Arrest warrant served but no Joel Reyes

Former Palawan Governor Joel T. Reyes INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The manhunt continues for former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes, one of the accused in the killing of broadcaster Gerry Ortega.

This after a team from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) went to Reyes’ house in Dasmariñas Village, Makati, Saturday afternoon to serve the arrest warrant.

“Clara Espiritu, the mother of Reyes’ wife, received the warrant at around 5:30 p.m. at the house yesterday (Saturday),” a member of the arresting team, who declined to be named, said.

The CIDG team, led by operations chief David Toctucan tried to look for Reyes, but Espiritu, in an angry voice, said he was not there.

“She said that she did not know Reyes, and that he didn’t live there, saying something like ’yung hinahanap ninyo, wala dito,’ and questioned why the media was there,” the team member added.

However, Espiritu later yielded and accepted the arrest warrant.

The warrant will be returned to the Palawan Regional Trial Court, where it will be declared an alias warrant, allowing for the arrest of Reyes anytime.

“That is when the manhunt against the fugitive can really be effected,” the team member said.