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PALAWAN, Philippines – Former Palawan governor Joel T. Reyes, a suspect in the murder of broadcaster-environmentalist Gerry Ortega, did not file a certificate of candidacy (COC) to run for governor of the province, and instead is petitioning the court to put him on hospital arrest.
“Napagdesisyunan na po ni dating Gobernador Joel T. Reyes at ng inyong lingkod na hindi na muna kami lalahok sa halalan 2025 (Former governor Joel T. Reyes and myself have decided that we are not joining the 2025 elections),” Reyes’ spokesperson Rolando Bonoan said in a statement Wednesday, October 9.
Reyes’ lawyers filed a petition for bail and hospital detention at a Manila hospital where he is reportedly seeking medical attention for a complicated illness. The Quezon City Regional Trial Court has yet to issue a ruling on this petition.
Reyes turned himself over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on September 11, after two years of hiding on and off — which is not the first time he evaded charges over allegedly masterminding the murder of Ortega, who was killed by a hired gunman in January 2021. Reyes was implicated by the self-confessed organizer of the hit, Rodolfo Edrad Jr., who turned state witness following his arrest in Quezon province.
Reyes is one of several high-profile personalities who have evaded arrest while facing legal troubles.
Early this year, several international media organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), had sent a delegation to push for the arrest of Reyes by providing authorities intelligence information they have gathered on his whereabouts, including notable political personalities who were allegedly providing him safe haven.
Hide and seek
Reyes fled the country following his indictment by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2011, but was arrested after four years of hiding in Phuket, Thailand by local authorities. He was arrested there in 2015 for overstaying and was promptly turned over to the Philippine government. He was detained at the Puerto Princesa City Jail while undergoing trial at the Palawan Regional Trial Court, along with his brother Mario Reyes who was also implicated in the murder case and had joined him in fleeing the country.
In January 2018, the Court of Appeals stopped the lower court trial, citing insufficient evidence, and Reyes was released from detention shortly after this ruling. The vote in that decision was a controversial split 3-2. In 2019, after one of the concurring justices retired, the Court of Appeals reversed its decision and ordered the immediate rearrest of Reyes.
In 2021, Ortega’s family was shocked to find out that Reyes had been seen roaming Palawan and was going to run in the 2022 elections. Jail authorities at the time could not pinpoint who had him in custody, or who released him, as he was also serving another sentence for graft. A manhunt followed in October 2021.
Reyes lost the gubernatorial elections in 2022, but won a round in the Supreme Court — the High Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in March that year, which gave him the legal cover to remain free. The Supreme Court lifted the TRO only in March 2023.
As the trial progressed in Puerto Princesa City, at least three of Reyes’ known associates who were also implicated in the murder case, were convicted and sentenced to jail. Two of them, Percival Lecias and former lawyer Romeo Seratubias, both employees of the provincial government during Reyes’ term, died from natural causes while in detention.
Legal maneuvers
Reyes has so far been able to delay his trial by successfully pleading before the Supreme Court in December 2023 to transfer his case to Quezon City, citing alleged threats to his life among other reasons. The SC ruling was severely criticized by the family of the victim and support groups, including the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).
Government prosecutors handling the case tried to oppose Reyes’ motion to transfer the venue of the trial, denying the validity of Reyes’ claimed security threat and pointing out the irony that he was invoking his civil rights while at the same time flaunting his arrest and remaining in hiding.
As the Ortega family commemorated the 13th death anniversary of the Ortega murder case, it expressed “deep concerns” over the SC ruling but vowed to press on with the case, now assigned to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76, presided over by Judge Renato Pambid.
Reyes is also currently facing other charges that remains unresolved by the courts, including allegations of misuse of P1.53 billion in Malampaya gas funds. – Rappler.com
Redempto Anda is the editor-in-chief of Palawan News
