The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the Puerto Princesa City regional trial court (RTC) to proceed “with utmost dispatch” on the trial of former Palawan governor Mario Joel T. Reyes who was charged with murder in the 2011 killing of environmentalist and broadcaster Dr. Geraldo “Gerry” Ortega.
In a resolution handed down on March 29, 2023 but made public only on Sunday, July 16, 2023, the SC also directed the RTC to order the re-arrest of Reyes.
Ortega was killed by a lone gunman on Jan. 24, 2011 in Barangay San Pedro in Puerto Princesa City. He had been a critic of Reyes, particularly in the mining operations in Palawan.
Reyes had challenged before the Court of Appeals (CA) the arrest order issued against him by the trial court.
Initially the CA granted Reyes’ plea in 2018 but later reconsidered its ruling on the murder charge and ordered his arrest.
Reyes elevated the issue before the SC which stopped temporarily the Puerto Princesa City RTC from implementing the arrest order.
In its March 29, 2023 resolution, the SC lifted the temporary restraining order (TRO) against the arrest, ordered the trial court to cause Reyes’ arrest and detention, and directed immediate proceedings on the murder charge.
In its resolution, the SC said:
“Petitioner (Reyes) failed to present any convincing evidence to show how the RTC abused, or acted in capricious and whimsical exercise of judgment amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in denying the motions filed by petitioner and ordering the continuation of the criminal proceedings against him. There is likewise no showing that the trial court's power was exercised in an arbitrary and despotic manner.
“The CA, like the trial court, found evidence on record sufficient to support a finding of existence of probable cause against petitioner. These include: [Rodolfo Edrad, alias Bumar] Bumar's statement implicating petitioner and others as the persons who masterminded the killing of Dr. Ortega; [Arwin] Arandia's statement that he was the person initially hired by Bumar to kill Dr. Ortega; [Denis] Aranas' statement similarly identifying petitioner [Reyes] as the mastermind of the killing of Dr. Ortega; and the admission of gunman [Marlon] Recamata that he was hired by Bumar's boss to kill Dr. Ortega.
“We do not find that the CA committed reversible error when it affirmed the trial court's Orders.”
The Ortega family, in a statement, said:
"Our family is thankful that the Supreme Court sided with truth and justice. We have long hoped and prayed for the trial to continue. This fair decision restores our faith that, one day, we will find justice.”