serratubias, Reyes’ son and incumbent Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, Arturo Regalado and Percival Lecias.
Speaking to journalists at a news conference, Mika and Erika Ortega, daughters of Doc Gerry, said they felt relieved that the preliminary investigation is already concluded, and the case will now go to trial.
 
"After the reinvestigation and evaluation of the evidence adduced by both parties, the new panel arrived at the conclusion that the additional evidence offered by the complainant are relevant in appreciating other pieces of evidence previously submitted by the parties during the first preliminary investigation and that such additional evidence are sufficient to modify the initial findings of the previous panel,” the DOJ said.
"My family would like to thank the DOJ for first, allowing the re-investigation; and second, for evaluating my father's case based on its merits. Now, we can move on to the next phase, which, strictly speaking, is the longer and harder battle. This gives us the prospect of a trial wherefore my father's case will hopefully be judged fairly," Mika Ortega said.
 
The murder case was ordered to be filed in the Regional Trial Court of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
"This is a step forward; a critical step, not only for my family but for the campaign against impunity," she added.
 
The 28-page resolution was approved by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano. The panel is made up of Assistant State Prosecutor Stewart Allan Mariano, Assistant State Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano at Associate Prosecution Attorney Gerard Gaerlan.
The Ortegas will also ask the trial court to issue a hold departure order against Reyes and his co-accused Mario Reyes, Jr., Romeo Seratubias, Arturo Regalado, Valentin Lecias, Armando Noel, Jr., Dennis Aranas, Arwin Arandia, and Rodolfo Edrad once warrants for their arrest are issued.
 
Ortega, 47, was gunned down in Puerto Princesa in January 2011after his radio program was aired. He was the main news anchor and commentator of Radyo Mo Nationwide's (RMN)'s Palawan station dwAR.
The Ortegas' lawyer, Alex Avisado, said their legal team intends to request the trial court to subpoena the exchange of text messages between Reyes and co-accused Edrad between Dec. 2010 and Jan. 2011, including the very day Ortega was gunned down in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
 
Reyes may have ordered the killing because of Ortega’s vocal anti-mining advocacy, Ortega's wife claimed.
The listing of text messages, including the dates and time of exchange, was submitted by Globe Telecom to the DOJ preliminary investigation panel, but the actual messages may not be divulged unless there is a formal order from the trial court.
 
In a June 8, 2011 ruling, the Justice department dropped the murder charges against Reyes and the four others noting that evidence and testimonies available at that time were not enough to indict them.
"Kapag mababasa ninyo yung text, palitan ng text, mapapatunayan na ang mastermind, ang nagbigay ng pera... ay si ex-Gov. Reyes," Avisado said.
 
Extra-judicial confession of Rodolfo Edrad Jr. earlier tagged Reyes as the mastermind in the Ortega killing.
Edrad had admitted that he was ordered by Reyes to craft a plan to liquidate Ortega, who was repeatedly criticizing him on radio for alleged corruption activities. Edrad's lawyers will ask the trial court to discharge him as an accused so he may turn state witness.
 
But the panel said that without independent pieces of evidence to support it, an extra-judicial confession was not admissible in court.
The family is also contemplating on filing a petition for review with the office of Justice Sec. Leila De Lima to urge the inclusion of former Marinduque Gov. Antonio Carrion as an accused. The DOJ junked the complaint against Carrion for "lack of evidence."
 
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, however, ordered a reinvestigation of the case after the victim's widow, Dr. Patria Ortega, submitted additional evidence.
Overwhelming support
 
In Tuesday's resolution, only Marinduque Gov. Jose Antonio Carreon was spared from the charges due to insufficiency of evidence. — VS, GMA News
The Ortega family expressed gratitude to supporters from various sectors, and urged for continued vigilance in monitoring Doc Gerry's case and other cases involving killings of journalists.
 
"This would not be possible if it were not for the enduring support of so many people who believed in us and supported us in so many ways. The people who helped us and continue to help us come from in and out of the government, from the media, the Church, and the academe, as groups and as private individuals. My family is grateful for all of you. You who are relentless, you who are untiring, you whose faith is unwavering -- you know who you are, thank you," Mika said.
 
The family also vowed to continue Doc Gerry's advocacy for the environment and against mining in Palawan.
 
Doc Gerry was gunned down last January 24, 2011.
 
He was ABS-CBN Foundation program director for Philippine Ecotourism Palawan.


==[[:Category:Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery|Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==
==[[:Category:Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery|Marinduque, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==
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