DoJ drops raps vs Palawan ex-gov in broadcaster’s murder

Ex-Palawan Governor Joel Reyes. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Department of Justice has decided to drop murder charges against former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes and five others in the killing of hard-hitting broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega for insufficiency of evidence.

In a ruling dated June 8, a three-member DoJ panel said the evidence and testimonies presented against Reyes during its preliminary hearing were not enough to indict him as mastermind of the January 24 killing of Ortega in Puerto Princesa City.

The panel also dropped charges against former Marinduque Governor Jose Antonio Carreon, former Palawan administrator Romeo Serratubias, Reyes’ son incumbent Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, Arturo Regalado and Percival Lecias.

The DoJ said the extra-judicial confession of Rodolfo Edrad, Jr. that ex-Governor Reyes masterminded the killing was not enough to warrant the filing of the murder case.

Edrad’s statement, the DoJ panel added was also not enough to warrant the filing of cases against ex-Governor Carreon and Mayor Reyes.

While extra-judicial confessions may be admissible as evidence, it will only become one if there are independent pieces of evidence that support the extra-judicial confession. In this case, however, the panel said there was none.

The DoJ panel, however, charged Edrad and three others with murder for allegedly being among the lookouts who aided the gunman in killing Ortega. The three others are Armando Noel, Dennis Aranas and Arwin Arandia.

Originally posted at 12:35 pm | Tuesday, June 14th, 2011